Davy Spillane
Davy Spillane is an Irish musician, songwriter and a player of uilleann pipes and low whistle.
Biography
Irish music
At the age of 12, Spillane started playing the uilleann pipes. His father encouraged him and inspired him with his love of all music genres. For the next three years he played at sessions and met many prominent Irish musicians. At the age of 16, he played in Ireland, the United Kingdom and Europe. In 1978, he began to write his own music. He starred as a gypsy in Joe Comerford's 1981 film Traveller.
He is a founding member of Moving Hearts, along with Christy Moore and Donal Lunny in 1981. Although each member had a strong pedigree of Irish folk music, the band played mostly original compositions, sometimes with a political edge and a folk-rock sound. Their final album The Storm was purely instrumental and had several slower pieces written by Spillane. He then made the surprise move of joining up with American musician Béla Fleck, the Englishman Albert Lee, Jerry Douglas, and others to record a Davy Spillane debut album of his new compositions and bluegrass and original blues, Atlantic Bridge. There was a promotional touring band which also recorded Out of the Air in 1988, essentially a live version of Atlantic Bridge. Spillane then gathered together a new set of musicians, including Rory Gallagher and Kevin Glackin to record Shadow Hunter, an album of various rock and folk styles. This was followed by Pipedreams in 1991.
Collaborations
Spillane played as special guest soloist in orchestral work in 1992 called "The Seville Suite", describing events in 1601 in Irish-Spanish history. Bill Whelan then worked for Spillane and Andy Irvine on the album, EastWind. In 1993, Spillane collaborated with Canadian musicians such as Bryan Adams, and Daniel Weaver on his album Weeds plus Celine Dion's My Heart Will go On. In 1994, Spillane was a special guest soloist in Riverdance. Spillane also collaborated with Rory Gallagher on the tracks "The Road to Ballyalla", "Litton Lane" and "One For Phil" as well as with Enya on her 1988 Watermark tracks "Exile" and "Na Laetha Geal M'Óige".
Film music
In 1992, Spillane composed music for Peter Kosminsky's film Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights and, in 1995, reached a larger audience with the film Rob Roy. Other compositions and guesting includes Kate Bush's Sensual World, Mike Oldfield's Voyager, Bryan Adams' MTV Unplugged, Van Morrison and Elvis Costello. Other films include Eat the Peach and The Disappearance of Finbar. Paul Winter's album Journey with the Sun. Spillane earned a Grammy Award and also nominated for second one.
Spillane served his apprenticeship with pipe-makers Dan Dowd and Johnny Burke and now makes all his own instruments. In 2000, he recorded his only album of traditional tunes with Kevin Glackin, entitled Forgotten Days.
Discography
Moving Hearts
Solo albums
Atlantic Bridge Out of the Air Shadow Hunter Pipedreams A Place Among The Stones The Sea of Dreams Deep Blue Sea
- ''Between Longing & Belonging''
Collaborations
EastWind – with Andy IrvineCalman The Dove – with Savourna StevensonForgotten Days – with Kevin Glackin
Contributions
The Piper's Rock - A Compilation of Young Pipers, Various Artists - Uilleann pipesThe Heritage Tapes: Songs and Stories from Old Tiger Bay, Various Artists Irish Festival, Various Artists - Uilleann pipes on The Old Bush/Rakish PaddyMy Very Favourite Nursery Rhyme Record, Tim Hart - Uilleann pipesThe Drunken Sailor and other Kids Favorites, Tim Hart - Uilleann pipesInarticulate Speech of the Heart, Van Morrison - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleGetting to the Border, Alistair Russell - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleNow and Then, The Sands Family - Low Whistle on When the Music Starts to PlayClassic Irish Ballads, Diarmuid O'Leary & The Bards - Uilleann pipes & Low Whistle Dancing with Strangers, Chris Rea - Uilleann pipes, Low Whistle & GuitarUnder the Influence, Mary Coughlan - Uilleann pipesGoreuon, Best of , Jim O'Rourke, Uilleann pipes & Low Whistle Watermark, Enya - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleNorth and South, Gerry Rafferty - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleDublin Millenium Song, Various Artists - Uilleann pipesWe've Come A Long Way, Liam Clancy/Tommy Makem - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleThe Sensual World, Kate Bush - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleAll I Remember, Mick Hanly - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleOgam, Ogam - Fearless composed by Davy SpillaneWinds of Change, Oisin - Geraldine MacGowan & Anne Conroy - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleSpike, Elvis Costello - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleElio samaga hukapan kariyana turu, Elio E Le Storie Tese - Uilleann pipesBrand New Dance, Emmylou Harris - Uilleann pipesThis Rhythm, T. T. Oksala - Uilleann pipesHopes and Bodies, The Senators - Uilleann pipes The Sweet Keeper, Tanita Tikaram - Low Whistle on It All Came Back TodaySojourner's Song, Buddy Greene - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleVigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors, Fish - Uilleann pipes & Low Whistle on VigilPut 'Em Under Pressure , Republic of Ireland Football Squad Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin - Uilleann pipes on Kate Bush, Rocket ManMighty Like a Rose, Elvis Costello - Uilleann pipesMission Street, Kieran Halpin - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleRude Awakening, Andy Irvine Smoke and Strong Whiskey, Christy Moore - Low WhistleThe Ways of the World, Mary Custy & Eoin O'Neill - Uilleann pipesLam Toro, Baaba Maal - Uilleann pipesHigh on the Happy Side, Wet Wet Wet - Low Whistle on Put The Light OnSoul Inspiration, Simon Climie - Low WhistleRita Connolly, Rita Connolly - Low WhistleSomething Special In The Air for Impact 92, Derry City Council - Uilleann pipes & Low Whistle Sentimental Killer, Mary Coughlan - Uilleann pipesEndless Emotion, Johnny Logan - Uilleann pipesHarmony, Londonbeat - Low Whistle on Harmony and The Sea of TranquilityBajo El Signo de Cain, Miguel Bose - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleAgain, Alan Stivell - Uilleann pipesBefore & After, Tim Finn - Uilleann pipes on Many's The TimeSolid Ground, Dolores Keane - Uilleann pipesEspresso Logic, Chris Rea - Uilleann pipesFar from Home, Traffic - Uilleann pipes on Holy GroundTraditional Music In Support Of Doolin Coast And Cliff Rescue Service, Various Artists - Uilleann pipes33 Revolutions Per Minute, Marxman - WhistlesDaniel Weaver, Daniel Weaver - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleCumplicidodes, Luis Represas - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleThe Sound of Stone - Artists for Mullaghmore, Various Artists - Low WhistleCeltic Themes, Various Artists - Uilleann pipesA River Of Sound: The Changing Course Of Irish Music, BBC/RTE programme - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleSeville Suite, Bill Whelan - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleFolk Music Ensemble, Dan Foyle - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleCry of a Dreamer, Sean Tyrell - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleLittle Bruises, Gary Kemp - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleMisty Eyed Adventures, Moya Brennan - Low Whistle see aboveTransatlantic Sessions - Series 1, Various Artists - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleArabesque, Mike Batt - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleRiverdance: Music from the Show, Bill Whelan - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleSongs From A Secret Garden, Secret Garden - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleVolume 1: Sound Magic, Afro Celt Sound System - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleVoyager, Mike Oldfield - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleHammer, Zoe -Uilleann pipes on The Lion RoarsAo Vivo No CCB, Luis Represas - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleCommon Ground, Various Artists - Low Whistle on Whistling Low/Errigal, Mary of the South Seas & On Raglan RoadWhite Stones, Secret Garden - Uilleann pipesKilim, Nikola Parov - Uilleann pipesWhat Did He Say?, Victor Wooten - Uilleann pipesIllumination, Richard Souther, Hildegard von Bingen - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleGospel Oak, Sinead O'Connor - Low & High WhistleAmara, Island Currents, Joe Boske - Low Whistle on The Delphi AirLaberinto Volume 2, Miguel Bose - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleAr Galon Digorr , Annie Ebrel on Fest Vraz Musique Bretonnes - Uilleann pipes & Low Whistle Unplugged, Bryan Adams - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleSun and the Moon and the Stars, Spirit of Eden - Uilleann pipesThe Peace Within, BMC Band - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleWandering Home, David Lynch - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistlePiece of Cake, Lubos Malina - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleCeltic Solstice, Paul Winter - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleNew Freedom Bell, Druka Trava - Low WhistleThe Orchard, Sean Tyrell - Uilleann pipes & Low Whistle Streams, Various Artists - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleLive at Slane Castle , Bryan Adams - Low WhistleJourney with the Sun, Paul Winter - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleIrvi, Denez Prigent - Uilleann pipesBehind the Mist: Music from Conamaras' Bog and Sea Weeks - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleDreamcatcher, Secret Garden - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleAdiemus Vol 4, Karl Jenkins - Uilleann pipes on The Eternal KnotGirls Won't Leave the Boys Alone, Cherish the Ladies - Uilleann pipesThe Best Of Mary Black 1991-2001, Mary Black - Uilleann pipesUnearthed, Posthumus - Uilleann pipes & Low Whistle12 Vox - The Way To be Ourselves, Taro Iwashiro - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleCeol Tacsi, Various Artists - Uilleann pipes & Low Whistle on Muladach Is Mi Air M'aineol with Karen MathesonSpiorad, The Lismorahaun Singers - Uilleann pipesThe River Returning, Johnny Duhan - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleSexual Healing , Kate Bush - Uilleann pipesGrief Never Grows Old - , One World Project - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleSilver Solstice, Paul Winter Consort & Friends - Uilleann pipesHuman Child/Mannabarn - Eivor - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleTo The Moon, Capercaillie Tracks from Rob Roy - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleArt of Chill 5, Bent - Uilleann pipes on PipegrooveDistant Shore, Orla Fallon - Low WhistleThis Is What I Live For, Richard Anthony Jay - Uilleann pipes & Low Whistle on Gone But Not ForgottenA Different Hat, Paul Carrack - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleDream of You, Sharon Corr - Low Whistle on Cooley's ReelDirector's Cut, Kate Bush - Uilleann pipes & Low Whistle on Flower of the MountainLament, Various Artists - Low Whistle on Lament For the Dead of the NorthThe Peacemakers, Karl Jenkins - Uilleann pipesTransparent Music 2, B. J. Cole - Low WhistlePapitwo, Miguel Bose - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleGoodbye , Mary Jane Riemann - Uilleann pipesMan on the Rocks, Mike Oldfield - Low Whistle on Moonshine Whisky Lullabies/Suantraí Meisciúil - , Janet Devlin - Low Whistle on Suantraí Meisciúil Drowning , Simone Kaye - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleCreation, Johnny Duhan - Low Whistle on The Three Temptations.Source, Afro Celt Sound System - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleThe Ashgrove Sessions, Ashgrove - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleConfessional, Janet Devlin - Low WhistleA Long Time Coming, Bocle Brothers - Uilleann pipes
Soundtracks
Lamb Eat the Peach Reefer and the Model The Ballad of the Sad Café – Low WhistleWuthering Heights Rob Roy – Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleMichael Collins – Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleThe Disappearance of Finbar Xenogears – Low WhistleCreid – Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleDancing at Lughnasa – Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleExcalibur, La légende des Celtes, Various Artists Aoi ~ Tokugawa Sandai, Taro Iwashiro - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleXenosaga – Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleGangs of New York - Uilleann pipes & Low WhistleGraal, Catherine Lara - Uilleann pipes & Low Whistle