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New York based Dublin crooner Greg Kavna launched his debut album at the Sugar Club last month to great acclaim from Bono favourites the Republic of Loose.
"A tasteful collection of wonderful tunes from one of my favourite singers", said Dave Pyro, Lead Guitarist of the Republic Of Loose.
Songwriter and guitarist Bres, Republic of Loose alumnus, said the album was a "peach", adding that "The Wave has great production, great playing and great songs. It's a peach of a record and sounds like Greg enjoyed every minute of the process".
U2 frontman Bono has raved about the Republic of Loose for some time now, saying, “They're trailblazers. The Celtic twilight turned into Celtic soul with Van Morrison. Republic of Loose grabbed the Celtic tiger by the tail, swung it around their heads and threw it out the window into the cosmos. They're sophisticated soul bootboys.”
Well known Irish singer songwriter Mark Geary, who lived and worked in New York for over 10 years before returning to his native Dublin to make his name in the music industry, said about Kavna, “I love this guy’s voice, the choices he has made with the instruments and the songs."
Recorded in New York City and Dublin City over the past 18 months ‘The Wave’ has been a labour of love involving an internationally acclaimed set of musicians in Dublin and New York who've built reputations in both cities.
Combining the melodic weave of Declan Quinn (ex-Republic Of Loose), Zamo Riffman (Mundy, David Kitt) and Gregor Kitziz(David Bowie, Anthony Braxton, Elliot Sharp, Paul McCartney, John Cage) over the rhythmical pulse of Jordan Perlson and Jamie Bishop, Kavna creates a unique sounding record harnessing the great qualities of both city’s musical styles without losing his own identity in the mix. Quinn says “He tried to get the beacon of Irish melody and soul and stick on top of the Empire State Building”
Launched in the Sugar Club the packed out venue saw Kavna and the band play for 3 hours, introducing originals and uncovering all the influences that make the album what it is while standing some classics on their heads and moving them to a different time zone, sweeping from Hendrix to Wonder and into a Surf Nirvana mashed with Winwood.
Conceived as an album project the songs form a narrative that carries the listener though an array of feelings and individually the songs stand on their own, with songs like Another Feeling, Something About the Sun and Neurosis No19 as radio friendly standouts.
Travelling to New York from Dublin, Culture Ireland sponsored artist Kavna’s dream was to fuse the melody and inspiration of his Irish influences with the tough sound of the New York scene. The Wave saw him take a hands off approach to the production process. Kavna says, "The Idea was to let these great musicians loose on the songs and see where their playing took them. Although it's got my name on the front it's more like a band record. I took all the hard decisions and spent hours and hours in the studio editing and mixing but all with the aim of preserving the vibe of the magical moments we captured live and letting that energy shine through. I think it was a success, as a record it has lots of heart and soul but not much ego."
New York Dublin muso Greg Kavna returns from self imposed Celtic tiger exile to warm the hearts of his countrymen and women with a self produced album of passion and rock. Kavna says "During the boom years there was no space for music, everyone wanted their music shrink wrapped, designed by IKEA and on credit but now with the money men gone its time to restart the heart and unfold the soul", and on this collection of songs he does just that, with soaring Hammond Organ from ex-ROL Declan Quinn, searing guitar from leading Dublin sessionista Zamo Riffman, blistering Drums and Bass from NY Rythm section Perlson and Bishop and the compelling arrangements of Gregor Kitzis. Everyone pours themselves into it and they play as if existence depended on it.They’re shouting loud.
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