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Bio:
Distinguished musician, composer and band leader, Noel Kelehan spent most of his career
working for RTE.
He composed music for radio and television, conducted bands and orchestra for live and
prerecorded television shows, including all Ireland's Eurovision entries from 1965 onwards,
and his various bands were a constant presence on RTE television for many years.
He also recorded jazz and had a special affection for the Miles Davis
quintet of the fifties.
Largely self taught as a composer and arranger, Kelehan received classical
training in piano theory and harmony.
In 1962 he played piano with jazz guitarist Louis Stewart and
bassist Jimmy McKay. In 1964 he went to New York City to study further.
He wrote such works as "Cuchulainn's Lament" for piano and orchestra,
which was performed by the RTE Light Orchestra; and
"Dubliners", a 3 movement suite premiered at the Festival of Light Music
in Munich in 1967.
In 1971 the Noel Kelehan Band recorded an album of Irish
traditional airs "brought up to date" called The Golden Heritage of Irish Music,
released on CBS Records.
It includes some Kelehan originals such as "Irish Blue" and "Shannon Song".
In the late 70s he recorded an out-and-out jazz LP titled "Ozone".
The is a marvelous album. It includes a quite beautiful version of Castle of
Dromore. Along
with Louis Stewart's "Louis the First" LP, "Ozone" is one of the rarest Irish
jazz albums.
Among his many soundtrack commissions are 'An t'Oileanach a d'Fhill' (1970),
'Speed Easy' (1970), 'Connemara And It's Ponies' (1971), and 'The Key' (1983).
He also composed the music for the RTE TV series 'Bracken' (1982).
Noel developed Alzheimers and is now in full time care.
He can still play the piano, read music and change key at will.
Notes: Recorded at Eamonn Andrews Studio. Arranged by Noel Kelehan, produced by Frank Murphy. The credits include a long list of instruments including trumpets (including Earl Gill), trombones, drums (John Wadham), percussion (Ian McGarry ex Bluesville), flutes, oboe, piccolo, cor anglais, saxes, clarinet, horn, bass (Martin Walsh), guitar (Bill Brady), accordion and piano (Noel Kelehan).
Lineup:
Noel Kelehan - piano
Mike Nolan - trumpet and flugelhorn
Keith Donald - soprano sax and Yamaha tenor sax
Frank Hess - bass
John Wadham - drums
Notes:
Mike Nolan has worked in Canada
and on the continent with Albert Mangelsdorff.
Keith Donald was involved in Jump with Mike Nolan in the early
seventies.
John Wadham has performed with countless musicians, incluidng such names as Zoot Sims and Gerry Mulligan.
Help!: We need your help to complete this entry. If you can tell us more about this band then please do! We welcome any corrections, missing details, connections to other bands, where are they now, etc. We also need photos, scans, copies of releases or live or demo recordings, and any other memorabilia gathering dust in the attic. If you can help, then please get in touch.