Animal from the Muppets, Rory Gallagher, Lars Ulrich, John Bohnam, Led Zeppelin, Bothy Band, Planxty, Johnny 'Ringo' McDonagh, Trilok Gurtu, John McLaughlin, Tommy Hayes, Metallica, Mahavishnu Orchestra, De Danann, Denis Chambers, Miles Davis, Seamus O'Kane, Phil Lynott, Shakti... bit of a mixed bag!
Neill is from Bayside on Dublin's northside. He began playing music at a young age under the guidance of Fidelma and Mick O'Brien. Neill initially started off on the tin whistle but soon took a greater interest in the bodhrán.
In 1994, at the age of 16, Neill won first place in the under 18s bodhrán competition at the All-Ireland Fleadh, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. Within a year of this win, Neill had formed a young an exciting Irish traditional band named Délos. Among the founding members with Neill in this band were; Éamonn De Barra, Fionán De Barra, Éamonn Galldubh, Tomás Ó Briain and Dónal O’ Connor. Délos were in big demand in the Dublin Traditional Music scene and toured Europe quite extensively throughout the mid 1990’s.
In 1999 Neill recorded a live album with the group 'Sessions from the Hearth', once again playing with Éamonn De Barra and other well-respected musicians such as: Peter Browne, Alan Maguire, Enda Scahill, Deirdre Scanlon and Malachy Bourke. At this stage Neill's bodhrán playing was becoming much sought after and Neill was invited to record with the Dubliners' Ronnie Drew on his record named 'The Humour Is On Me Now' which was released in 1999.
Throughout the early years of the new millennium, Neill toured with the Gavin Whelan band around Europe and one memorable tour in the Middle East.
Neill was also a frequent guest with Slide, one of the most exciting Irish traditional music bands of today.
In 2006 Neill was the inaugural winner of The World Bodhrán Championships (senior), held in Milltown, County Kerry. This important win gained Neill respect as a bodhrán player not only in Ireland but internationally. Neill's youngest brother Conor followed in his footsteps by winning the World Bodhrán Championships in both 2007 and 2008.
To date Neill can be seen playing around the Dublin traditional music circuit and most recently has had the privilege to play with the Damien Dempsey band on the Irish and UK legs of his 2008 tour.
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Reviews:
Neill Lyons Skins and Sins
I had the pleasure to watch Neill Lyons winning the World Bodhrán Championship in 2006 with a commanding assured performance.
This his first solo CD is also an assured commanding performance. Playing with a who's who of the younger exponents of Irish Traditional Music, Lyons displays his mastery of tha Bodhrán, an instrument often relegated to the nether regions of Irish Traditional Music. My favourite tracks on the album are the ensemble performances. The opening track has a lovely, happy, light feel to it and if Neill ever decides to take himself on the road this emsemble has a sound that would endear itself to audiences.
There are two solo percussion performances on the album one of Neill on his own and the second track with his brother Conor also an accomplished percussionist and some ambient string sounds. The second percussion piece to my mind is the more interesting of the two and showcases the differing strenghts and skills of the brothers.
This is an album that is one that should definitely grace the shelves of any person interested in Irish Traditional Music and Bodhrán playing in particular.
Great to see a new addition to that rare breed of recordings – the bodhrán album! This one comes from one of the leading young Irish bodhrán players, Neill Lyons from Dublin. Winner of the first World Bodhrán Championship, Neill successfully captures all of his musicality and expertise on the instrument on this, his debut CD.
Neill is joined here by many of his musician friends and the result is a CD full of musical highlights. The ensemble playing throughout is excellent and the duets between bodhrán and fiddle, bodhrán and flute, and bodhrán and harp are especially successful.
Tunes are paced beautifully with a welcome emphasis on groove rather than speed. The bodhrán playing is of the highest order throughout – subtle, accurate and always very tasteful – the trademarks of Neill’s style. Neill successfully fuses traditional and more contemporary approaches to bodhrán playing in his style. There are echoes of an older style in some of the playing - a subtle accent of Johnny ‘Ringo’ McDonagh, perhaps – yet the rhythmic language and tonal colouring are assuredly contemporary.
Neill’s innovative approach to the instrument is nowhere better heard than on his great solo playing and on the bodhrán duet with his brother Conor. Listen to the cool grooves on Skins and Sins over and over again and follow Neill as he crosses rhythmic terrain that is both familiar and new.
Surprising how quickly things move in the modern world of traditional music! Back in July 2008, world bodhrán champion, Neill Lyons, was applying to the Deis scheme for funding to release an album called Skins and Sins and in November 2008 the disc is in my CD player. Neill has gathered together an impressive group of musicians, many of whom bear the Lyons name, Helen (harp), Brian (bouzouki), Barry (fiddle) and Conor (bodhrán). He also has called on the prodigious talents of Éamonn De Barra (flute), Paul McNevin (fiddle), Peter Browne (accordion), Leonard Barry (uilleann pipes) and Mick Broderick (bouzouki, cittern and mandolin). And there are more musicians too, which, if you know the names, will indicate they are the cream of the late twenty-somethings from the Dublin traditional scene. Deis, it seems, spent wisely.
From the start we know we are in solid traditional territory here, with Leonard Barry leading out the pack with Connie the Soldier. Neill adds his bodhrán beat, which is steady; played on the bunch of sticks which gives a snare expression. The sound fills out with Mick Broderick's bouzouki adding a pulsing bass and then in come the regulators, ending in a huge sound. Great start and it just gets better. For me the bacon and cabbage of the bodhrán world is how well the player can accompany the flute - they are a combination boiled in heaven. Éamonn De Barra is on top form with the pairing of Mick Coynes and The Guns of the Magnificnent Seven, while Neill Lyons pulls alongside him to great effect. The ensemble playing is lively and intelligent throughout and Lyons never overstates his welcome; the tunes are allowed to ramble, never being tied to the Garmin by the goat skin. Indeed, so at home is he with the group (which is more or less Slide with Pipes) that we don't hear a solo until track five, which is an essay on the full dynamics of his Seamus O'Kane drum.
The album closes with Brother Fusion, where he is joined by his brother Conor and one of the De Barra lads for a jazzy trip around bodhrán beating. Young and rooted, it's a lot of skin but hardly any sins at all.
well boss i have uploaded one of the tracks onto myspace,i will e mail the rest when they are edited,cheers for the pics.....we look rough in a few of them though. Great weekend altogether,slán Barry
The Spinning Jennys play The Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Sunday 1st of February. An afternoon session for all the family, doors open 2pm, gig starts at 3pm. Admission €10. Advanced booking at www. seamusenniscentre. com
hows it goin neil... the tunes sound great! will defo try get my hands on a copy of your cd. hope all is well man, see you round xmas in the cobbler for a pint!
