The Black Brothers

Shay and Michael Black are part of the renowned Irish musical family The Black Family and have been performers all their lives. The brothers are now well-established locals, with Michael resident in San Francisco and Shay living in Berkeley. They continue to make good music at home and abroad, and they have just returned from Ireland, where they played sold-out venues with their talented sisters, Mary and Frances and younger brother Martin. Although the sisters will not be performing (this time) at The Freight, Shay and Michael joined their internationally famous sister Mary Black on her her second farewell tour in the US, celebrating the 30th Anniversary release of her early album “By the Time It Gets Dark”.

Their internationally famous sister Mary Black just completed her second farewell tour in the US, celebrating the 30th Anniversary release of her early album “By the Time It Gets Dark”. Their younger sister Frances Black has just completed an Irish tour, in between her duties as a Senator in the Irish Parliament, to which she was elected two years ago.

Shay and Michael are close harmony singers, with a special fondness for songs that include their audience in chorus. Their repertoire is eclectic and includes old Dublin street songs, music hall songs and historical ballads, songs from the Irish and Scottish traditions, along with songs by contemporary writers.

Their lively annual Freight performances include up-tempo reels and jigs, along with mighty fine dancing and other surprises, which bring added excitement. Each show is interspersed with stories, jokes and humorous childhood anecdotes, and audiences invariably leave their concerts smiling broadly and humming new choruses.

Joining the brothers on stage this weekend are bandmates Eamonn Flynn on piano, and fiddler Bobbi Nikles, accomplished solo musicians in their own right, adding fire to the band mix.

Dublin born Eamonn Flynn was the keyboardist on the 12 million selling movie soundtrack CD of the movie “The Commitments”, and has a new CD release called “The Irish Channel”.

El Cerrito native Bobbi Nikles was founder and director for 15 years of “Fiddlekids”, a unique fun-filled two week summer day camp devoted to traditional fiddle music, now under the auspices of Freight and Salvage.

Opening the show on this St. Patrick’s Day is Todd Denman, widely recognized as a master of the Irish uilleann pipes. A great traditional musician, inventive performer and recording artist, he has several acclaimed recordings and collaborations to his credit.

Shay and Michael grew up in Dublin, moved to England in the early 1970s, and eventually settled in California, Michael in San Francisco and Shay in Berkeley. They’ve recorded one album with their brother Martin as the Black Brothers, and three with Martin and their sisters Frances and Mary as the Black Family. Michael also has a self-titled solo album. The Irish Echo, in its review, praised Michael as “a gifted, accomplished, sensitive ballad singer with discerning taste in songs.” Shay has played and recorded with the illustrious Stan Hugill and the fabled sea shanty group Stormalong John, the Irish band Garva, the California Revels, Shira Kammen, Peter Kasin and Richard Adrianovich, Sharon Knight, and Steve Baughman. Shay also plays sea music with The Dogwatch Nautical Band and they have just released their long-awaited album “Like a Deep Sea Rover”.

Don’t miss Michael, Shay, and friends tonight at the Freight. Their joy in performing, their love of a good story, and their charm and wit make an evening spent in their company one to savor.