Hup!

My journey in Irish music began when I was 8 years old and has taken me on quite an adventure. I have been privileged to study with many fine traditional Irish mentors, including Rose Flanagan, Brian Conway, Monsignor Charlie Coen and Mike McHale. I have learned a great deal and have been honored to win the All-Ireland solo fiddle competition in three different age groups. It is with great pleasure and excitement that I have put together this compilation of tunes, and decided to release my first solo album. During a couple of summer days in the Catskills, I recorded this album with the help of Brendan Dolan and Josh Dukes. At age 19, this is an attempt to put my stamp on traditional Irish music. I hope you enjoy it. - Dylan Anyone listening to Dylan Foley's new recording will agree with me that the next generation of traditional Irish music is in great hands. My first memories of Dylan were as a precocious 8-year-old student of my sister Rose Flanagan and I feel very fortunate to have played a role in his development as a fiddle player. Dylan's intense love of the fiddle and his amazing talent were present at the outset and those qualities are fully on display in this album. In this wonderful recording he demonstrates that it is possible to be faithful to his musical roots, which can be traced back to Michael Coleman and Andy McGann, while being strongly individualistic. This recording cements Dylan Foley's reputation as one the finest Irish fiddlers of his generation. - Brian Conway It gives me great joy and pleasure to lend my voice to a rising young star in the field of Irish music. Knowing this totally unassuming young man, Dylan Foley, since he was seven years old, born, somewhat outside the tradition and yet becoming completely absorbed into it, I can see him becoming, if not already there, one of the all-time greats, and providing great enjoyment to many for years to come. In this CD, Hup!, starting out with two reels, Dylan lays down a marker that this is not going to be a boring adventure. The tempo, tone, power and delicacy all blend so perfectly that one has to marvel at it's brilliance. The music dances with exuberance, life and joy, and the ornamentation is pure velvet. A recording to be treasured for years to come. - Monsignor Charlie Coen.