Comas

"Since March 2003 Comas have been together as a band, before that, they toured individually in top acts as The Drovers, Orion, Gwazigan Urbantrad, Denez Prigent, and the internationally acclaimed Liz Carroll...to name just a few...

Although coming from diverse musical backgrounds, and residing in different parts of the globe, they found eachother in their similiar approach to music, bringing together their many cultural influences to forge a unique blend of Traditional Irish music that literally had them, within months of coming together, playing on Major Festivals in Ireland/ Belgium/France/ England/ Denmark/ Holland. This achivement alone is worthy of note, and as further testimony to their deep rooted talents, being asked back immediately on every Festival they played on..."before we even had time to put our instruments away" as Philip, aptly put it. 

By the end of 2003 Comas had built up a sizable repution to be hailed in the press as: "The Revelation Of 2003" (S.Vandenberghe-NVFOLK) and as: "The best traditional band around"(Folkspot).

When you hear Comas you'll know that their choice of name was no mere coincidence. (Translating from Irish/ Gaelic as POWER) And power is exactly what this band is about. Depicting their own driving power coupled with a fine sensitivity for the inner strands of magic that is inherent in Irish music.
Here, their Fiddle player, Aidan Burke comes into his own, delving deep into his Irish roots to pluck out a pure sound that transcends time and place guaranteed to touch any lover of Celtic music. Aidan's dexterity is evenly matched by the awesome talents of Sylvain Barou (flutes, pipes), Philip Masure (Guitar) and Jackie Moran (percussion) "Comas plays enormously fast but with a lot of feelings"(S.feys-folkroddels)

Comas are a band firmly rooted in Irish music, but with enough space to allow in original compositions.Open to new influences, but with a respectful eye on the past is what brings Comas to the fore-front of what traditional music is about today." (Text by the Irish writer/singer Tom Acton)

Comas Are:

Aidan Burke (Ireland): fiddle

Born of Sligo and Tipperary parents Aidan was brought up in the Irish culture of music song and dance, playing and dancing at an early age - the drums at 2years, dancing at 5 years. Having Kevin Burke, (fiddle player in The Bothy Band, Patrick Street and Open House.) as a first cousin, he was destined to play the fiddle and started at 8 years. Aidan has been playing music for 31 years, mainly the fiddle, drums and bodhrán, but he also plays guitar, mandolin, banjo and a whole host of percussion instruments. Aidan has won twenty 1st place titles and as many 2nd and 3rds on his main instruments between The Fleadh Cheoil na Breataine and Fleadh na hEireann.

He has performed and recorded with a wide variety of musicians including Poormouth wirh Jack E McCauley (Van Morrisons Guitarist), Clive Bunker (ex drummer with Jethro Tull), The Drovers, The Tide, and supported bands such as Stockton's Wing, Ron Kavenna, Gwerz, The Chieftains and The Wolfe Tones, he also found time to play the lead fiddle in 'Leprechauns' starring Whoppi Goldberg. Aidan has held workshops on the fiddle and Bodhrán in Ireland, Britain, America and Asia and adjudicated at Fleadhs all over London. He played in Hong Kong for 4 months bringing the Irish culture to Asia and played live on the radio for over 1,000,000 listeners.

Philip Masure (Belgium): guitar, cittern, bouzouki, vocals

Although Philip plays a number of instruments, he is mostly known as a guitar player. He has specialized in open-tuning (DADGAD) and has played with a number of well-known bands including Orion, Laïs, Carlene Anglim (winner of the BBC2 Young Tradition Award), Mugar, Ambrozijn, the VRT-orchestra, the Liverpool based band Garva. Philip is also a member of Urban Trad (who came in 2nd in the Eurovision in 2003) and performs with his own band Floestrio with David Munnelly (ex De Dannan) and Helen Flaherty (ex Shantalla), and has a duo with Guido Piccard. (Flemish folk), a

He is also in great demand as a guitar teacher and gives workshops all over Europe. Philip also does a lot of studio work and is often hired as a producer for other musician’s projects because of his keen ear and feel for the music.

Jackie Moran (USA): bodhran, percussion, vocals

The foundation of Irish traditional music is the pulse of its drum, the Bodhrán. And no other percussionist tills that ground better than Jackie Moran. Born in Tipperary, the son of an accordion player, ten-year-old Jackie and his family emmigrated to Chicago where he quickly began drumming with the best players in the Irish music scene. The young boy became the man who is preeminent in Chicago Irish music. No less than famed fiddler, Liz Carroll says that’s true. “I just think he's the best of the best in our area of the country - and all over. I don't want to give him a swelled head but he's a really terrific drummer.”

A founding and driving force of such influential bands as The Drovers, Wilding, Bua, and Tantrum, Jackie is a fixture in the studio and in concert settings, sympathetically accompanying such great artists as Kevin Burke, Dennis Cahill, Liz Carroll, John Doyle, Maurice Lennon, Martin Hayes, Paddy Keenan, Philip Masure, David Munnelly, Daithi Rua, and Jimmy Keane. Jackie’s talents have also led him to appear on stage with “Riverdance,” and to help form and perform with the Trinity Irish Dance Company. And when Hollywood needs a musician to play the part, and look it as well, you’ll see Jackie. “Backdraft” (1991), “Blink” (1993), “Traveler” (1997) and “The Road to Perdition” (2002) all saw fit to feature Jackie and his Bodhrán. Most recently, Jackie has been a member of Ensemble Galilei, which specializes in Celtic traditional music, early music, and original music. In addition to their recordings, the group tours extensively with a multi-media show, which often features Neal Conan of NPR’s “Talk of the Nation.”

Isaac Alderson (USA): flutes and uillean pipes

Isaac began playing Irish music while growing up in his native Chicago. Having studied with some of the greatest names in traditional music on both sides of the Atlantic, he has quickly become known as a skilled performer and teacher in his own right. He has played with such noted musicians as Dennis Cahill, Kieran O'Hare, John Whelan, Benedict Koehler, Brendan Bulger, Jerry O'Sullivan, and the Cygnus Ensemble.

At the 2002 Fleadh Cheoil in Listowel, Isaac was named the All-Ireland Senior Champion on no less than three instruments (uilleann pipes, flute, and whistle). He is the first American ever to win such"hat trick" victory, and he is also the first American to win either competitions for the flute and pipes, and the first since Joanie Madden to win on the tin whistle. Isaac now resides in New York City and is the newest member of Comas