Ríoghnach Connolly & Honeyfeet
Sunday 21st August 2022
Still residing as BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year, Ríoghnach Connolly’s taste for musical adventure is eclectic. Along with her companion players, as Honeyfeet, they collectively drive a broad terrain of musical textures from esoteric protest songs to foot tapping, and floor thumping, dance rhythms.
Ríoghnach (pronounced ree-ogh-nah), and the Honeyfeet ensemble are equally proficient in headlining festival stages as they are in stripping back to sublime obscure jazz on theatre stages.
Deadpan wit courses through Connolly’s veins. Known for her broad smiling on-stage banter, she often describes the delight of her multi-cultural voyage of discovery while pushing aside life’s banality in favour mischievous energy and creative joy.
Traditional and folk are fundamental in Connolly’s musical cannon, coming from a long line of singers on both sides of her family, she channels the music of her grandparents and can draw from a breadth of styles and folk traditions across the world. In her voice you can hear equal parts Sean-nós Caoineamh, west African griot ululation and American deep-south resonance.
Alongside Ríoghnach the Honeyfeet line up is; Lorien Garth Edwards, bass; Ellis Davies, guitar; John Ellis, keyboards; Biff Roxby, brass; and Phil Howley, drums.
During lockdown, the band invested their time in recording a new album. Stretching further than before into string arrangements, greater dynamics and implementing sparse introductions to Ríoghnach’s vocal stream. Where her poetic consciousness, gives rise to honest, personal, heartfelt lyrics.
Which obviously means.. a new Honeyfeet album is on the way. A single in late June is followed by the new album in August 2022
Honeyfeet’s previous album, Orange Whip, came out on Wah Wah 45s in March 2018 and was BBC 6 Music’s Album of the Day in April 2018.
“Brilliant Band” — Craig Charles, BBC 6 Music
“A righteous blast of working class energy” — ClashMusic.com
