On Emerald Shores, fourteen beautiful Irish songs are performed with deeply felt singing and thoughtful acoustic guitar accompaniment.

I recorded this album because love the songs . Each of them absorbs us as singers and listeners into their melodic flow and lyric creativity. Many of them drive a passionate point home with rhythmic drive. This

On Emerald Shores, fourteen beautiful Irish songs are performed with deeply felt singing and thoughtful acoustic guitar accompaniment.

I recorded this album because love the songs . Each of them absorbs us as singers and listeners into their melodic flow and lyric creativity. Many of them drive a passionate point home with rhythmic drive. This record was recorded simply so that the songs stand out, in the tradition of the great folk recordings of Pete Seeger, Eric Andersen, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and others. Harvested from listening to the great singers such as Christy Moore, Dolores Keane, Paul Brady, Tommy Makem and Linda Thompson, they bear fruit when unadorned. To quote my friend, the great Derek Warfield: “irish songs are the true monument of the Irish people”. It is so true. Thank you, Derek. If you like what you hear here, please look for my other titles and bookings at James B McCarthy. Other titles include: Nows the new Later, Flyin’ Singin’, Doolin Rakes, Spring Rain. Have a dram and breathe in these tunes. Enjoy

Songs that have roots (feels like home) and wings (feels like liftoff) is the motto here - craft them well then let it fly: folk, jazzy, rock, present and powerful.

Each inspiration calls for its own form, its own setting. I write the music so it fits the words and find the words to fit the harmonic or melodic inspiration. Then play and play and

Songs that have roots (feels like home) and wings (feels like liftoff) is the motto here - craft them well then let it fly: folk, jazzy, rock, present and powerful.

Each inspiration calls for its own form, its own setting. I write the music so it fits the words and find the words to fit the harmonic or melodic inspiration. Then play and play and play as the song finds its feet then its wings and lifts off into the air of the ears. The songs span a gamut in other words, no apologies. But at heart I am a folk player with an improvisational sensibility. I play a Custom Martin OM-28 who redesigned the bracing and had Martin make a limited number. I have had it since 1990. i studied voice with Frank Baker of Bennington College, a true genius of musical insight. I play at museums, in bars, for kids parties and for large street shows. I enjoy all kinds of music but especially the vocal athleticism of early Van Morrison, the unerring gritty wildness of everyone on the Harry Smith collection and the architectural grandeur of Brahm's Requiem. Writing about music is like dancing about architecture. You can do it but its still writing. Please listen. And thanks for doing so.