Jimmy Keane
Jimmy Keane is a London-born English musician of Irish origin and a specialist piano accordion player. In addition to his solo career, in the 1980s, he was part of the folk trio Moloney, O'Connell & Keane, then in ensemble Green Fields of America. In the 1990s, he was in Aengus and formed the duo bohola with Pat Broaders. He has recorded and produced a number of albums.
Jimmy Keane | |
|---|---|
| Born | London, England |
| Genres | Irish Folk, Contemporary |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Piano accordion |
| Years active | 1970s – present |
| Associated acts | Green Fields of America Moloney, O'Connell & Keane Dennis Cahill Aengus bohola |
| Website | www.jimmykeane.com |
Career
Keane was born to Irish-speaking parents originating from Connemara and Kerry. His father Jimmy Keane was an old style sean-nos singer. Both him and his mother encouraged him to take up traditional Irish music. Specialising in the piano accordion, he won five consecutive All-Ireland titles and many accolades. In the 1970s, he started his professional career with fellow All-Ireland fiddle champion Liz Carroll in Chicago and the duo was named All-Ireland Senior Duet Champion in 1975.
In the early 1980s, he joined with guitarist and singer-songwriter Robbie O'Connell and banjoist and singer Mick Moloney to form Moloney, O'Connell & Keane releasing two albums: There Were Roses in 1985 (including the first recording of the iconic Irish song "There Were Roses" penned by the Irish folk singer-songwriter Tommy Sands and Kilkelly in 1987 including O'Connell's signature song "Killkelly".
In the mid-1980s, he became part of the revamped Green Fields of America an ensemble which performs and promotes Irish traditional music in the United States with Mick Moloney, Robbie O'Connell, fiddler Eileen Ivers (from Riverdance), multi-instrumentalist Seamus Egan (from Solas) and Donny & Eileen Golden recorded an album called The Green Fields of America: Live in 1989. Keane has also collaborated with musician and guitarist Dennis Cahill for three decades. During the late 1980s, Keane collaborated with guitarist Dennis Cahill (of Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill fame) and, in the mid-1990s, Keane and O'Connell formed the group Aengus and recorded All on a Christmas Morning for the RCA Victor label.
Jimmy founded the duo bohola in 1999 with Pat Broaders (bouzouki, dordan and vocal) and recorded several albums on the Shanachie and Bohola Music labels. It plays traditional Irish tunes almost 150 years old. The bohola release, Jimmy Keane & Pat Broaders was awarded "Celtic Album of the Year" from Just Plain Folks and "Vocal/Instrumental Album of the Year". Keane won "Male Musician of the Year" from the Irish American News (2010), "Male Musician of the Decade" by Live Ireland and the Irish American News (2011).
He was also featured in the BBC TV series and compilation recording Bringing It All Back Home, and was featured on the soundtrack and recording for the PBS documentary Out of Ireland. He also co-wrote the soundtrack for the PBS documentary Irish Chicago.
Discography
- As Moloney, O'Connell & Keane
- There Were Roses • Moloney, O'Connell & Keane • Green Linnet CSIF 1057 (1985)
- Kilkelly • Moloney, O'Connell & Keane • Green Linnet CSIF1072 (1987)
- As Green Fields of America
- The Green Fields of America Live in Concert • Green Linnet CSIF 1096 (1998)
- As bohola
- Jimmy Keane & Pat Broaders
- Bo Ho Ho Hola
- bits of bohola (and a bit more) (EP)