Description

As one of the worlds most renowned and imaginative interpreters of Irish folk music, Dervish have devoted the last three decades to gently reinventing the traditional songs of their homeland.

On their debut release for Rounder Records, the Sligo-based band join up with over a dozen luminaries across an eclectic range of genres. Featuring guests Steve Earle, Rhiannon Giddens, Vince Gill, Brendan Gleeson, Jamey Johnson, Kate Rusby, The SteelDrivers, Abigail Washburn, and others, The Great Irish Songbook both preserves the spirit of each song and brings a new vitality to iconic traditional songs of their homeland.

Produced by Graham Henderson (a musician known for his work with artists like Sinéad OConnor), The Great Irish Songbook delivers some of the best-loved songs in the Irish tradition. An ambitious undertaking, the recording process happened over a 2 year period between Sligo where the band is based, and Dublin where producer Graham Henderson is located. Developing the arrangements and recording the material was a labor of love.

Dervish discovered that lovers of Irish traditional music are diverse, and at times unexpected. Most of the collaborators appearing on the album are artists Dervish met through 30 years of touring as a band, but some were new friends and came to the project for the love of these songs. The Great Irish Songbook captures the imagination and widens the shelf space for Irelands greatest natural resource, its Folk music.