BEAVER FALLS — What many critics call the best Celtic band spawned in America plays in Beaver Falls on Sunday as part of the Black River Valley Concert Series.
Even before the release of its first CD, the Boston Herald trumpeted the quartet as “the first truly great Irish band to arise from America.” The Irish Echo ranked Solas among the “most exciting bands anywhere in the world.”
The internationally acclaimed group, in addition to its Irish-inspired music, performs folk and country melodies, bluesy, jazz-inspired improvisations and global rhythms.
The band was formed in 1996. It's anchored by founders Seamus Egan, who plays flute, tenor banjo, mandolin, whistle, guitar and bodhran, and fiddler Winifred Horan.
Mr. Egan was born in Hatboro, Pa., and raised for a time in Foxford, Mayo, Ireland. He has also released three acclaimed solo albums.
Ms. Horan was born to Irish parents and raised in New York City. She began playing music at an early age. Her first instrument was piano, which she learned from her father, who was an accomplished pianist and jazz trumpeter. His love for classical, jazz and traditional Irish music was a great influence on her.
The founders are joined by Mick McAuley on accordion, concertina, low whistle and vocals; Eamon McElholm on guitar, keyboards and vocals and Máiréad Phelan on vocals.
Solas has 10 albums. Its latest, “The Turning Tide,” was released in February.
The group has performed at all the major Celtic and folk festivals, including ones in Philadelphia, Edmonton and the legendary National Folk Festival in Butte, Mont.; and at Milwaukee's Irish festival, the Telluride (Colo.) Bluegrass Festival and the chamber music summer series at Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Because of the larger crowd expected, Solas will perform at Beaver River Central School auditorium instead of the usual Black River Valley Concert Series site of the historical society's Blue Room. The auditorium can hold 700 guests, compared to the Blue Room's 150.
