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"Common Ground" to feature Bono, Kate Bush, Sinéad O'Connor
`COMMON GROUND` TO FEATURE BONO, KATE BUSH, SINEAD O'CONNOR
(News handed by; Johnnie J. Young)
Renowned Irish producer/performer Donal Lunny has assembled a stellar group of musicians to collaborate on `Common Ground,` a celebration of Irish music by some of the notable Irish artists whose careers he has influenced.
Contributors to the project -- due for release in America on EMI on May 28 --include U2's Bono and Adam Clayton, Clannad's Maire Brennan, Neil & Tim Finn, Sinead O'Connor, Elvis Costello and Kate Bush.
Lunny's idea for the project was to mesh together traditional Irish folk songs with contemporary Irish artists. But rather than merely being a compilation album, Lunny's approach was to have each of the contributors work with a "house band" brought together especially for the project. The band included Andy White of the Riverdance Band, bassist Eoghan O'Neill, drummer Ray Fean, guitarist/keyboardist Paul Brady, Laoise Kelly on Irish Harp, and Lunny himself. Work on the album began in November 1995, and almost all of it was recorded at Dublin's Windmill Studios.
EMI also plans a CD+ release of the album in September, which will include some session footage, translation of the Gaelic lyrics, and other enhancements.