Joe Burke (accordionist)

Joe Burke (born 1939) is a noted Irish accordion player.

Joe Burke was born in Kilnadeema, south of Loughrea in Co Galway. He reportedly began playing at age four. In the fifties he bought an accordion in Waltons of Dublin for £5. He still owns it. He won the All-Ireland Senior Accordion Championship in Thurles in 1959 and again in 1960 in Boyle.^[1]

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 legendary flute player Paddy Carty.

Burke continues to perform, and to influence accordion music, as one of Ireland's top accordion players. For example, 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.

A Manchester Frank Sinatra-soundalike singer also called "Joe Burke" is frequently confused with the accordion player, particularly on websites sellings CDs.

Discography

Solo albums.

Joe Burke (1973). Outlet SOLP 1015, reissued as Outlet PTICD 1015.^[2]^[3]
The Tailor's Choice (1983). See scholarly edition of album contents.
Happy To Meet Sorry To Part (1986). scholarly edition of album contents.
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). See scholarly edition of album contents.
The Bucks of Oranmore (1996). See scholarly edition of album contents.
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.