Eileen Ivers
Eileen Ivers is an Irish-American musician.
Eileen Ivers was born in New York City of Irish-born parents on 13 July 1965 and grew up in the Bronx, NY. She spent summers in Ireland and took up the fiddle at the age of nine. Her teacher was Irish fiddler Martin Mulvihill (you can find out more about him and hear him playing a tune at his son's (Brendan Mulvihill's) site here: http://www.brendanmulvihill.com). She toured with Mick Moloney's band "The Green Fields of America", founded in 1977. A more complete bio can be found on her Web site, below.
Cherish The Ladies
Eileen became a founding member of Cherish The Ladies. Her greatest fame came when she toured with "Riverdance" in 1995, taking solos on stage. Her blue electric fiddle is certainly eye-catching, and up-until-now a one-of-a-kind instrument with unique sound and ambience, after which her album "Wild Blue" was named. It was custom-made for her by ZETA Music (who will be producing an "Eileen Ivers Signature Series" Blue Electric Violin exactly like hers).
Micheál Ó Súilleabháin is an Irish composer who uses folk, classical and jazz influences. Eileen has recorded with him on the television series "River of Sound" and on his album "Becoming" (1998).
Eclecticism
Eileen sometimes seems to deliberately set out to offend purists. Her solo albums mix jazz, blues, African, East European, Swing and New Age. There are overwhelming synthesisers and bizarre drums used, according to her critics, for no better reason than they could be used. "Wild Blue" uses traditionalist Seamus Egan and African percussionist Kimati Dinizulu.
Eileen's Web Site
Includes tour dates, bios on Eileen and her bandmates who comprise Immigrant Soul, pics, etc. As of 7/1/05, however, the band member's bios needed updating - Adriano Santos and Emanuel Gatewood are no longer in the band (or at least weren't present at the concert this writer saw on 6/12/2005), and there's no bio yet on their newest member, bass guitarist Bakithi Kumalo from South Africa - you can find out about him here: http://www.music.org.za/artist.asp?id=93
All the members of Immigrant Soul have impressive credentials.
Discography
'solo' (obviously with other musicians)
- Eileen Ivers - Traditional Irish Music (1994) - Wild Blue (1996) - So Far (1979 - 1995) (1995) - Crossing The Bridge (1999) - Eileen Ivers And Immigrant Soul (2003)
some recordings with Cherish the Ladies
as session musician
- on the album "Tears Of Stone" on the song "The Fiddling Ladies" by The Chieftains (1999) - "Becoming" by Micheál Ó Súilleabháin (1998) - "Celtic Solstice" by Paul Winter