Joe Burke (accordionist)

Joe Burke (born 1939) is an Irish button accordion player.

Burke was born in Kilnadeema, south of Loughrea in County Galway. He began playing at age four, and in the 1950s bought an accordion in Waltons of Dublin for £5, which he still owns. He won the All-Ireland Senior Accordion Championship in Thurles in 1959 and again in 1960 in Boyle.

In 1955 he joined the Leitrim Ceile Band, which included players such as Ned Coleman, Oliver Roland, Sean McGlynn, Paddy Doorley, Jack Derven, and Mick Darcy. Later the band was joined by the flute player Paddy Carty.

Burke continues to perform, and to influence accordion music, as one of Ireland's top accordion players. He joined Cajun player Marc Savoy and jazz accordionist Art Van Damme, while representing Ireland at the 1989 and 1992 International Accordion Festivals, in Montmagny, Quebec.

Discography

Solo albums

• Joe Burke (1973). Outlet SOLP 1015, reissued as Outlet PTICD 1015.
• The Tailor's Choice (1983)
• Happy To Meet Sorry To Part (1986)
• Pure Irish Traditional Music On The Accordion (1997)
• The Morning Mist (1999)

Collaboration - Sean McGuire and Joe Burke

• Two Champions (1971)

Collaboration - Joe Burke and Charlie Lennon

• Traditional Music of Ireland (1973).
• The Bucks of Oranmore (1996).
• The Morning Mist (2002)
• Two Classic Albums (2 CDs). (a reissue of The Bucks of Oranmore plus The Traditional Music of Ireland)

Collaboration - Joe Burke, Andy McGann and Felix Dolan

• A Tribute to Michael Coleman (1966)
• The Funny Reel. Traditional Music Of Ireland (1979)

Collaboration - Joe Burke, Brian Conway, and Charlie Lennon

• A Tribute to Andy McGann (2007)

External links

• Official website
• Biography of Joe Burke, Irish accordion player
• http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p766