‘BLESSED SADNES’ - NEW ALBUM OUT NOW!!!
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BLESSED SADNESS
NEW ALBUM OUT NOW!
Blessed Sadness is the new album by Antoni O’Breskey, to be released on the 14th of July.
Conceived at the beginning of the first lockdown in 2020, the album was recorded between Italy and Ireland during last summer, in collaboration with an extensive ensemble of musicians, including Ultan O’Brien (Slow Moving Clouds), Davide Viterbo (Distant City), Consuelo Nerea Breschi (Varo), Paddy Cummins (Skipper’s Alley), Leonora Lyne and many more.
The Album comprises new compositions, such as 2020 Rhapsody, Cloudburst, Blessed Sadness, Waltz to Forgotten Times, Baigali Khan and Unfolding Lullaby, one remixed version of Antoni O’s past compositions: Dancing on the Green (1982) with a young Steve Cooney on didgeridoo, two traditional songs newly arranged, Eighteen Years Old and Barbara Allen as well as two traditional instrumentals, The Swallow’s Tail and Doctor O’Neill’s.
SAMARA
Samara is Antoni O’Breskey’s collaboration with an extensive ensemble of musicians, including Máirtín O’Connor (De Dannan), Davide Viterbo (Distant City), Consuelo Nerea Breschi (Varo), Tony Byrne (Danu, Julie Fowlis), Paddy Cummins (Skipper’s Alley), Leonora Lyne, Ciara O’Connor, Sinead O’Connor and many more.
The Album comprises a journey between new compositions, such as Samara, Estonia, Kevin’s Polka and Xi’an Reel, two remixed versions of Antoni O’s past compositions: Nomadic Aura (2009) and Sue Morley’s Jig (1992), a live version of the historical piece, Dancing Leaves, a new version of Drunken Spider, a tune composed in 1992 that was never released to the public, and three traditional songs newly arranged: Derry So Fair, Wee Weaver, and The Longford Weaver.
THE NOMADIC PIANO JOURNEY
This is the latest compilation of Antóni O'Breskey, based on the rhythmical and sparkling side of his compositions, with tracks from the albums: "Al Kamar", "Ode to Ireland", "Nomadic Aura", "When Jazz Was an Irish Baby".
THE WHALE'S LAMENT AND THE DOLPHIN WALTZ - FOR PIANO AND CELLO
This is a classical and minimalist compilation, with tracks from "My Irish Portrait", "Irish Airs", "Ready to Sail", "Song for Carla", "Toscana", "Nomadic Aura".
In this album Antoni O’Breskey plays some of his most renowned classical and minimalist pieces, composed between 1981 and 2012, featuring Davide Viterbo on cello.
WHEN BACH WAS AN IRISHMAN AND MOZART A GYPSY BOY
Antoni O’ Breskey - piano, dulcimer, vocals
Davide Viterbo - cello
Alí Tajbakhsh - zarb
A Bach’s fugue that turns into an Irish dixie, a Mozart’s minuet in the Scottish valleys, a Chopin’s studio from Warsaw to Granada becoming a Flamenco Jondo Chant, Beethoven 9th in the Appalachian Mountains, Mozart’s Turkish March brought back to Istanbul ending unexpectedly in a polka in the kerry style…
This is the new CD of Antoni O’ Breskey, a sophisticated and ironical musical journey where classical music meets its roots in the traditional music of the world, particularly Irish and the Gipsy music, through surprisingly original re-elaborated versions of classical pieces mixed with Jazz, Irish, Flamenco and Arabian sounds.
“In this album, classical music dances a waltz and a jig with influences from Irish trad. Antoni O’ Breskey is a true musical visionary, one who not only sees through cultural barriers, he plows through them. For this composer, musical categories of genre, century and nation bear no restriction or limitation for his creativity—he brings all eras and cultures together in one musical space.
O’Breskey’s musical crossovers have an ethical imperative as well. He seeks to mesh the majority with the minority, the present with the past, and the vocal with the silenced, so as to “deflate the ethnocentrism of classical Western music.
For Antoni O’Breskey, musical cultures are not defined by borders, but by historical roots that reach deeply across all areas of the globe.”
Coleen Taylor
THE IRISH ECHO, NEW YORK
Full article here: www.irishecho.com/2016/02/obreskey-is-true-musical-visionary/
MY IRISH PORTRAIT
In 1994 Antoni O’ composed the music for a project commissioned by Paul McGuinness and Principle Management Limited with the collaboration of Dónal Lunny. All this work is gathered in this album.
AL KAMAR
In 1988 Antóni O'Breskey recorded “Al Kamar”, the first fusion between Irish traditional music, flamenco, and music from the Maghreb.
Among the special guests of this album are Antonio Carmona, leader of the band Ketama and Jamal Ouassini, director of the Tangeri Orchestra.
In 1990 “Al Kamar” was presented in Paris at theatre La Cigale, Le Cirque d’Hiver and l’Institut du Monde Arabe with special guests Manu Di Bangu and Jacques Higelin.
"A musical journey where the mystery of the Orient, the sensuality of the Mediterranean and the magic of the Celtic world meet in a wonderful fusion rich in contemporary spirit and archaic reminiscence."
Juan Martín
IRISH MEET THE BLUES
1980 - The first album ever recorded on piano where traditional Irish music meets blues and jazz.
“A unique approach, the playing is superb and his style successfully combines Irish traditional and blues style”
HARRY LONG, THE WALTONS GUIDE TO IRISH MUSIC
ODE TO IRELAND
In 1982 this album won the Jakelin Music Award in Switzerland for the best album of the year, featuring Steve Cooney, Joe McHugh, Jane Cassidy, and many more.
FROM DUBLIN TO BILBAO - RONNIE DREW & ANTONI O'BRESKEY
Ronnie Drew worked intensively with Antoni O’ and performed as special guest in countless concerts and in many of his albums, such as "My Irish Portrait" and "Zeharbidetan". The collection of their 13 years of musical performances together is gathered in this compilation released in 2007.
SONGS OF THE NORTH
A new concept of folk: ballads of Irish and North American origin are woven together with Antóni O’s delicate and minimalist musical tapestry, with Tajbakhsh’s sophisticated Iranian percussion, with jazzy melodies and with the mysterious and therapeutic atmosphere of the New Age.
IRISH AIRS
A collection of Irish and Scottish slow airs revisited by Antóni O'Breskey.
OREKAN - THE ETHNIC SYMPHONY
"Orekan is much more than an album of different musical influences drawn together by the peculiar genius of Antóni O’Breskey; it is above all else a unique social document which gives us a strong idea of our roots, and besides, points […out] a few possible roads we might take in the future." OLIVER SWEENEY, HOT PRESS, DUBLIN
Featuring: Biancastella Croce, Máirtín O’Connor, Balen Lopez de Munain, Sergio Candotti, Joe McHugh, Mario N’Goma, Jamal Ouassini and many more…
BOLETUS EDULIS - SUITE FOR PIANO AND OBOE
In this album Antoni O’Breskey plays some of his most renowned classical pieces, featuring Enio Marfoli on oboe.
ON THE IRISH SIDE OF BLUES STREET
This 30 year compilation includes very new and unusual tracks combined with some historical compositions. It is a blend of the Irish traditional spirit with blues emotions, a twist of flamenco and Balkan flavor, an immersion into dreamy visions, guiding us to the very roots of jazz.
With newly composed tracks and tracks from the following albums: "From Dublin to Bilbao - Antóni O'Breskey & Ronnie Drew", "When Jazz Was an Irish Baby", "Ode to Ireland", "Al Kamar", "Nomadic Aura", "Simple Way" and "Songs of the North".
IRISH MEDITATIONS
This album contains the music made for "Il Linguaggio dei Luoghi", 13 documentaries produced by Folco Quilici for Italian National Television RAI 2 It has been used for musical therapy purposes around the world.