Discography
Keeper Of The Flame - 2000
Review
Luka Bloom has the gift of song. He can dig out the heart of a piece with nothing more than his voice and acoustic guitar and reveal the song underneath U2's "Bad", the Cure's "In Between Days" or even Abba's "Dancing Queen".
This Irish folksinger turns in an absolutely gorgeous outing on his sixth album, starting with the best version yet of Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love" and ranging through material by Radiohead, Joni Mitchell and Bob Marley. It's all uniquely transformed by Bloom's extraordinary abilities.
The San Francisco Chronicle.
A Letter from Luka
Ever since I recorded LL Cool J's "I Need Love", fans have been asking for an album of covers. I had never really been drawn to the idea until last year. To mark the new millennium, I decided to go back to "song school", as it were, and study the work of artists and writers I admired. Rather than simply create a collection of my own favorite songs, I wanted to investigate worlds other than my own.
It's been quite a little adventure - trying to find great songs in different styles, trying to learn them, and trying to bring something of myself to the songs. After all, I had to end up with a Luka Bloom record. I had already been playing "Keeper of the Flame" which I knew from Nina Simone's recording and I had learned Bob Marley's "Natural Mystic". But as a performer the rest of the songs on this disc were all new to me. I was pleasantly surprised at how easily I connected with Cure songs, Radiohead songs... On the other hand, I was disappointed I couldn't seem to find a Van Morrison song that suited me.
In making this CD, I have once more found new areas to explore, and it made me realize yet again that the only barriers in music exist in our minds. I truly never imagined I would one day record an ABBA song; now I love to perform it...
Musicians
Luka Bloom - Vocals, Guitars, Mandola
Nollaig Casey - Fiddle
Mairtin O'Connor - Accordions
Trevor Hutchison - Double Bass
Conor Byrne - Flute on Dancing Queen
Meabh O'Hare - Viola on Dancing Queen
Christy Moore - Bodhran on Dancing Queen
Produced by Luka Bloom and Brian Masterson
Recorded in Windmill Lane Studio, Dublin
Giorgia Bertazzi - Photography
