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nomos

Cork-based Nomos has made a name for itself as one of the more innovative and fiery Irish traditional bands. The group formed in 1990 and consists of Niall Vallely on concertina, Vince Milne on fiddle, Frank Torpey on bodhran, Gerry McKee on bouzouki, and Eoin Coughlan on vocals and bass. Originally the group included Liz Doherty on fiddle and John Spillane on vocals and guitar. Doherty and Spillane formed Nomos with Vallely, Torpey, and McKee at University College Cork. The band followed a musical path begun by artists such as the Chieftains, Clannad, Planxty, Altan, Natalie McMaster, and Eileen Ivers. The group's fiery sound centers on Vallely's innovative and dynamic concertina playing and Milne's flashy fiddling. Milne's contributions display both his West Cork heritage and his affinity for bluegrass. Vallely, of Armagh, also composes and plays the low whistle. The rhythm contributions of Coughlan have been compared to Planxty and the Bothy Band, and the bassist/vocalist also writes some of the group's songs. Torpey hails from Wexford, while McKee was born in Lisburn. ~ Linda Seida, Rovi

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