Diverse backgrounds give a unique sound to new musical trio

Anna Falkenau, Ivan J Murray and Lena Ullman will play The Crane Bar on Saturday, June 19 as part of the Galway Session series, which runs from June 13 to 21. This year’s impressive line-up also features shows by the Máimín Cajun Band, Zoe Conway and Gráda.  

Anna, Ivan and Lena only became a trio this year, although Anna and Ivan been were performing as a fiddle and guitar duo before that, and Anna had also been playing sessions with five-string banjo player Lena. As a trio, they play a mixture of trad and old-time music, as well pieces written by Anna and Ivan, and they showcased their material in Dublin earlier this year when they were offered a slot at the Temple Bar Tradfest.

“It went quite well; it was a half-hour set and then The Crane gig came up for the Galway Sessions,” says Ivan. “We’ve been rehearsing very hard.”

This new venture brings together three people with interesting, diverse backgrounds. In the late 1970s, Lena toured throughout Europe with the old-time string band The Higglers; Anna studied music in Cork and Connecticut; and Ivan has fronted punk rock band The Scars and electronica outfit XKlima.

Hailing from Wexford, Ivan grew up listening to traditional music – his father was a well-regarded local singer. After a few years spent playing more experimental music, how is he finding this return to his roots?

“I love it,” he says. “It’s kind of going back to where I came from really. It’s really nice to have the opportunity to play with people like Anna and Lena, who, musically, are very together and educated. And I’m not, y’know – they’re whipping me into shape!”

Last year, Ivan and Anna went to Leipzig (Anna’s hometown) to record some of their music. The resulting album, The Leipzig Sessions, will be released later this year.

“We had four days to record it,” recalls Ivan. “The timeframe was pretty intense. A month later we had two days to mix it; but it came out really well. It’s a really nice feel to it and sound.”

The Leipzig Sessions was recorded in Echolux Studios, which is run by Anna’s brother.

“They’ve a really nice set-up, there’s some lovely mics, old Neumans,” says Anna. “And it’s very cheap compared to Ireland.”

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.