Trad@Lunch with North Atlantic Drift

The North Atlantic Drift. A natural, unifying force connecting Scotland, Ireland and the Canadian east coast, bringing people and traditions together. The band rides this current, and we let the traditions smash together like the waves. The lilt from Sligo, the snap from Cape Breton, and the skirl of the pipes are our elements. Sometimes it’s calm, a lot of the time it’s pretty stormy!

Brian Taheny left Sligo, Ireland, in 1988, but his accent never left him. He brings 5 instruments and the craic! A fiddler like his father, virtuosic banjo and mandolin and a wild man on the guitar or bazouki. The veteran of the group, a Toronto refugee for over 30 years, Brian has played on stages all over this country and many more, a Juno award under his belt and many records to his name.

Dan MacDonald and Brian go back a long way. Both sons of fiddle players, they’ve been playing together for almost 20 years. After growing up in Cape Breton playing Scottish/CB music in the family’s band, Scumalash and a brief stint (10 years) as a drummer in 7 cities, Dan lands in Toronto with the Irish (Brian), where the fiddle comes roaring back. The result is Scottish/Cape Breton music with an Irish accent, Irish music with a thick Cape Breton accent and a drummer’s groove.

Ross Griffiths, the Bilingual piper, arrived in Toronto, and everything got turned up a notch. Ross and Dan connected immediately with the shared experience of Scottish music, Ross being a former member of the Peel Police Pipe band since childhood, and eventually moving onto Uillean pipes. Ross, like Brian, is a musical veteran as well, playing with the likes of Paul McCartney and Glass Tiger.

North Atlantic Drift will bring you an authentic, immersive experience. Reliving a story as authentic as the music, reflecting inspiration and delivering discovery. Big stages such as Roy Thomson here in Toronto and small rooms such as Colfers Bar in Wexford, Ireland, we can bring it! Amplified or acoustic, we can bring it! Three people, three traditions, 10 instruments, thousands of tunes and loads of CRAIC!

The North Atlantic Drift, a natural, unifying force connecting Scotland, Ireland and the Canadian east coast, bringing people and traditions together. The band rides this current and lets the traditions smash together like the waves. The lilt from Sligo, the snap from Cape Breton and the skirl of the pipes. Featuring, Brian Taheny, Dan MacDonald and Ross Griffiths.