It has been an extraordinary 10 year journey for the Afro Celt Sound
System - one of the most innovative music collectives of its time. In
that period there have been many lesser imitators and the global beat
movement they pioneered has entered the mainstream.
When Simon
Emmerson began to piece together the Afro Celt Sound System in 1992 he
had no idea where the journey would take him. But Emmerson's
fascination with the link between Irish and African traditions
introduced him to three like-minded souls - co-producer and
multi-instrumentalist James McNally; vocalist and lyricist Iarla Ó
Lionáird; co-producer, engineer and programmer Martin Russell.
The
bonding of these four members turned the Afro Celts from a project into
a band. Over the years they have formed an ever-changing collaborative
collective with numerous outstanding guest performers who have taken
cross-cultural fusion to dizzying hights. As well as core members
Johnny Kalsi and N'Faly Koyate they have been joined by a host of names
from Robert Plant to Sinead O Connor, Davy Spillane to Liam O'Flynn,
Peter Gabriel and Eileen Ivers to name but a few.
As a band
they have broken down musical barriers and celebrated musical and
cultural differences to create an organic whole out of many parts. They
have sold well over 1.2 million albums, contributed to the sound tracks
of numerous films - from Hotel Rwanda to Stigmata, and been nominated
for two Grammy awards. They have built a formidable live reputation
playing to sell out crowds worldwide headling Festivals at WOMAD and
numerous other events.
Now on their fifth volume the impact and influence of the Afro Celt Sound System remains undiminshed.
