Dún an Doras

The band Dún an Doras was founded in 1997 by René Starhon, a multiinstrumentalist playing with skill the guitar, bouzouki, drums and percussion, who had performed in many rock bands before. The first members of the band came from many countries - the guitarist Simon Delaney, the bodhrán player Tom English and the uillean piper Scott Mavroudis were Irish, the violin player Nilla Axelson came from Sweden. Also the singer Káťa Garcia, the only one from the original musicians to remain in the group until today, was a key member from the very beginning. The original Dún an Doras soon earned the favour of Irish music lovers by their great energy and skill combined with a great deal of spontaneity on the stage. In its beginnings the band played mainly Irish instrumental tunes in the traditional style, but even then one could spot some highly original influences in the music. On the CD Bossa Nudski, recorded by these musicians, we can find outstanding compositions by the violin player Nilla Axelson or a Macedonian dance Skudrinka, and also non-traditional instruments such as the didgeridoo, played by another Irishman who cooperated with the band, Jonny Tennant.

International projects like this are not likely to last too long, and indeed, after 3 years most of the members left for various places of the world. In the meantime, however, also due to the influence of the original Dún an Doras more and more Czechs began to play Irish music, and so René and Káťa were able to invite new musicians into the band in the years 1999 and 2000: the violin player Daniel Malczyk, the guitarist Petr Košumberský and the flute player Radvan Markus. The music of the new line-up went through a rapid development (at least in the instrumental part of the repertoire)from purely traditional tunes to mostly original compositions in more elaborate arrangements. Irish folk songs in the rendering of Káťa Garcia retained their unique athmosphere while being enriched by various ideas of the new musicians. The band also did not cease to cooperate with various percussionists. For some time the djembé player Kristýna Kyndlová was a member of the band, and Jonny Tenant still played as a guest at Dún an Doras concerts during his stays in Prague. The search for a percussionist ended in autumn 2002 when an outstanding tabla, darbouka and djembé player Jakub Severin was admitted as a permanent member of the band. Towards the end of the year 2003 Dún an Doras recorded their second CD Sweet and Sour. Around the same time René Starhon left the band. The youngest member of the band since march 2004 has been the double-bass player Filip Klinecký.
In march 2005 the band is releasing their third CD Rua.