* En anglais uniquement
A seamless blend of Celtic music, jazz, and classical chamber music has given
Nightnoise their distinct sound.
Nightnoise was initially conceived as a duo formed by Irish guitarist
Mícháel Ó Domhnaill, formerly of
Skara Brae and
the Bothy Band, and classically trained American violinist
Billy Oskay, shortly after
Ó Domhnaill moved to Portland. The duo concept grew into a full ensemble when a demo tape by
Oskay and
Ó Domhnaill became the band's first album with the addition of clavinet player
Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill and flute player
Brian Dunning.
Mícháel's sister,
Tríona had previously played with her brother in
Skara Brae,
the Bothy Band, and
Relativity, a group they shared with Scottish fiddler
Johnny Cunningham and his accordionist/keyboardist brother,
Phil. Ireland-born
Dunning had played classical and jazz flute before moving to traditional folk music with the group Puck Fair. When
Oskay left the band after the release of their fourth album,
Johnny Cunningham seemed a natural replacement.
Cunningham's expressive fiddling provided an extra edge to the band's arrangements. When he elected to leave the group following the release of their album The White Horse Sessions in 1997, he was replaced by
John Fitzpatrick. In the late '90s,
Nightnoise relocated to Ireland, where they started appearing weekly on Irish television show Brid Live, broadcast by RT1 in Dublin. The group supplied instrumental accompaniment for Japanese vocalist
Mimori Yusa's album Mimori Yusa Meets Irish Superstars. Windham Hill commemorated the work of the band in 2006 by releasing
Pure Nightnoise, a best-of collection. ~ Craig Harris