Tara Music (formerly known as Tara Records) was set up by Jack Fitzgerald and John Cook back in the early 70's. They had a record store on Tara Street in Dublin specialising in American imports. Around this time there was an import album - from England - called Prosperous by a young Irish Singer 'Christy Moore', at that stage a lowly cult figure, traveling around the British folk clubs. Christy had released a previous album in England, which sank without trace, but this one was where the great 1970's shift in Irish music began. The four individuals who went on to form Planxty, Andy Irvine, Liam O'Flynn, Donal Lunny and Christy himself - were on that album and to satiate demand from his customers Jack & John bought the rights to this album and released it on a label of convenience entitled Tara Records".
There was quite a gap between that album coming out and anything further being released. When Planxty reformed in 1978 it was with Tara that they signed and it was at this point that Tara started their record label in earnest, with John Cook looking after the day-to-day affairs of the label. Quality, big-budget product followed at a steady rate, there were two albums from Planxty 'After The Break' and 'The Woman I Loved So Well', two solo albums from Christy Moore 'The Iron Behind the Velvet' and 'Live In Dublin' as well as two albums from the Irish language group Clannad 'Crann Ull' and 'Fuaim' as well as the first numerous albums from a promising new act called Stockton's Wing. All four acts are now legendary names in Irish music. It has been a trademark of John's modest empire that acts have left his label to bigger and better things - and several have returned, Stockton's Wing being a prime example.
Davy Spillane, bringing Irish pipes into a jazz fusion setting and more recently the esoteric and potentially lucrative new-age / film soundtrack area, built up his reputation with Tara before moving on amicably to a major deal - in his case Sony. Clannad set the trend in 1981, after four albums with various labels during the 70's and then two with Tara, using the bigger budgets available courtesy of Cook's 'maximise quality' philosophy to begin experimenting with studio techniques that led to the breakthrough UK hit single Theme From Harry's Game and subsequent international success. That success was soon mirrored elsewhere Clannad member Enya, whose sole recordings with the band, on 1981's 'Fuaim' were bankrolled by John. In the Clannad case, John's involvement in their leap to the bigger league via RCA, meant he was in a position to reap his own modest recompense - in effect, the Irish rights to several subsequent Clannad albums on RCA and of course the rights to continue marketing and licensing his label's own Clannad product around the world.
In the late seventies, John took another big step with Tara when he recorded Shaun Davey's 'The Brendan Voyage' a ground-breaking album which featured Liam O'Flynn on uilleann pipes and a full orchestra. "I agonised for many days over that album" says John “but of course I don't regret it. It's still a great album". The Brendan Voyage launched Shaun Davey (who had previously worked mainly doing advertising jingles) as a contemporary orchestral composer of international standard and led to further commissions for work in a similar vein, several of which - 'The Pilgrim', 'Granuaile' and 'The Relief of Derry Symphony', have been released on Tara. Most of Shaun's works feature the truly exceptional vocalist Rita Connolly and the universally recognised master of Irish piping Liam O'Flynn - both of whom have also recorded numerous solo albums for the Tara label under Shaun's supervision as producer.
Although the Riverdance show and its music appeared to be an overnight success, elements of the music had been developing over many years prior to the Riverdance event. One of the strongest of these musical elements was introduced by Planxty's Andy Irvine who, having spent some considerable time in The Balkans, returned to Ireland and introduced Eastern European music and time signatures to the ground breaking band 'Planxty' who then proceeded to record a number of these superbly crafted instrumental tracks. Andy together with Davy Spillane recorded the 'EastWind' album, which was produced by Bill Whelan, possibly the first seeds of what became Riverdance. Tara also released Bill Whelan's first major orchestral work 'The Seville Suite'. While albums such as Davy Spillane's 'Out of the Air' and 'Pipedreams' as well as 'The Storm' by Moving Hearts feature some of the musical elements and instruments that are easily recognisable in their influence on the Riverdance music and virtually all the musicians involved were at some point part of the Riverdance phenomenon.
In recent years most of Tara's releases have been the artists recordings with Tara acting as distributor and coordinating press and publicity on artists such as, The Voice Squad, Zoe Conway, Alan Kelly, Emma Kate Tobia, Mairtin O'Connor, Frankie Gavin and Michelle Lally.
Hello, Welcome to the Valley Arc site and thanks for the add to yours. We've had many albums by TARA artistes over the years so 'tis a pleasure to be on your page. . .Best Wishes. . . Valley Arc
Hi Tara Music Company, Great Page!!!!Thank you so much for accepting my friendship on Myspace.Hope you had a Great St Patrick's Day!All the very Best,Liz.
Hello there, Thanks for the add, glad to meet you, to be in your circle and to have you in mine. Check out my songs. “Friends Shine On Rainy Days” All the best Brendan www.brendanobyrne.com www.myspace.com/greatmaestro www.myspace.com/brendanobyrne
Many thanks for adding me as a friend, I am honoured indeed , You have been home to some awesome music!We owe you a lot! Repsects and best wishes David Paskell
