Second album from duo, An Tara – Tommy Hayes & Matthew Noone

In conjunction with Raelach Records, the unique duo of Matthew Noone (on North Indian lute) and Tommy Hayes (on percussion) are releasing their second album, Faha Rain, on 24 November in Galway.

An Tara, which means ‘the space between’ in Sanskrit, is Tommy Hayes and Matthew (‘mattu’) Noone. Hayes plays bodhrán, bones, spoons, marimba, bells, mbira, jews harp, and more. Noone plays primarily a 23- stringed, North Indian lute, called a sarode. Together they make music that explores the outer reaches of Irish traditional music through original composition and improvisation influenced by traditional musics from many other parts of the world.

Noone describes the new album: “While there’s a flavour of North India in the tonality and improvisation, the mood of the album is mostly influenced by a particular style of Irish traditional playing. ‘Faha Rain’, the title track, refers to my local parish in East Clare, for instance, and draws inspiration from the slow, melancholic style of playing of the older musicians there. Likewise, we have arranged some beautiful melodies from the playing of the West Clare master, Junior Crehan, and also a tune by the great East Galway fiddle player and composer, Paddy Fahy.”

Hayes has performed and recorded for over 30 years with most of the great names in traditional music and beyond. He was a founding member of ground-breaking group, Stockton's Wing, and is considered one of the leading bodhrán players in the tradition.

Noone is Ireland's foremost exponent of the sarode which he studied with Sougata Roy Chowdhury and K. Sridhar for over 15 years. In particular, he is renowned for his interpretations of Irish music on the instrument, and has toured India with Martin Hayes, and played at the prestigious Masters of Tradition Festival in Bantry.

An Tara released their debut album (“beautiful unique and profound music” – Celtic Road Radio; “multiple layers of significance” – Sing Out!) in 2015, and have delivered unforgettable performances at festivals, arts centres and venues up and down the country since.

Faha Rain was recorded with producer and Gradam Ceol winner, Jack Talty, in Lissycasey, Co Clare, and will be officially released on the Realach Records label on 24th November 2017.

Tickets are €15 with the CD.