The JPTrio are a young Sligo based band who have been making a name for themselves with the launch of their self-titled EP at Celtic Connections on the Sligo Live Sessions stage as well as making appearances on Ireland’s tradtional music TV series Geantrai. Their innovative approach with original percussion alongside the striking vocals of Niamh Farrell has seen them winning an increasing number of fans, the music often combines tradtional music with a strong jazz influence, I’d say they have a lot up their sleeve to show yet.
The core band consists of the Kelly brothers Ted (banjo, tenor guitar and vocals) and Jos (button accordion, keyboards and vocals), Paddy Hazleton (percussion and vocals) and Niamh Farrell joining them on vocals. Ted explains the bands formation:
‘Jos and I have played together since we can barely remember. We were all born in Sligo apart from Paddy who was one of two boys adopted from an orphanage in Uganda. I met Paddy when I was 14. He moved to Sligo Grammar School in our second year. I’ll never forget meeting him. I was sitting in the class with my banjo and Paddy came in with a bodhrán that only an American tourist would buy, but Boy could he play it. Jos and I have known Niamh since we were very young. She’s like a sister to us. We met through the local [Comhaltas] branch. Our parents, Charlie and Catherine Kelly, and Peter and Margo Farrell, were always there to load up the cars and drive us around the country to festivals and sessions, which helped us greatly.
‘We also learned a lot about arranging music from Michael Rooney during our time with Fred Finn Comhaltas and Ceol na Nóg [a Sligo based orchestra]. Our latest collaboration was performing Rooney’s De Cuellar Suite with fifteen Galican musicians.’
Check them out in the clips below.