Colette O’Leary / Long Notes, The

Colette O’Leary was born in the highly musical area of Sliabh Luachra in Co. Kerry in the south west of Ireland. Her musical career began at the age of five when she took her first piano accordion lesson. By the age of eighteen, she had won two All-Ireland titles. From 1996-2002, Colette released two albums and performed worldwide with highly acclaimed all girl Irish group The Bumblebees.

Colette’s solo album release in 2002 ‘The Attic Room’ “weaves an intriguing tapestry of music from Ireland, Scotland, Italy, France and Eastern Europe, with zest, vitality and cosmopolitan taste” (The Living Tradition)

Hire Colette as :
Soloist Accordion
Duo (Accordion + guitar/vocals)
Trio (As Duo + violin)
Quartet (As Trio + bass/uilleann pipes/ceili caller if required)

Musical Repertoire

Irish:
The Irish Washerwoman
Pinch of Snuff
The Silver Spear
Mna na hEireann
Carolan’s Concerto
Magic Slipper, Johnny Leary’s Polkas
Ar Eireann Ni Nosfainn Ce Hi (Air)

Scottish:
Miss McLeod’s
Atholl Highlanders
Highland Strathspey Set
Margaret’s Waltz
Coilsfield House
Highland Laddie
Ay Fond Kiss

French:
La Mer
Under the Bridges of Paris
La Vie en Rose
The Last Time I Saw Paris
Breton Wedding March
Nurse’s Waltz
Bourre

Italian:
Carmela
Ah Mari
That’s Amore
Funiculi Funicula
Mambo Italiano
Come Prima
Carnival of Venice

Eastern European/Russian:
Tantz Tantz Yiddelekh
Macedonian Horo
Khosid Wedding Dances
Bandura Waltz
Shifting Sands
Kozachok
Moscow Nights

Argentinian:
Libertango
Winter in Buenos Aires (Invierno Porteno)

World/General/Film:
Tune for a Found Harmonium
Can-Can
The Godfather Waltz
El Mercado Testaccio (Chile)
Goodbye Eddy Street (American)
Never Going Back Again (Fleetwood Mac)
Le Petit Cheval Rouge (French-Canadian)

“Colette is a highly respected piano accordionist and her solo album ‘The Attic Room’ combines breath-taking virtuosity with a genuine love and feeling for the music she plays” (Hot Press)

“Colette is one of the best at coaxing genuine sounds from the stomach Steinway, a sterling musician” (Irish Voice New York).

Colette’s band The Long Notes Scottish and Irish Ceilidh (Ceili) Band are England’s premier band for weddings, ceili’s, barndances, concerts, corporate events and parties. All supremely accomplished musicians with multiple All-Ireland and All-Britain titles, The Long Notes are Colette O’Leary (accordion), Jamie Smith (fiddle, caller) and Brian Kelly (banjo/mandolin).

One of the most respected bands on the circuit for the past six years, they have performed for Her Excellence President Mary McAleese and the Latvian President at Dublin Castle, Princess Anne at the Guildhalll, Irish Ambassador Mr. David Cooney at the Irish Embassy, Mayor of London, Jasper Conran, Antonio Carluccio, Thandie Newton, and Stephen Rea to name but a few. The Long Notes have also played at countless Scottish and Irish weddings and corporate events.

Their diverse repertoire ranges from enthralling reels, jigs, hornpipes and marches to meltingly beautiful airs and songs from Scotland and Ireland. In addition, they weave a rich tapestry of melodies from France, Galicia,
Italy, Canada, Cape Breton and Louisiana with style and cosmopolitan taste. In London they have performed at the Barbican, Royal Festival Hall and Return to Camden Festival to name but a few. International appearances
include L’Orient Interceltique Festival Brittany, Milwaukee Festival US. They have toured extensively throughout Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

With their driving energy and exuberance, they are guaranteed to bring any festival, concert, conference, wedding, ceili, ceilidh, barndance, event or celebration to life!

Musical Repertoire

Songs:
Flower of Scotland
Auld Lang Syne
Fields of Athenry
Galway Girl
Ring of Fire
I Walk the Line
Blackbird
Norwegian Wood
Dirty Old Town
Brown-Eyed Girl plus many more..

Ceili/Ceilidh/Barndance:
Gay Gordons
Dashing White Sargant
Circassian Circle
Siege of Ennis
Strip The Willow
Haymakers Jig
Walls of Limerick
Virginia Reel
Canadian Barndance
Waltzes

Testimonials:

“We were delighted with our choice of Colette and her band for our recent charity céilí in central London. Their energetic caller was amazing in the number of dances she knew and the ability she had to persuade the crowd to get on
their feet and dance. The music was exactly what we were looking for, the musicians very accomplished and always ready to take suggestions, and they played a mix of old favourites and some new dances to ensure that novices and experienced céilí goers had great fun. We will certainly be contacting them next time around! Thanks” Judith Ni Bhreaslain

“Thank you thank you for playing at our wedding! We had a truly fabulous evening, the music was excellent, the atmosphere was high and the dance floor was packed all night. Everyone commented on what talented musicians Colette’s band were and the whole ambience of the evening including the sensitivity of the caller, helped our two families get to know each other. Thanks again.” Bríd Scanlon

“Thank you so much for playing the Three Crowns, the evening was enjoyed tremendously by both customers and staff alike and the feed back was amazing about the event. Its a rarity to see such passion for the music and such pure talent outside of Ireland. A truly captivating experience. Go raibh mile maith agat.” Neala Marie McPhail

TV Appearances:

UTV : Kelly Show
RTE : Late Late Show, Mary Kennedy Show
TG4 : Sult with Donal Lunny
TG4 : Ionad Cois Locha

Discography:

Bumblebees (Bumblebees)
Buzzin’ (Bumblebees)
The Attic Room (Solo Colette O’Leary)
The Long Notes (debut album The Long Notes)
Freezing Summer (Maire Breatnach)
Seven (Wolfstone)