When the Shamrocks stepped down, the duo Doyle & Andersson stepped onto the stage of Musikhuset Gävle on Friday evening. Colm Doyle, who is an Irish folk singer, and Joel Andersson, who is an award-winning harmonica player, together form this colorful duo that takes the listener back to another country and time. My expectations for this "Irish evening" were beaten by a long shot when it turned out that with a little ingenuity you get the feeling of a whole orchestra rather than two people. Joel's harmonica makes the other instruments in the room seem unnecessary, so much so that other musicians in the room began to wonder how it was possible to play both dark bass notes at the same time and such high light tones. The combo with Doyle's characteristic folk music, voice and the "one-man harmonica orchestra" (Yes, I'm making up a new word..) is fantastically enjoyable and captivating!
- Johanna Dahlin, Sweden -
I finally got a chance to hear the whole album. It's a truly wonderful project, and fully deserves the name "New Ground". I've long admired your ability to play multiple lines at once, something I can't do. This allows you to play full rhythm parts, and create a sound few would consider, a fine singer backed by just a harmonica. In your hands the harmonica sounds like three instruments at once, the combination with vocals works really well. A key feature is that your instruments are tuned superbly. No surprise, given your background. However this tuning precision makes your octaves and chords truly sing. Well done, I hope you have success with this project. Perhaps Hohner might help you get to SPAH? Your skills would be warmly welcomed there.
”The longer you've played the harmonica, the more you appreciate how truly excellent Joel is..”
- Tony Eyers, Australia -
Joel Andersson is definitely one of my favorite living harmonica players! Any questions?
- Joe Filisko, USA -
Joel Andersson is a world-class harmonica player from Sweden. The delicacy in Andersson’s performance is awe-inspiring, using techniques ranging from octave playing to rhythmic accompaniment while pushing out a powerful melody line at the same time!
- Irish music magazine, Ireland -
I just received the new CD from the power duo, Doyle & Andersson, entitled, "New Ground". I highly recommend this album. Colm Doyle delivers a handful of vocal gems consisting of ballads, anti-war songs, and human tales while Joel Andersson accompanies him perfectly with a plethora of very cool and unusual harmonicas. The dynamics of these two fellas are amazing. They'll take you on a sonic rollercoaster ride, from faint whispers to mischievous roars. Colm is a fine singer and does some very nice lilting, along with some beautiful, tight vocal harmonies. Joel Andersson is a scary, harmonica monster. He is a master of the tongue-blocking embouchure and all the tricks one can do with this technique: switching, octaving, slapping, droning. Joel often plays two melodies at once and occasionally accompanies a melody with a drone. He makes the harps sound like pipes, fiddles, and accordions. Joel is also one of the world's top harmonica customizers and he is on the Hohner team. Joel has created some very interesting instruments, including some very low harmonicas which growl like Irish banshees. The harmonica is often referred to as a "Mouth Box" due to it's similarities to the accordion. I think Joel should coin his super low harps as "Mouth Tubas"! There are some great traditional Irish polkas, jigs, and reels on this recording, and the great stringman/singer, John Doyle backs many of these tunes on guitars, bouzoukis, and mandolas. John also produced this CD.
If you like excellent singing, fun stories, and freakishly-good harmonica, get this CD. I highly recommend it.
- James Conway, USA -
A little surprise package with the first CD from Doyle & Andersson arrived before the end of this year. This is the perfect soundtrack for me to end this year in peace and gratitude. At the first HARMONICA FEN FESTIVAL last year, Colm Doyle & Joel Andersson and their beautiful music were one of the highlights. The friendship I have with Joel Andersson is profound and special to me. Working on the IRISH HARMONICA COURSE we published in 2022 allowed me to learn a lot about Irish Music and his dedicated and impressive harmonica approach. As I listen to this recording for a second time, all of these lovely memories and shared moments come to mind and I’m deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such inspiring and great artists. This CD is a must for anyone who loves harmonica and good handmade music. I´m touched and moved by it.
Congratulations DOYLE & ANDERSSON, great job!!!
- Marko Jovanovic, Germany -