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Media Reactions:

 

THE GUARDIAN: “An impeccably paced set which dragged the audience to its feet and left them shouting for more”.

HOT PRESS: “One of the gigs of the year… their album hadn’t prepared me… a fundamental band and, frankly, unmissable”.

LIVING TRADITION: “The genius of Irish music”

EDMONTON JOURNAL: "His passionate vocals, bouzouki and slide guitar playing took my breath away and brought twenty thousand rain-soaked festival goers to their feet demanding an encore".

IRISH POST: “His compositions are the traditional music of the future”.

DIRTY LINEN: "A truly inspired and inspiring performer and writer... great stuff".

L'ULTIMO BUSCADERO: "Ron Kavana leads one of the best bands to ever blaze the trail of REAL LiVING MUSIC... marking a return to the wisdom and good taste of the basic traditional lineup... exploring the depths of feeling of the human voice instead of relying on the tricks of modern studio technology".

WESTERN GAZZETTE: "Kavana has two great attributes. He writes great songs and he is a wonderful singer. His songs deal with important issues and show a genuine understanding of the human dilemma".

IRISH CULTURE & CUSTOMS: “Has written a cadre of songs that have been accepted into the traditional world of Irish music”

PETER CHEGWYN, BBC Southampton: “Iruly an epic production... awesome in content... I get sent hundreds of CDs every year but Ron Kavana’s Irish Ways stands head-and-shoulders above them all”.

FOLK RADIO UK: “A masterpiece… there is nothing else like it. A must for every Irish music fan... a unique collection written and performed by internationally acclaimed Ron Kavana”.

IRISH MUSIC MAGAZINE: “A great reminder of where we have come from… marvellous music feast”.

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: “A great singer, a gifted songwriter and here he shows he is also a fine historian”.

THE AVONDHU: “A masterpiece of unrivalled range and imagination combining all that is admirable in the contemporary Irish arts of literature and music with a revisionist historical perspective and sharp social and political criticism”.

MIKE HARDING, BBC: “Amazing body of work, scholarly, well written, well performed – I could talk about it forever”.

IRISH EXAMINER: “Ron Kavana has been at the cutting edge of folk music for some three decades… he now stands at No. 8 in the British monthly HMV chart”

DAIGRESS: “As close to divine as you’ll get this side of heaven… clearly his artistic high water mark”.

SONGLINES: “Performances throughout are delivered with often-searing conviction and an unfailing ear for the poetic”.

NET RHYTHMS: “Surely nobody can be unaware of Ron Kavana and his unimpeachable status as a vital force in Irish culture”.

PENGUIN EGGS: "He's mad of course, but Ron Kavana is never less than ridiculously entertaining".

Q: "Kavana has a rare capacity for poignancy... his music knows no bounds of style".

fROOTS: “As we've seen again and again, Kavana is an outstanding songwriter and colourful artist whose sense of drama and flair makes him one of the great storytellers”.

ROCK’N’REEL: “Further serving to enhance his already considerable reputation as an interpreter, player and standard bearer”.

VANCOUVER ROGUE FOLK: “Sideman to the stars at festivals all over the world, playing with the likes of Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Taj Mahal, D.L. Menard… he even took time to work in Sarajevo as a music therapist… top live act in the world!”.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: “Enormous substance and charm”.

GOLDMINE: “Kavana’s folk-rock ensemble specializes in taking a variety of worldbeat influences and making them all come out… Irish”

ACOUSTIC MUSIC: “Has put together an excellent window on Irish life… I think time will be very kind to this album”.

MUSIC WEEK: “A very special songwriter. Tough, gruff, deeply committed politically, he nevertheless tempers these harsh elements with a charming, disarming and very dry sardonic wit… Highly recommended”

TIME OUT: “Mix traditions from across the globe with a North London Irish sentimentality and make a great noise… album of the year”

MOJO: “A barnstorming Irish performer…with  earthy voice and impassioned heart… a one man Pogues with better teeth”

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