Enjoy what promises to be one of the best concerts in the county as
the Riverbank Arts Centre plays host to one of Ireland's legendary
Musicians and Actors, Don Baker , the man Bono named "the
greatest harmonica player in the world". Don's stunning harmonica
performances and blistering finger style guitar mesmerize audiences.
Don has seven albums under his belt and is now working on his eighth,
so there is no shortage of original material.
Don Baker was born in Whitehall, Dublin in
1950, into a dysfunctional family. Essentially abandoned and left to
fend for himself, largely due to an alcoholic father, the desperate
conditions of his early childhood resulted in TB and hospitalisation
at age seven. Whilst in hospital Don came upon a harmonica player
and was quickly charmed by the instrument.
Frequently in trouble with the police, Baker was in and out of prison
until the age of 19. While in prison, he took up the guitar and according
to himself "never looked back". Leaving Ireland, aged
22, he spent ten years travelling across Europe, playing all the while.
Baker has since built a wide reputation as a harmonica player. Mark
Feltham (who has played with Oasis, Joe Cocker and Rory
Gallagher ) rates him as the greatest acoustic harmonica
player in the world. A fine guitar player, Don learned blues guitar
by listening to the great country blues players - Mississippi
John Hurt, Blind Blake, Robert Johnson, and Scrapper Blackwell.
Internationally known for his major role as Joe McAndrew in
the acclaimed film 'In The Name of The Father' starring
alongside Daniel Day Lewis . Don also recently traded
his harmonica for a role as a hard man in RTE's long running and popular
soap FAIR CITY .
For further information, please contact Gráinne Dunne on (045)
448314/5 or by e-mail at artscentre@riverbank.ie
