Blair, Power and McCaffrey Star
In Irish Concert at Seven Stars

On Friday, March 16 at 8 p.m., Sarah Blair, Ben Power, and Colin McCaffrey will present a concert of traditional Irish music at the Seven Stars Center in Sharon.

This trio of accomplished musicians brings fiddle, flute, and guitar to an evening of traditional Irish dance tunes, slow airs, songs, and even step dancing. Blair and Power are masters of the driving, highly-animated Irish style of playing, and McCaffrey brings his sophisticated harmonic sense and powerful rhythm to the group.       

Blair has become Vermont’s most notable Irish fiddler, playing at festivals, concerts, and dance weeks from Alaska to Quebec to Florida. Fiddler Magazine has called her "simply a great fiddler. Her combination of grit and control makes for music with drive, lift, and a compelling earthiness." She is included in "Handy with the Stick: Fiddler Magazine’s Best of Irish Fiddling," a forthcoming book by Brendan Taaffe, profiling 12 top fiddlers.

Power is a performer with unusual versatility. As well as playing flute and bodhrán (the Irish frame drum), he is also a singer possessed of a powerful voice and is a sean nós (old-style) step dancer. This Liverpool, England native is a founding member of the innovative Irish dance ensemble Unbeaten Path. In addition to his performance background, he also holds an M.A. in Traditional Irish Music from Limerick University and periodically lectures at NYU.

McCaffrey is a prominent figure in the Vermont folk music scene, and his music has earned kudos; The Burlington Free Press calls him "a green mountain treasure worth unearthing." He sings and plays fiddle, guitar, mandolin and more.

This concert also marks the release of Blair’s first solo recording, "Flower of the Red Mill." It features guest performances by McCaffrey and Power, as well as Benedict Koehler (pipes), Hilari Farrington (harp), and Paul Groff (concertina).

"I wanted a traditional sound for this recording, to connect to what I love so much in traditional Irish music: its direct, undiluted beauty and power," said Blair.

Tickets will be available at the door. For information, call 802-223-0141. The Seven Stars Center is located at 5126 Route 14 in Sharon.

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