TG4 and Black Gate Productions have announced a new series of the music programme Cumasc: Seisiúin sa Black Gate. The twelve-part series, which is now available to view online, sees a range of collaborations between artists from different backgrounds. Each episode, filmed in Galway, shows a grouping of musicians brought together for one day to work on two pieces of music, culminating in a performance. Among the collaborations are Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Niamh Regan and John Francis Flynn. 

The first episode features singer and flute player Ríoghnach Connolly, Ivory Coast multi-instrumentalist Sidiki Dmebélé and producer and instrumentalist Shunya who create a new arrangement of a West African song ‘Siraba Kelen’ combined with Irish traditional sounds and electric guitar. Subsequent episodes feature singers Saileog Ní Cheannabháin and John Francis Flynn who perform the folk song ‘The Month of January’; singer Pauline Scanlon, guitarist Caoimhe Hopkinson and American guitarist and blues singer Austin Walkin’ Cane; singer-songwriter Susan O’Neill and composer and improviser Phil Christie; concertina player Jack Talty and Scottish piper Brìghde Chaimbeul; and singer-songwriter Niamh Regan with fiddle player Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh. 

Ríoghnach Connolly, Sidiki Dmebélé and Shunya

Also featured is French double bass player Renaud Garcia-Fons and fiddle player Zoë Conway who perform a version of the slow air ‘Bearna Mhéabh’, and in the final programme we see a collaboration between singer Iarla Ó Lionáird, pianist Cormac McCarthy and jazz musician Matthew Berrill. 

Commenting on the series, the director Mia Mullarkey said, ‘We brought musicians of diverse traditions together for one day, in a merging of musical cultures and creative freedom. We asked them to create two pieces, and Cumasc is what unfolded. While filming the series, I had incredibly rich conversations with renowned musicians such as Iarla Ó Lionáird, Zoë Conway, Renaud Garcia Fons and John Francis Flynn. It was a great pleasure observing masterful artists weaving their melodies and traditions together, listening to their insights on the emotions, the craft, the heritage of music. I have no doubt that music-lovers are going to feel moved and inspired when they get to watch Cumasc Season 2.’

The full list of artists is as follows: Iarla Ó Lionáird, Cormac McCarthy, Matthew Berrill, Zoë Conway, Renaud Garcia-Fons, Róisin Chambers, Casper Clausen, Susan O’Neill and Phil Christie, Olesya Zdorovetska, Rónán Ó Snodaigh, Myles O’ Reilly, Brìghde Chaimbeul, Jack Talty, Naomi Berrill, Molly O’Mahony, Niamh Regan, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Pauline Scanlon, Caoimhe Hopkinson, Austin Walkin’ Cane, Róis, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Saileog Ní Cheannabháin, John Francis Flynn, Ríoghnach Connolly, Sidiki Dembélé and Shunya.

Cumasc: Seisiúin sa Black Gate season 2 is now available to watch on the TG4 player. Visit www.tg4.ie.