NEW VOICES – In And Around
Featuring Maeve Dunphy, Bruce Joseph, Michael Kerr & Ruth Trimble
Four of the brightest new songwriting artists in Northern Ireland performing “In The Round”. Four voices, three guitars, one keyboard and four very different but complimentary talents.
Omagh-based songwriter Maeve Dunphy has recently released her first album ‘Scarlet’. The twelve tracks include ten which have become favourites of audiences at her live performances over the last few years.
Maeve’s songs are a mixture of innocence and experience, yearning and resignation showing her own particular ability to add an edge to the everyday. She can sing an old-style blues in a way that is as fresh as paint, stoke up guitar-led salsa rhythms and linger over every nuance of a folk tune.
In April 2010 Bruce Joseph launched his debut album, “Look Out”, with a sell-out show in the Black Box. The album was well received and secured excellent coverage and reviews in the local press including Hot Press.
In support of that release Bruce played many more shows across Northern Ireland, including another great night at The Spring & Airbrake as special guest to Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel.  Another very special show was at the May Street Church with Cerys Matthews. This, alongside other performances that week, was part of the Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival.
Michael Kerr is a singer songwriter from Belfast. Having always written songs as a pastime and playing in several bands he has now decided to pursue a solo career. Influenced by the likes of Lou Reed, Van Morrison, Cat Stevens, Paul Simon, John Martyn, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, his songwriting has evolved to form melody driven songs on a foundation of swelling guitars and heartfelt lyrics.
"This guy is starting to make the right tongues wag" Hotpress 2012
Michael's new EP 'The Australia Fund' has just been released.
Ruth Trimble is a singer songwriter from Belfast.
Having previously considered music as just a hobby, she trained and worked as a pharmacist for seven years... but after developing an interest in writing and recording her own songs, Ruth decided to take a break from pharmacy and concentrate on music full time.
Ruth, who plays a wide variety of instruments, has recently completed UK tours with both Beth Nielsen Chapman and Kevin Montgomery, playing in their bands and also supporting Kevin. She also developed her skills in the studio to enable her to produce her own debut album 'Things I Want To Say', on which she plays every instrument on all but two tracks.