Kevin
Kevin Roach, originally from Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Canada began playing guitar in his teens. Since then he has taken on any number of string-instruments, becoming an accomplished fiddler, mandolin and Irish-style tenor banjo player. He plays regularly in the best Irish pubs in Maritime Canada - a hotbed for Celtic music of all stripes - and is always ready for a ceilidh or kitchen party.
Kevin has played concerts and folk festivals in Canada and the US with a number of acts, including Irish traditional bands Barley Bree and Tailor's Twist, Irish fiddler PV O'Donnell, noted Cape Breton fiddler Dwayne Coté, harmonica player James Thurgood, and singer Jimmy Sweeney. Kevin's recently released solo CD, The Downpour, features both traditional Celtic and newly composed tunes on guitar, tenor banjo, mandolin and bouzouki. In 2007, The Downpour was nominated for an East Coast Music Award in the Instrumental Recording category.
Recent Performances
In January 2008 Kevin was warming the mid-winter as part of An Cumann's (the Irish Association of Nova Scotia), winter concert series, "To Drive the Cold Winter Away." Kevin, with some featured guests, presented guitar, mandolin and fiddle pieces from his CD The Downpour. He appeared with singer Jimmy Sweeney from County Tyrone, Ireland, who grew up in the famous singing family of Sarah and Tommy Makem.
Kevin is found on the Tall Ship Silva each summer, playing for harbour cruises of Halifax Harbour. Guests from those huge cruise ships enjoy beautiful scenery and traditional music on a human-sized ship.
Kevin's new band, Ceilimor, is Jane Lombard (bouzouki and accordian), Glenn Coolen (pipes and whistles) and Lisa Colton (vocals). They played at Bedford's beautiful oceanside DeWolf Park on July 1 as part of the Halifax Regional Municipality's Canada Day celebrations. This evening event was also part of the week-long Bedford Days.
In June 2007, Kevin and Jane played a benefit gig for Jack McNeil, along with John Ferguson and Donny Moore of McGinty, Jimmy Sweeney and the Barra MacNeils. A good time was had by all, and Jack is doing well.
Sugar Moon Maple Farm in Earltown, Nova Scotia (near Truro), the Award-Winning Year-Round Maple Syrup Farm and Dining Experience, become an Economuseum in May 2007. To mark the occasion, they invited some regular customers who happen to be awesome Celtic musicians to help them celebrate. And who might they be? Why, our very own Kevin with Jane Lombard and Glenn Coolen.
Kevin had a great time in March at the Mersey House in Liverpool, a new venue promoting Nova Scotia musicians.
Kevin was busy on St. Patrick's Day, of course.
Afternoon
Ducky's on the Waterfront
Alderney Landing, Dartmouth, NS
Evening
St. Patrick's Day Extravaganza!
Old Triangle Pub, Halifax, NS with Jimmy Sweeney and The Gig Dogs
The music continued into the wee hours!
Halifax Hooley, World Trade and Convention Centre, Halifax
Kevin and the Halifax Hooley Band, with the heart-melting vocals of Lisa Colton.
A fund-raiser for Prostate Cancer Research
Kevin was Bev Lamb's guest on Touchstone at CKDU on January 27, 2007. Two hours of folk music!
An Cumann, the Irish Association of Nova Scotia, held a concert series this winter entitled "To Drive the Cold Winter Away." All performances were in the lovely Music Room on Lady Hammond Road. On January 11, Kevin played with Irish Studies prof Joe Murphy and Jimmy Sweeney, the Old Triangle's most popular singer. Joe and Jimmy know every Irish ballad written and Kevin plays most everything with strings. Poetry recitations in Irish accents rounded out the evening. The audience responded with a standing ovation, and calls to cut a new CD!