John McSherry is one of the finest exponents of the art of Uilleann piping in the world. A founding member of Irish super-groups Lúnasa and the now legendary Coolfin, John is finally releasing his first solo album, Soma. A fiery blend of pipes, whistles, guitars, bouzoukis and fiddles, Soma mixes traditional tunes with John’s own compositions. As John puts it, “My love for music embraces everything from these most ancient airs, jigs, and reels to the harmonies and high powered, driving rhythms of modern music. I’d like to think of this album as a little melting pot of all the influences on my musical journey so far.” He’s been called “a true master” by Irish Music Magazine and has taken piping to new heights with his unique style. His sense for improvisation has even been compared to that of the great jazz legend John Coltrane. He’s also released two duo CDs, At First Light with musical comrade Michael McGoldrick (2001 Best Traditional Album of the Year Award from Irish American News) and most recently Tripswitch with Dónal O’Connor. "John McSherry is one of the only pipers whose playing embraces the ancient strangeness of music passed on to us from centuries before while also possessing the harmonic and rhythmic sensibilities of the best of rock and contemporary music. This album spans these great fields and conveys the depth and breadth of John’s musicality!” – Donal Lunny
