Randal Bays - The Music is what it's all about. I've been playing Irish fiddle for more than thirty years, still finding it interesting and still hearing something mysterious in the music. I've been very fortunate - especially for someone born in America - to have gotten to know and spend time with so many of the greatest Irish musicians. I enjoy bringing the music to audiences, wherever they might be, in the form of concerts and workshops, festivals, music camps, etc.

Mostly I perform with one or two other musicians, depending on the venue. I love my duo with Davey Mathias, an outstanding and dynamic guitarist from South Carolina. Working with such a great, intuitive player is truly a musical peak experience and loads of fun.

I also do concerts as a Solo Performer, often in a house concert or small venue setting. For this kind of concert I usually play both unaccompanied fiddle tunes and finger-style guitar solos. I try to give a bit of background and context to the music, and make it an enjoyable listening experience.

And I'm proud to be a member of the trio FINGAL, with two legendary musicians, James Keane and Dáithí Sproule.

Randal Bays and Davey Mathias

It's hard to imagine a better guitarist partner for the kind of music I do than Davey Mathias. His great musicianship and versatility give me the chance to play a wide repertoire of Irish music with all the life and lift it should have.

Davey comes from a musical family in South Carolina, where he teaches guitar and banjo, and plays with the group Corner House. He plays in the DADGAD tuning and is an excellent teacher.

Here is a recent video of the two of us.

 

FINGAL - My trio with two extraordinary musicians, James Keane and Dáithí Sproule.

For tour dates, photos, booking information, etc. visit the Fingal website at www.fingalmusic.com