Philippe Barnes & Tom Phelan - Album Launch

Virtuoso musicians and longstanding friends, Philippe Barnes and Tom Phelan have been exploring the rich legacy of Celtic music together for twenty years.

The mesmerising combination of Philippe’s mastery of the Celtic flute tradition and Tom’s empathetic touch on piano and his deep knowledge of harmony has already established a devoted international following for their two previous releases and their sell-out performances all around the world, from Guildhall London to festivals in Australia and South Korea. Now they’re back with a long awaited follow up.

In The Clearwater Sessions, Phillipe and Tom present a selection of their favourite Scottish and Irish traditional tunes, interspersed with beautiful self-penned Celtic pieces, all delivered in their own unique style that seamlessly blends the timeless sound of Philippe’s flutes and whistles with the rhythmic drive and opulent chords of Tom’s piano. All the tunes were recorded live in the studio, with no click tracks, edits or overdubs – just the natural interplay of two friends thriving off each other’s playing.

The album was recorded in Florida at the Clear Tracks studios and engineered by the legendary Stephen Clark, whose previous credits include that famously eclectic genius of the piano, Chick Corea. The warmth and clarity of the recordings captures the magic of the performances and the total empathy and connection of the two players as they put their all into every tune. The Clearwater Sessions is a fresh new take on the tradition, direct and from the heart, that moves it fearlessly forwards to a new global audience.

The sheer musicality is exceptionally impressive.

Irish Music Magazine

Phillipe Barnes

As the leading exponent of Irish music on the silver flute, Philippe Barnes is a world renowned flautist and composer. Classically trained, and with an MA in Irish Traditional Music from Limerick University, he’s a favourite at the USA’s National Flute Association and the British Flute Society flute conventions and his debut book “Irish Music on the Silver Flute” has sold thousands of copies globally. He’s performed and recorded everywhere from West End musicals to film soundtracks, folk sessions to festivals, with some of the world’s most exciting and forward-looking Celtic musicians. The Clearwater Sessions enabled him to explore his voice on the wooden flute and whistle alongside the silver flute; whichever instrument he plays, it’s always recognisably Philippe from the first note.

Tom Phelan

Tom Phelan was originally self-taught on the piano but went on to receive classical training on both piano and clarinet and going on to study jazz and contemporary music at university in London. He has been a professional musician ever since, playing piano and keyboards for several world class artists in the UK and all over the world. Tom continues to be a well-regarded session musician, performing and recording with innumerable bands and projects and covering a wide range of contemporary genres, always with an emphasis on spontaneous creativity and eclecticism. His knowledge of jazz harmony and his powerful sense of rhythm give the project its unique character, always supporting the melody and capturing the emotion of each piece in a way that appeals to fans of the Celtic tradition as much as to audiences for the classical repertoire, for jazz, and for any fans of beautiful music played with complete passion and commitment.