Anam

Anam's vibrant energy has established the group as a pioneering influence reshaping longstanding Celtic traditions. Founding member Brian OhEadhra, who contributes acoustic guitar, bodhran, vocals, and original material, directs the ensemble, which maintains operations from Dublin and Edinburgh, Scotland, and has matured into an acclaimed international outfit. Their material evokes Capercaillie, and they have shared stages with Malcolm Dalglish and Grey Larsen, yet their vigorous instrumental passages reject conventional accordion-and-fiddle textures in favor of Dublin-born accordionist Teresa Harkin and Cornwall-born mandolin-and-bouzouki player Neil Davey.

OhEadhra assembled the project in 1994 in Dublin. Music entered his life through parents who both sang, while five childhood years in Newfoundland, Canada, acquainted him with Irish forms; he began composing as a teenager and honed his craft during bachelor's studies in English Literature and Irish folklore.

After issuing their self-titled debut, the lineup expanded in 1995 to incorporate Harkin and multi-instrumentalist vocalist Aimee Leonard. Harkin first took up button accordion through Comhaltas Ceoltair Eireann, the Association of Irish Musicians, later earning a Masters in Ethnomusicology and a qualification to teach Irish music while working at the Irish Traditional Music Archive in Dublin. Leonard, born on Orkney Island just north of Scotland, holds a bachelor's degree in community theater and performs on bodhran, tin whistle, piano, recorder, oboe, keyboards, and djembe.

Before joining Anam, Neil Davey toured and recorded with the Cornish band Bucca and the Celtic-world fusion ensemble Tusitala. The band's American introduction occurred at the 1997 Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis, where their first formal U.S. concert, also in Memphis, sold out three days ahead. OhEadhra briefly stepped away to play bodhran on Deaf Shepherd's album Synergy.