Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill

Tickets: http://tktwb.tw/1AcMEkI

The Irish fiddler Martin Hayes and Chicago guitarist Dennis Cahill are two of the world’s leading artists in Irish music. The two met in Chicago in the 1980's, and have been exploring and expanding the Irish tradition together on and off ever since.

NPR's Bob Boilen says "Martin Hayes is one of the best fiddlers on the planet. Dennis Cahill is a subtle guitar master. Put aside your notion of Irish music as a bunch of familiar jigs and reels, and just listen."

The duo is making waves with their exciting new band The Gloaming. The self-titled CD, called "astonishingly beautiful" by NPR, hit number one on Ireland's indie charts. The Gloaming performed at the Royal Albert Hall, along with Elvis Costello, Glen Hansard, and Imelda May, for the historic state visit by the Irish president. They also played Lincoln Center with the Kronos Quartet in 2013.

Martin Hayes was born and raised in rural County Clare, the son of esteemed fiddler PJ Hayes. After winning six All-Ireland Fiddle Championships by age 19, he has gone on to become one of Ireland's most innovative and influential artists.

Dennis Cahill is a master guitarist, a native of Chicago born to parents from County Kerry, Ireland. His spare, essential accompaniment to Hayes’ fiddle is acknowledged as a major breakthrough for guitar in the Irish tradition. The duo have three acclaimed albums together on Compass/Green Linnet Records.

"They push Irish music in impressionistic directions," wrote Jon Pareles in The New York Times.

The duo's creativity is sparked by outside collaborations too. They've worked with jazz guitarist Bill Frisell, classical quartet Brooklyn Rider (Yo Yo Ma), and Irish poet/New Yorker Poetry Editor Paul Muldoon. Last year Martin performed with Paul Simon in Dublin, and in the Dublin Amnesty International concert for Burmese activist Aung San Suu Kyi, organized by Bono of U2. In November they joined Grammy-winner Ricky Skaggs at the Country Music Hall of Fame, along with Bruce Hornsby and Alison Krauss.

"The musical explorations are a means of shedding light on an ongoing artistic journey, as well as a challenge to any rigidity of thought," says Hayes.

As a duo, with the Gloaming, and with their many other projects, Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill continue the conversation into Irish music and with audiences worldwide.