With a poet’s heart and a rockster’s soul, Luka Bloom is regarded as one of Ireland’s most respected contemporary folk artists. A master interpreter, Bloom has continued to balance original songs with reinventions of tunes by a diverse range of songwriters. On Head and Heart, Bloom continues to shake up the folk genre with clever new arrangements and reinterpretations of 10 well known classics alongside a pair of self-penned gems, accompanied by a Jazz trio.

“Yes I still buy records, and I still love to make them. This little body of work represents a painless process. Completely out of my comfort zone, in a studio never used before; singing with musicians I had never met before; and performing without rehearsal. Six of the 12 tracks here are with The Phil Ware Trio. Singing with them for two days was an unforgettable experience. I love everything about this record. Only two of the songs are my own. ‘Liffeyside’ is a tribute to the town of Newbridge and it’s surrounds, where i grew up. ‘Give you Wings’ is a lament to the tragic loss of life experienced by so many Belgian families when they lost their children in a bus crash in Switzerland in 2012. The rest of the songs are simply songs I loved before i ever sang them.” —Luka Bloom

“That he scales such emotional heights with just his voice, a guitar and a bagful of heartfelt songs makes Bloom’s achievements even more remarkable.” —Hot Press (Ireland)