The highly acclaimed Guitar virtuoso and Composer will headline at the New Ross Guitar Festival on July 21.
“Pat Coldrick is one of the best guitar players in the world", well, that is according to legendary folk musician and Dubliner’s founder member John Sheehan.
Another legendary folk musician Finbar Furey would echo that sentiment and Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh wouldn’t disagree either!“What a great player, I thought I was safe, love his style!”
Some endorsement! As we say in Ireland, "Some man for one man!”
The seed for Pat Coldrick’s last album, "Ophelia" was planted on the morning of October 16, 2017. Hurricane Ophelia, the worst storm to hit Ireland in half a century, raged across the country leaving a trail of destruction and misery in its wake with winds of almost one hundred miles per hour and torrential unceasing rain!
But, in this case, the clouds did have a silver lining and left a bright sparkling legacy of beautiful music - the album “Ophelia” which continues to illuminate and inspire.
Blown Away!
It also produced a now legendary instrument “Ophelia” an electrified Spanish style guitar whose cord was cut on the morning of the great storm and delivered to expectant parents, Pat Coldrick and friend, budding Luthier, Dermot Quinlan, who together, handcrafted the instrument from scratch from Madagascan rosewood and spruce. The newborn Ophelia would prove to be quite a prodigy, surprising both creators with its deep resonance and bright tonal quality.
Remarkably, Pat is a self-taught musician which ironically has proved to be an incredibly positive thing; dropping out from the college of music because his technique was deemed too unorthodox.
He was initially shunned by the purists of the classical guitar community. Undaunted, the determined Navan born musician relentlessly persisted. Unshackled from the limitations of classical guitar, Pat developed a very distinctive style, encouraging experimentation and boundary pushing.
This is particularly evident in his second album "City Jam" where in the haunting piece "Antarctica" he uses soaring cadences and arpeggios and even amplifier feedback to create an evocative escapist dreamlike landscape. This is contrasted by the title piece "City Jam", in the busy, flowing, hustle-bustle, discordant jarring chords. evoking traffic, movement, and frustration.
Back with a Bang!
"Ophelia" returned in all its spectacular powerful glory in May 2019 at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, where, under the baton of Conductor Brian Byrne; the RTÉ National Concert Orchestra, Pat and guests, John Sheehan and Finbar Furey breathed new life and nuance into the Meath Maestro’s musical magnum opus. Playing sell-out shows to delighted audiences on three nights, winning critical acclaim and legions of new fans.
Grafting on Grafton St
This was a remarkable achievement for a man who decided to ditch the guitar and turn his hand to cabinet making and bespoke kitchen manufacturing, resulting in a 25-year absence from making music!
But, with the recession came financial meltdown and the alfresco areas of Dublin’s Grafton Street and Temple Bar became Pat’s savior. In the first silver cloud to rain some good fortune on the busking barnstormer, serendipity called in the guise of an American music promoter who was so impressed by Pat’s musical dexterity and creativity that he whisked him off on an all-expense paid trip to feature in a Celtic/Spanish fusion music festival in Florida!
Pat’s repertoire of Irish and Spanish classical-influenced pieces could not have been more appropriate, and he was rapturously received. He has never looked back since and continues to captivate audiences and listeners around the world.
Pat is a regular on Irish radio often featuring on RTÉ lyric FM, listeners might recognize City Jam which is frequently used as incidental music on Radio One!
Apart from making music, guitars, and furniture, during the Covid epidemic, Pat decided to build a sports car from scratch! And recently, he just finished a full-size snooker table!
“Some man for one man!”
This article was submitted to the IrishCentral contributors network by a member of the global Irish community. To become an IrishCentral contributor click here.
Comments