To be regarded as 'a truly great traditional accordion player of individual style, grace and spirit', in a country which boasts of an excess of truly great and highly rated traditional musicians, is an accolade not to be taken lightly. Josephine Marsh is one such musician.

In the wake of her eponymously titled debut album in '96, which received excellent reviews in such music magazines and national papers as 'Hot Press', 'The Irish Times', 'The Irish Echo'(N.York),'Folk Roots' (U.K.), 'Rock 'n' Reel' (Scotland), 'The Irish Music Magazine', 'The Irish Voice' (N.York), 'Dirty Linen' (U.S.A.), etc. Josephine's reputation as an accordion player has carried her, and her band to perform at gigs and festivals in Europe, Australia, and the USA: where they played at the San Francisco Celtic Music Festival.

On St. Patrick's Day 1999 she, along with her brother Pat and singer Niamh Parsons, played for President Bill Clinton, Bertie Ahearn and many other dignitaries at Capitol Hill.

In 1997 her music was featured in a National Geographic film on the Famine. Josephine was also voted 'Best Rookie of the Year' and also was one of the runners up for 'Best Female Traditional Performer' by the Irish Music Magazine.

With her four-piece band, which includes the virtuoso mandolin/bouzouki player Declan Corey, Paul O Driscoll on double bass, and the latest addition to the group, guitarist/singer Tommy Carew, Josephine has successfully integrated her individual style and sound to an equally individual group sound and style.
PJ Curtis, record producer/author and RTE 1, Lyric FM radio presenter has this to say of her band:
" Over the last two years Josephine Marsh and her band have established themselves as one of the most exciting traditional ensembles around. As a performing unit they play Irish traditional music with great passion, purity of style and stunning virtuosity. As far as I'm concerned this truly a band with future with and it's only a matter of time before their praises will be sung wherever good traditional, world or acoustic music is played and appreciated."

PJ Curtis Josephine's solo album has also been re-released world-wide in March 2000 and appears under the Tara Music Label. This label is also responsible for such artists as Davy Spillane, Christy Moore, Clannad, Stockton's Wing and Liam O Flynn, etc.

This is both group and individual traditional music delivered at its' very best; spirited, melodic, dynamic. A group to watch and listen to!

Recordings

To date Josephine has been involved in a number of recordings. These include the following:

TO MEET A FRIEND - (1990) Josephine Marsh/Cyril O Donoghue (accordion/bouzouki and vocals) - own label.
Produced by Josephine Marsh/Cyril O Donoghue

THE HUMOURS OF CLARE - (1990) various artists, i.e.; Sean Tyrrell, Martin Hayes, etc, on the Clare FM label
Produced by Aine Hennessey

THE SANCTUARY SESSIUNS - (1994) various artists, i.e.; Sean Tyrrell, Kevin Crawford, Shannon Family, etc, - Sanctuary Sessiuns label.
Produced by PJ Curtis

A DREAM UNFOLDS - (1997) Kate Purcell's solo CD on Dream Records (DRCD 003)
Produced by PJ Curtis

LIVE IN PEPPERS - (1998) various artists, i.e.; Martin O Connor, Tommy Peoples, etc, - Coolin Bridge label.
Produced by Tommy Hayes

THE DIMMING OF THE DAY - (1998) Gerry Lynch (vocals)-DolphinRecords(TOLCD9).
Produced by PJ Curtis.

THE ORCHARD - (1998) Sean Tyrrell (vocals) - Longwalk Records (LMCD 002)
Produced by Sean Tyrrell/Davy Spillane.

PIECES OF THE PAST - (1999)Tim Flannery (vocals) - WhaleboneRecords(WBCD0010)
Produced by Matt Manning/PJ Curtis
Features: Jackson Browne and Bruce Hornsby

WOODEN HORSES - (2000) Mick Hanly on his solo album which was released early in March 2000 on his own label - (Doghouse) CD DHCD2.
Produced by PJ Curtis

BLACKBIRDS AND THRUSHES - (1999) Niamh Parsons first solo album on the Green Linnet Label (GLCD 1197)

IN MY PRIME - (2000) Niamh Parsons second solo album on the Green Linnet Label (GLCD 1203)

THE GREEN MOUNTAIN - (2000) Pat O Connor (fiddle) on the Clachan Music Label

BEHIND THE MIST - (2000) A compliation album featuring Davy Spillane, Sharon Shannon, Sean Tyrrell, etc. Produced by PJ Curtis. (CONCD001)

MEDIA

On New Years day 2001 Josephine, together with Declan Corey, Tommy Carew (from her band), Siobhan Peoples, Jim Kerrigan and John Moloney played live on the BBC world service. She has appeared on several television programmes in recent years. These include:

SULT - a Hummingbird Production for both RTE 1 and Teilifis na Gaeilge, presented by Donal Lunny.

NATIONWIDE - an RTE 1 production which also featured the music of the group De Dannan.

GANTRY - 1998 and Christmas 2000, shown on Teilifis na Gaeilge and RTE 1 and presented by Brendan Begley.

SIBIN - also a Teilifis na Gaeilge production that featured the whole band.

THE PAT KENNY SHOW - shown on RTE 1, featuring the singer/songwriter, Kate Purcell.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC has included 'The Shepherd' from the Josephine Marsh album, in a film based on the Great Famine in Ireland, narrated by Gabriel Byrne. This film also included music from The Chieftans and Zan McCloud.

RADIO AIRPLAY

Josephine's music has/is featured on a regular basis on local, national, and international radio stations such as Clare FM, RTE 1/RTE2, BBC World Service,(both the album and live on New Years day), etc. Airplay has also included live interviews on Sydney radio; Australia, Breton Radio, France, the Kathleen Biggins celtic radio show in New York, live on 'Folkscene' KPFK radio - Los Angeles, and in February 2000 recorded for the Garrison Keillor programme, 'A Prairie Home Companion' recorded live at the University Concert Hall, Limerick. This programme was aired on RTE 1 radio and Lyric FM in May of this year and has been aired nation-wide in the US in October 2000.

CD REVIEWS AND OTHERS

Some CD reviewers have said:

'Compares with the best work of more publicly renowned names' - Bill Graham, Hot Press

'A player of outstanding ability' - Nuala O Connor, Irish Times

'A phenomenal accordion player - a mind blowing debut album' - John O Regan, Rock and Reel

'Loose, free, spiritual, simple, light, joyous, flowing' - Phil Gaston, folk Roots

'One of the most deeply satisfying instrumental album made in recent years' - Earle Hitchner, Irish Echo, New York

'Marsh has a gift for composition'. 'Every time I turn on the stereo lately, I find myself reaching for Josephine marsh's self-titled record.' - Don Meade, Irish Voice, New York

'Excellent debut album, a gentle gem, full of life and humour - Alex Monaghan, Living Tradition

'The lyric beauty she brings from the accordion is hair bristling stuff' - National Folk Festival, Geelong, Australia

'There's great respect in her music - a wonderful accordion player' - Phillip King, Hummingbird Records.