Latest news with #SarahAllen
Irish Post
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Post
Ten Minutes with Sarah Allen of Flook
FOR three decades, Flook have been at the cutting edge of folk music, blending dynamic energy with inventive musicality. Flook's fifth album Sanju was released in May and is available on all digital platforms and on The band also just been awarded prestigious 'Group of the Year' title at the annual TG4 Gradam Ceoil Awards which can be viewed on line at Flute player Sarah Allen took time out to answer our questions What are you up to, Sarah? Right now, I am rushing around preparing for our upcoming Flook tour of Japan. We've been to Japan quite a few times over the years—it's one of our favourite places to tour. The people are so kind and respectful and friendly, and the pace toggles between super calm and super frenetic. It will be great to be back. We called our latest recording Sanju, which very broadly speaking is the Japanese word for 30, as Flook are celebrating our 30th anniversary this year. Which piece of music always sends a shiver down your spine? Allegri's Miserere Which musician or singer has most influenced you? A chance meeting with legendary free improvising jazz drummer John Stevens single-handedly changed the course of my musical life. From there on in everything I had previously learned about music was challenged and reset; it was the starting point of a much more creative and fulfilling musical journey. What's on your smartphone playlist at the minute? I've been listening a lot to Bonny Light Horseman's latest release Keep Me on Your Mind / See You Free - I saw them live at The Roundhouse last Autumn - they were AMAZING! I'm also really enjoying The Charming Smile and the Glorious Life from up and coming band Wesley. The lead singer Jamie is the son of my good friend Al Jones, fiddle player from The Barely Works. Other favourites include Laura Wilkie's new album Vent and Brìghde Chaimbeul's new single Bog an Lochan. What are your family roots in Ireland? My Irish roots are only very distant, from way back in the 1600s when my forefathers on my father's side came from up around where Brian (Finnegan) lives in the Armagh area, before they emigrated to Australia. What is your favourite place in Ireland? I love the bustle of Galway and the wildness of West Cork. What has been your favourite venue? We played with Dreamers' Circus last November at Islington's Union Chapel and will be back there for our own gig this coming November - it's such a beautiful space to play music and to hear music - almost other worldly. Which living person do you most admire? My Dad. The tune Ninety Years Young on our new Flook recording Sanju was written for him, though this year it will be dedicated to my Mum (equally admired) for her big birthday in May this year. Which trait in others do you most admire? Kindness What would be your motto? Peace comes when you realise that everything that's out of control should be out of your mind too. What's the best advice you've ever been given? Always stay curious In terms of inanimate objects, what is your most precious possession? My Granny's wedding ring. It was her one remaining treasured possession and she gave it to me shortly before she died. What's best thing about where you live? The street where I live, on the shabbier side of Hampstead Heath, must be one of the friendliest places in London; everyone looks out for everyone else. Plus we have the Heath across the road with its Lido and swimming ponds. . . . . and the worst? I'm struggling to think of anything I don't like! Who/what is the greatest love of your life? My daughter, Maisy - recently turned 18 and shortly heading off on her own adventures Upcoming gigs 4th June 2025: Music Room at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall LIVERPOOL 5th June 2025: The Met BURY, Gt MANCHESTER 6th June 2025: Brewery Arts KENDAL 7th June 2025: The Reeling GLASGOW 8th June 2025: The Glasshouse GATESHEAD 5th July 2025: Festival of Flutes DERRY See More: Flook, Folk Music, Traditional Music
Irish Post
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Post
Dynamic Anglo-Irish group Flook take top honours as TG4's Grúpa Ceoil 2025
FOR three decades, Flook have been at the cutting edge of folk music, blending dynamic energy with inventive musicality. There's a chance to see them at the Todmorden Folk Festival on May 3. They'll then be heading back to Ireland to appear at the Gradam Ceoil TG4 Awards 2025 – Live Broadcast at University Concert Hall, Limerick. There's a further chance to see the band in Britain at the end of May – see below. Formed in 1995, this Anglo-Irish quartet has developed a distinctive sound driven by the whistles and flutes of Brian Finnegan and Sarah Allen, the rhythmic mastery of Ed Boyd on guitar, and the groundbreaking bodhrán playing of John Joe Kelly. Gradam Ceoil TG4 2025 Recipients Flook Their music weaves intricate melodies with precise acoustic grooves, creating a unique fusion of tradition and innovation that has captivated audiences worldwide. With five critically acclaimed studio albums—Flatfish (1999), Rubai (2002), Haven (2005), Ancora (2019), and Sanju (2025)—Flook continue to push the boundaries of traditional music while staying true to its roots. Their live performances are renowned for their fiery technical brilliance, delicate ensemble interplay, and bold musical imagination. Each member brings a distinctive contribution to the group. Brian Finnegan, an acclaimed Armagh whistle and flute player, is known for his masterful compositions as well as his fluid and dextrous playing. Sarah Allen's alto flute adds groove and counter-melodies that help define the band's signature sound. Ed Boyd is widely recognised as one of the most influential guitar accompanists of his generation, while John Joe Kelly has redefined the role of the bodhrán in traditional music with his innovative playing. Sarah Allen and Brian Finnegan of Flook Flook received the Best Band award at the 2006 BBC Folk Awards, solidifying their place as one of the most exciting and influential groups in contemporary folk music. Monday, May 19 – Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester Tuesday, May 20 – The cornerHouse, Tolworth, Nr Surbiton Wednesday, May 21 – The Fleece, Bretforton, Nr Evesham Thursday, May 22 – The Lantern, Bristol Friday, May 23 – The Gate, Cardiff See More: Flook, Grúpa Ceoil 2025, TG4
