Irish FUNraiser March 12, 2012

The leprechauns will be afoot tonight!

8 pm

Join us in a unique presentation of Irish storytelling, Celtic tunes and a bit of mystery as we team up with O’Rourke’s Diner for an evening filled with FUN! And what fun would it be without special desserts? NONE say I! So yes! We’ll have special baked delicacies by the one and only chef-extraordinaire, Brian O’Rourke!

8 pm
$10
Steve Prout: Fiddle, Guitar, Vocals, Bouzouki

Brendan Prout: Piano, Vocals, Bass Guitar

Folk-infused fiddle, vocals, and piano supporting a repertoire of acoustic Rock, Jazz, and Celtic tunes.



For their first official appearance at the Buttonwood, this duo, Diomasach, will be playing Celtic traditionals. On the purely instrumental side, you can expect fiddle and piano to deliver lilting Irish airs, rhythmic reels, and some captivating improvisation. The duo fuses styles and songs from American folk and Celtic idioms, supported by acoustic guitar, Jazz-inspired piano, bouzouki, and bass.

Diomasach (Gaelic term for ‘Proud,’ pronounced DAY-mish) is the duo of two versatile musicians out of the Greater Hartford area. Steve Prout plays fiddle, guitar, and bouzouki while singing. He performs in many different types of bands, including various Folk and traditional Irish groups. He is an active member of the vocal trio Anam Cara. His long-standing love of Irish fiddle began in his youth under the influence of his uncle Eddie Burke, a famed Galway fiddle player. As an adult, P. V. O’Donnell, a well-known Connecticut-based fiddler from Donegal, resurrected Steve’s interest in the instrument.

The next generation, his nephew Brendan Prout, grew up playing Classical piano and had extensive training at the Hartt School of Music. His dedication to Classical music led to significant awards, culminating in several recitals at the Lincoln Theatre of the Hartt School. Brendan’s self-guided explorations in Jazz improvisation matured over the course of a three-year internship at the Litchfield Jazz Camp, and during his undergraduate years at Boston College. His vocal Jazz quintet, BC bOp!, won awards at the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival in Moscow, Idaho; he also performed in Vienna and Prague as a member of the Boston College Chorale. Along with piano, Brendan plays bass guitar on a few tunes.



A special Irish (of course) dinner will be offered at the Diner from 5:30 – 7:30 Reservations are necessary: 860-346-6101