Lorcán
Mac Mathúna was born in Cork in 1976 into a family with
a passion for traditional music and singing. Much of his singing
has been passed to him by his father Séamus and were
passed to him by masters of the tradition from places like
Cúl Aodha, where he lived at a time when the nation
seemed to discover its rich heritage. Lorcán
has developed a confident, measured style which expresses the
feeling of his songs and connects the listener to the emotions
of the songs creators. Lorcán has sung in concert at
many events, including as a guest of West Cork Music in Bantry.
Lorcán's
rendition of an eerie eighteenth-century elegy, Tuireamh Mhic
Finín Dhuibh (track 8 on this CD), was described by
the Journal of Music in Ireland(JMI) as “Commanding.” They
went on to say:
“ Mac Mathúna has, on this evidence, both the voice and the attitude
to place him in the first rank of the new wave of traditional singer.”
The
album, Rógaire Dubh, brings this style of singing into
a new realm. One where the unaccustomed listener can readily
recognise the musical quality of the songs without having to “acquire
a taste.” To cultivate
a taste for these soulful and passionate melodies is a fulfilling
journey in itself, but a little help from sympathetic instrumental
development of the melodic lines of the tunes puts a thrill
into the experience and brings a whole new dimension to it.
Musicians such as Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and
Mick O Brien are no strangers to innovation when it comes to
music and their intuitive playing on this album ensure an experience
to be relished.