Aoife Ní Bhriain / Cormac McCarthy - Album Launch 'Cosán Casta'
Doors 7:30pm/Music 8:00pm
"...individualistic use of Irish traditional music with its lilting strictnesses and sudden bursts of passionate energy introduced via a pronounced jazz filter... excellent." - The Irish Times on Cormac McCarthy
Cosán Casta cosán, m. (gs. & npl. -áin, gpl. ~). Path. 1. Footway, track. 2. Way, passage. 3. Direction. casta, a3. 1. pp. of CAS2. 2. Twisted, wound. 3. Complicated, intricate, involved. 4. Gnarled, bent; wizened.
IMC is delighted to host the album launch of a new duo project from two of Ireland’s most distinctive and versatile musicians, Aoife Ní Bhriain and Cormac McCarthy.
Blending deep roots in Irish traditional music with classical, jazz, and contemporary influences, Ní Bhriain and McCarthy chart a compelling sonic path through a shared musical heritage, transformed through their own creative lens. The album title, Cosán Casta, derives from the Irish words for “twisted path”, reflecting a journey both intricate and organic, rooted and exploratory.
Cosán Casta is a deeply considered and intimate work that reimagines Irish traditional music through original compositions, reinterpretations of archival tunes, and a fusion of classical and jazz idioms. The record pays homage to the music Aoife and Cormac grew up with, the musical language they heard and spoke in their family homes.
For both Aoife & Cormac, music is deeply tied to confidence, a sense of place, and a feeling of authority. To play their own music, to have trust not only in the notes but the nuances, the quirks of stylistic ornamentation, and the interpretation of the manuscripts collected before their time, has brought them on a path of discovery, helping them find their voice and bring to life their own interpretation of tradition to life.
Having both left Ireland to further study music, to discover, develop and explore their practice within the worlds of jazz and classical genres, “it became apparent very quickly that the musical accent of our own traditional music was one that cannot be disguised or gotten rid of easily,” says the pair. “This accent defines how we approach music of all genres but also how we express the truest version of ourselves.”
A mix of the old and new, the album tells “the stories of who we are and where we come from but also the story of the journey our music has taken us on throughout our careers.
The paths we have taken have been no means straightforward and the twists and turns on our musical journeys have always directed us back home - to where the music started. ‘Is fada an bóthar nach bhfuil casadh ann.’
It's a long road that has no turning/bends.”
Tickets
Additional Information
The Cooler
The Cooler is located upstairs at The Complex Arts Centre, 12 Mary's Abbey Dublin 7. The entrance to The Cooler is through the same door as The Depot at The Complex, on the Mary's Abbey side of the building, where the LUAS tracks run. The building has a red wall on the left hand side of a front plaza that has a sign reading 'The Complex', and a blue wall facing the front plaza that has a sign reading 'The Complex - Art Lives Here'.
The plaza in front of The Complex is used by the surrounding businesses and during the day is often full of fruits, vegetables or delivery vehicles. You can still access The Cooler at these times.
Above the small blue artists' door, you'll see a painted sign for The Cooler (in black) and the Depot (in white). The Cooler is also marked by a small sign between the main glass doors (sometimes covered by blue shutters) and a blue artist's door. The glass doors will be open for performances from door times (usually 7:30pm).
The Cooler cannot be accessed from the Arran St East side of The Complex - this is the entry for the Gallery and artist studios only. If you have any trouble locating the Cooler please give Caitriona a call on 087 783 3391.
To find the Cooler Google Maps, search for The Cooler or The Depot at The Complex (the main performance space downstairs at The Complex). If you find the address for just The Complex, it will generally will bring you to the gallery on Arran St East.
For performances, The Cooler bar is open at door time (usually 30 minutes before the start of the performance), and during intervals. To make finding a seat and getting your drink a comfortable experience, please ensure you have enough time before the music starts!
Access notes
The performance space is up two flights of stairs and may be difficult to access for patrons with mobility issues. The space is fully seated.
Gender-neutral toilet facilities are available outside the door and up a few steps up from the level of The Cooler. Baby-changing facilities are available at The Gallery, downstairs at The Complex (near the Arran St entrance). Please ask any of our team for directions.
Guide dogs and service animals are welcome, please notify us if you will be attending with a guide dog.
Children under the age of 18 are welcome to attend events at The Cooler but must be supervised at all times by a parent or guardian. See here for further details.
If you have any other queries regarding accessibility or require any accommodations for seating etc, please contact us at admin @ improvisedmusic . ie and we will do our best to assist you.