Randal Bays - The Music is what it's all about. I've been playing Irish fiddle for about thirty years, still finding it interesting and still hearing something mysterious in the music. I've been very fortunate - especially for someone born in America - to have gotten to know and spend time with so many of the greatest Irish musicians. There's something about sitting next to a great fiddler in his eightieth year (or his twentieth!), both hearing and seeing as his bow moves through a tune in just a certain way, that can't be learned from a recording, no matter how much you analyze it. I perform with the trio FINGAL, in a duo with Dáithí Sproule, and I also do Solo Concerts

FINGAL - My trio with two extraordinary musicians, James Keane and Dáithí Sproule.

For tour dates, photos, booking information, etc. visit the Fingal website at www.fingalmusic.com

Randal Bays & Dáithí Sproule - Dáithí and I have been touring together as a duo for about six years, and it's given us both a chance to explore a wider repertoire. Dáithí has a lot of rare traditional songs in both Irish and English, as well as a lovely version of Tom Waits' "Grapefruit Moon". As a fiddler, it's gratifying to work with an accompanist who can go with me into the wild backwoods of the music, and never falter. We've spent an awful lot of time on the road together, but we're still finding new music to play and new jokes to laugh at.

Click here for more information on the duo.

Solo concerts - Performing on my own, without accompaniment of any kind, is an exhilarating experience. Traditionally, this would be the form in which the music was most often heard, and it's a challenge to bring the tunes to life with no one else to lean on. I usually include some fingerstyle guitar solos and a fair amount of tune lore in a solo concert, to keep the listeners' attention and give the music some context. I'm a champion of the old/new idea of house concerts, a perfect setting for this kind of intimate music.

Click here for more information on house concerts.