Combining traditional Irish music with non-traditional instruments such as guitar, banjo and bouzouki, the Celtic-music quintet Solas has helped breathe life into the Irish/Celtic folk scene. Led by multi-instrumentalist Seamus Egan — who released his first album at 16 and toured with Peter, Paul & Mary — Solas formed in 1994 and released its eponymous debut two years later. The band performed a concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia on Apr. 20.
Following the release of 1997's Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers and 1998's Words that Remain, vocalist Karan Casey left Solas and was replaced by Deirdre Scanlan. Subsequent records, like 2002's Edge of Silence and 2003's Another Day, saw the group continue to refine its sound. The recent CD/DVD set Reunion: A Decade of Solas, features a monumental 2005 concert in Philadelphia that featured a lineup of old and new band members, playing songs from throughout Solas' career.
Copyright 2007 XPN
