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Photo by Robert Wade 2004

About Dan Carollo:

Dan is a acoustic finger style guitarist who performs a blend of contemporary and traditional Irish/American tunes (primarily in DADGAD tuning). 

Bill Fisher of Victory Music Review writes: "Carollo is a wonderful guitarist whose style incorporates the techniques developed by many of today's finest folk and new age players while at the same time hewing to traditional fingerpicking and Celtic and American sources."

In 2004, Dan was selected "Northwest Folk Artist of the Month" on KBCS 91.3.

His music was also selected along with several other local artists to debut the City of Seattle's "On Call" music program in 2006, which features the music of local Northwest artists. Dan performs annually at the Northwest Folklife Festival.

Music from his second CD release, "Miles From Dublin", as well as some original scoring was included an independent film "The Dark Horse" by Seattle film directory Cornelia Duryée Moore. (see www.thedarkhorsemovie.com)

Dan's recent release of "Miles from Dublin" was recently added to the Irish Traditional Music Archive in Dublin, Ireland and listed in the January/February 2007 issue of "The Journal of Music in Ireland".

He has performed or recorded with numerous musicians, including uilleann piper Eliot Grasso, fiddle player Randal Bays, button accordion player Daniel Possumato, Suzanne Taylor (of An Tua), Michael Connolly of Captain Gravel, Covenant worship pastor and fiddle player Ted Yuen. Singer and folklorist Stewart Hendrickson, Lost in the Fog fiddle player Brad Hull, multi-instrumentalist Mary Grider, and others.

Dan currently lives in Bray, County Wickow (Ireland) after moving from Seattle, Washington (U.S.) in late 2007.

About CeltoGrass:

CeltoGrass is the name of the independent record label founded by guitarist Dan Carollo in 2003. The name also conceptualizes the influence of both traditional Irish and American music (see below).

Take a shot of espresso, a pint of Guinness, old-time religion, a slab of peat, a bag of grass clippings and you have something resembling "CeltoGrass".

(Click here to see list of previous gigs...)

The name draws it's inspiration from the musical traditions of both Ireland and America -- and one cannot read American history without seeing the profound contribution of the Irish, as well as the influence of America on Ireland.

One Irish historian notes "Emigration is a mirror in which Ireland sees itself reflected."  

Irish music rooted itself in American during the first wave of Irish immigration in the 17th and early 18th century. Some 100,000 or more came (mostly Protestant) to America during this time. Traditional ballads found their way into the Appalachian Mountains, forming a style that became the roots of country, bluegrass and even rock. 

The next great wave of Irish immigration came during the potato famine of 1845-49.  Many of the songs from this time reflect a mixture of hope, tragedy, loss and a deep longing for the homeland of Ireland. 

It is not much of an overstatement to say it was the Irish who built America as we know it. From the Brooklyn Bridge, to the Transcontinental Railroad, and even the Statue of Liberty -- the great symbols of modern America were made largely by Irish-Americans.

About 200,000 or so Irish fought in the American Civil War.  One tune that especially defines the Irish/American affinity is "Pat Murphy of the Irish Brigade"...

"How boldly those brave Irish volunteers fought, In defense of the flag of the Union. And if ever old Ireland assistance does need, Her cause we'd be heeding quite gaily. And the Stars and the Strips will be seen along side of the old flag of the Land of Shillelagh."

America has also been a sounding board to Irish music, seeing it's own contribution to the musical tradition with the introduction of the banjo (originally an African instrument) and guitar. 

American folk artists such as Pete Seeger and the Weavers had a large influence on Irish folk music, as reflected in the sounds of Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers.

Today, some of the finest musicians in the Irish tradition -- Ileen Ivers, Liz Caroll and Natalie MacMaster -- have their roots in North America.

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