Nightnoise
Encyclopedia
Nightnoise was a music ensemble active from 1984 to 1997. Their original blend of Irish traditional music, Celtic music
, jazz
, and classical chamber music
inspired a generation of Irish musicians. They released seven albums on the Windham Hill
label.
, came from a long line of Irish musicians, and was considered one of the finest performers of traditional Irish music.
In 1983, after seven years with the Bothy Band and several years collaborating with the master fiddler, Kevin Burke, Ó Domhnaill began searching for a new project and a new sound. He met Billy Oskay in Portland, Oregon and the two began a new collaboration focused on a new and innovative music that integrated Celtic, jazz, and classical chamber music.
Billy Oskay was born in Kingston, New York, and had developed an international reputation as a violinist. He started playing violin at seven and went on to study under Eugen Prokop at the International Academy of Music Palma de Mallorca in Spain. He excelled equally in violin technique and composition. He graduated from the esteemed academy with a degree in violin and chamber music.
Nightnoise began as a collaboration between this American violinist and Irish guitarist who sought to create a unique blend of musical forms. Together, they composed and recorded some songs in Oskay's Portland home and were pleased with the result — a unique understated sound that had a "rough but fresh quality that engendered a serene atmosphere." Ó Domhnaill secured a contract with William Ackerman at Windham Hill Records, the tracks they recorded were mixed and released in 1984 under the title Nightnoise. The album represented a real departure from Ó Domhnaill's Bothy Band roots, and the mellow, ambient instrumental style incorporating jazz and classical elements and forms full of spirituality almost defined what would be called New Age music.
, a former member of Silly Wizard
who had played with Tríona and Mícheál in the band Relativity, took over Oskay's duties. The band took on a much more Irish-centric sound, while still retaining their own signature style. The revamped Nightnoise went on to release the albums Shadow of Time (1994), A Different Shore (1995), and The White Horse Sessions (1997), an album featuring live concert performances mixed in with in-studio live performances, with their Windham Hill colleagues as their audience. The album also featured original material only available in this live format (the songs "Heartwood", "Do We", and "Murdo of the Moon"), as well as a cover of Van Morrison
's classic "Moondance
". This album marked the end of the band's contractual obligations to Windham Hill, and they decided to relocate to Ireland, going on hiatus while they each focused on their own projects.
The White Horse Sessions proved to be the last Nightnoise album. Cunningham left the band following its release, and was replaced by Irish fiddler John Fitzpatrick. In a 1999 interview, Mícheál Ó Domhnaill stated that Nightnoise had not broken up, and that the band would be getting together again shortly. The band did indeed record new material (both original compositions and covers of classic songs), but they were all made for albums other than their own. Nightnoise officially disbanded towards the end of 2003.
Johnny Cunningham died on December 15, 2003, from a heart attack
. He was 46 years old. Mícheál Ó Domhnaill
died from a fall in July 2006 at his home in Dublin, Ireland
at the age of 54.
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and classical chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
inspired a generation of Irish musicians. They released seven albums on the Windham Hill
Windham Hill Records
Windham Hill Records is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment specializing in Acoustic, New Age and Folk music. Originally founded in 1976 as an Independent record label by guitarist and carpenter William Ackerman and his then-wife Anne Robinson, Windham Hill was a successful and well-respected...
label.
Origins
The origins of Nightnoise can be traced to the legendary Bothy Band (disbanded in 1979), who made a name in Ireland and internationally with a lively fiddle-based sound that brought Irish music into the mainstream. One of the band's founders, guitarist Mícheál Ó DomhnaillMícheál Ó Domhnaill
Mícheál Ó Domhnaill was an Irish singer, guitarist, and composer, who was a major influence on Irish traditional music in the second half of the twentieth century...
, came from a long line of Irish musicians, and was considered one of the finest performers of traditional Irish music.
In 1983, after seven years with the Bothy Band and several years collaborating with the master fiddler, Kevin Burke, Ó Domhnaill began searching for a new project and a new sound. He met Billy Oskay in Portland, Oregon and the two began a new collaboration focused on a new and innovative music that integrated Celtic, jazz, and classical chamber music.
Billy Oskay was born in Kingston, New York, and had developed an international reputation as a violinist. He started playing violin at seven and went on to study under Eugen Prokop at the International Academy of Music Palma de Mallorca in Spain. He excelled equally in violin technique and composition. He graduated from the esteemed academy with a degree in violin and chamber music.
Nightnoise began as a collaboration between this American violinist and Irish guitarist who sought to create a unique blend of musical forms. Together, they composed and recorded some songs in Oskay's Portland home and were pleased with the result — a unique understated sound that had a "rough but fresh quality that engendered a serene atmosphere." Ó Domhnaill secured a contract with William Ackerman at Windham Hill Records, the tracks they recorded were mixed and released in 1984 under the title Nightnoise. The album represented a real departure from Ó Domhnaill's Bothy Band roots, and the mellow, ambient instrumental style incorporating jazz and classical elements and forms full of spirituality almost defined what would be called New Age music.
1987–1990
Three years later, Mícheál's sister, Irish pianist and vocalist Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, who performed with her brother in Skara Brae, Relativity, and the Bothy Band, and Irish-American flutist Brian Dunning joined the original duo. Nightnoise, the band, was born. The quartet's first album Something of Time, was released by Windham Hill in 1987. It was followed by At the End of the Evening (1988), The Parting Tide (1990). This would be the last album to feature the playing and writing of Billy Oskay, who chose to follow his dream of owning his own recording studio, Big Red Studio.1991–1997
Following Oskay's departure, Scottish fiddler Johnny CunninghamJohnny Cunningham
Johnny Cunningham was a Scottish folk musician. He was a founding member of Silly Wizard, as well as a member of Relativity, The Raindogs, and Nightnoise. Throughout his career, Cunningham was also a fiddler, composer and producer. His younger brother, Phil Cunningham, is a multi-instrumentalist...
, a former member of Silly Wizard
Silly Wizard
Silly Wizard was a Scottish folk band that began forming in Edinburgh in 1970. The founder members were two like-minded university students—Gordon Jones and Bob Thomas...
who had played with Tríona and Mícheál in the band Relativity, took over Oskay's duties. The band took on a much more Irish-centric sound, while still retaining their own signature style. The revamped Nightnoise went on to release the albums Shadow of Time (1994), A Different Shore (1995), and The White Horse Sessions (1997), an album featuring live concert performances mixed in with in-studio live performances, with their Windham Hill colleagues as their audience. The album also featured original material only available in this live format (the songs "Heartwood", "Do We", and "Murdo of the Moon"), as well as a cover of Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
's classic "Moondance
Moondance (Van Morrison song)
"Moondance" is a popular song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and is the title song on his 1970 album Moondance.Morrison did not release the song as a single until November 1977, seven and a half years after the album was released. It reached the Billboard Hot 100, charting...
". This album marked the end of the band's contractual obligations to Windham Hill, and they decided to relocate to Ireland, going on hiatus while they each focused on their own projects.
The White Horse Sessions proved to be the last Nightnoise album. Cunningham left the band following its release, and was replaced by Irish fiddler John Fitzpatrick. In a 1999 interview, Mícheál Ó Domhnaill stated that Nightnoise had not broken up, and that the band would be getting together again shortly. The band did indeed record new material (both original compositions and covers of classic songs), but they were all made for albums other than their own. Nightnoise officially disbanded towards the end of 2003.
Johnny Cunningham died on December 15, 2003, from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
. He was 46 years old. Mícheál Ó Domhnaill
Mícheál Ó Domhnaill
Mícheál Ó Domhnaill was an Irish singer, guitarist, and composer, who was a major influence on Irish traditional music in the second half of the twentieth century...
died from a fall in July 2006 at his home in Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
at the age of 54.
Nightnoise members
- Johnny Cunningham – violin (joined 1990)
- Brian Dunning – flute
- John Fitzpatrick – violin (joined 1997)
- Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill – vocals, flute, and clavinet
- Mícheál Ó Domhnaill – guitar, piano, banjo, mandolin, tin whistle, and harmonica
- Billy Oskay – violin
Discography
- 1984 - NightnoiseNightnoise (album)- Track listing :# "Nightnoise" by Billy Oskay # "The 19A" by Mícheál Ó Domhnaill # "Bridges" by Mícheál Ó Domhnaill # "False Spring" by Billy Oskay and D...
(1984) - 1987 - Something of TimeSomething of TimeSomething of Time is a studio album by Nightnoise. The album was release by Windham Hill Records in 1987.- Track listing :# "Timewinds" by Billy Oskay # "Perchance to Dream" by Billy Oskay and Mícheál Ó Domhnaill...
(1987) - 1988 - At the End of the EveningAt the End of the EveningAt the End of the Evening is a studio album by Nightnoise. The album was released by Windham Hill Records in 1988.- Track listing :# "Windell" by Billy Oskay and Mícheál Ó Domhnaill # "Of a Summer Morn" by Mícheál Ó Domhnaill...
(1988) - 1990 - The Parting TideThe Parting TideThe Parting Tide is a studio album by Nightnoise. The album was released by Windham Hill Records in 1990.- Track listing :# "Bleu" by Brian Dunning # "An Irish Carol" by Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill...
(1990) - 1993 - Shadow of TimeShadow of TimeShadow of Time is a studio album by Nightnoise. The album was released by Windham Hill Records in 1993.- Track listing :# "One Little Nephew" by Mícheál Ó Domhnaill # "The March Air" by Mícheál Ó Domhnaill...
(1993) - 1995 - A Different ShoreA Different ShoreA Different Shore is a studio album by Nightnoise. The album was released by Windham Hill Records in 1995.-Track listing :# "Call of the Child" by Brian Dunning # "For Eamonn" by Mícheál Ó Domhnaill...
(1995) - 1997 - The White Horse SessionsThe White Horse SessionsThe White Horse Sessions is a live album by Nightnoise. The album was released by Windham Hill Records in 1997.- Track listing :# "Silly Flanks" by Brian Dunning # "Shadow of Time" by Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill...
(1997)