Old Bridge Music is co-owned by guitarist, composer and record producer Chris Newman (http://www.stillgettingawaywithit.com) and harper Máire Ní Chathasaigh (http://www.mairenichathasaigh.com). We aim to produce recordings of the highest sonic and musical quality. Critically-acclaimed albums by Chris and Máire, Nollaig Casey, The Heartstring Quartet (Chris, Máire, Nollaig and Arty McGlynn - http:/
/www.heartstringquartet.com), Clive Carroll (http://www.clivecarroll.co.uk), Christy O'Leary and Tom McConville (http://www.tommcconville.co.uk) appear on the label. In addition, classic albums such as iconic songwriter Steve Tilston and the late Maggie Boyle's "Of Moor and Mesa" - featuring much-covered songs such as "The Slip-jigs and Reels" - and Brendan Power's ground-breaking "New Irish Harmonica" were recorded and produced by Chris here in our studio. Chris is a "brilliant English master of the acoustic guitar" (THE DAILY TELEGRAPH), a "dazzling player” (ACOUSTIC GUITAR, USA) whose work is "nothing short of brilliant" (DIRTY LINEN, USA). He began to play guitar at the age of four and at fourteen played his first paid gig in a folk club. A prolific composer, arranger and record producer, he's played with luminaries of many musical worlds: folk (harper Máire Ní Chathasaigh, Boys of the Lough, Aly Bain, Kathryn Tickell, Danny Thompson), jazz (Stéphane Grappelli, Diz Disley and Danny Thompson again) and comedy (Fred Wedlock, the Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra) - receiving a silver disc for producing Fred's international hit The Oldest Sw***er in Town, to which he also composed the tune and which reached No 2 in the charts in the UK and No 1 in several other countries. As Fred’s Musical Director and bandleader, appearances on such iconic national TV progammes as BBC’s Top of the Pops followed. One day in 1985 he decided he'd really rather play interesting music than pursue interesting paychecks, so turned his back on the commercial world and returned to his folk and improvisational roots. He has since concentrated on composition, the traditional music of these islands and beyond, and bluegrass and its intersection with the cutting edge of swing jazz. His fourth solo CD Still Getting Away with It, a celebration of his 40-year career, is “Astonishing - a joy-filled romp through blues, back-porch pickin', Quebec reels, Django swing jazz chordings, bluegrass, African high- life, ragtime, latin, Irish jigs and beyond, and a must-buy for any guitar player” * * * * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY “Amazing... One of our greatest musicians” Mike Harding, BBC RADIO 2 "Beauty and virtuosity from a master craftsman at the peak of his abilities... I couldn’t recommend an album more highly" * * * * MAVERICK “A triumph... I'm fully conscious that I'm in the presence of greatness here... one of the top guitarists of his ilk anywhere” THE LIVING TRADITION “Precision-engineered, lovingly crafted tunes... Playful and incredibly dextrous” * * *THE IRISH TIMES “Dazzling... A genuinely uplifting album of some of the most remarkable - yet accessible - guitar playing you're going to hear all year” * * * * * ROCK N REEL
