In 1972 Barry Moore wrote a song called ‘Wave Up To The Shore’. Not his first song, but it had something. A dynamic Irish singer/songwriter whose music is defined by passion, lyricism, and a respect for tradition coupled with a willingness to defy expectations, was already a seasoned veteran of the folk scenes in Europe and the British Isles when he reinvented himself as Luka Bloom in 1987.
As a solo acoustic act with a big voice and intense guitar style he managed to channel the energy and power of rock into albums like The Acoustic Motorbike (1992), Turf (1994) and Between the Mountain and the Moon (2002), rising to international acclaim and becoming one of Ireland’s best-respected contemporary folk artists.
Prolific in the studio and even more so on the stage, Bloom’s career became that of the seemingly tireless D.I.Y. troubadour whose unpredictable varied musical repertoire has included eclectic cover albums, socio-political anthems, world music fusions, and heartfelt organic folk. After starting his own label, he maintained a steady stream of studio and live albums like The Man Is Alive (2008) and 2014’s jazz-folk standout Head & Heart, and also published the memoir Homeplace. Amid his varied catalogue are also a number of interesting diversions including a 2018 guided meditation album.