| Biography | Honor Heffernan has been performing as both a singer and actress for over 30 years now. She has been both critically and publicly acclaimed as a singer who's versatility and superior vocal ability means she is comfortable singing anything from Jazz and Blues to Rock and Folk.
Honor's career began in the early 70's as Ireland 's first female rock singer, when she joined The Watchtower, a very successful rock band, led by Alan Dee. Following a European tour, she went on to work with many of Ireland 's top Blues, Rock and Folk musicians.
Her Jazz singing career began in 1983 when she was invited by Songwriter, TV and Radio presenter Shay Healy to join with the Jim Doherty Trio in an experimental programme, where musicians from different backgrounds performed together. The experience lead to long associations with renowned jazz musicians Jim Doherty, Noel Kelehan and Louis Stewart, and many more of Irelands leading jazz musicians including drummer Stephen Keogh who produced her latest album Fire and Ice . Since then she has earned a reputation as Ireland 's leading Jazz singer.
As a solo performer Honor has appeared in London 's Royal Albert Hall in a celebration of twenty years of the Beatles with the royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Choral Society attended by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
Other performances over the years include Shane Connaughton's Divisions, Tom Murphy's Blue Macushla. She starred in Ireland 's favourite Soap Fair City , Roddy Doyle's, Family. She also appeared in the Gasworks Theatre production of A Streetcar Named Desire playing Blanche du Bois. The Abbey Theatre's production of Drama at Inish, Neil Jordan's Angel and RTEs Live Mike with mike Murphy and rural soap opera, Glenroe. The Tivoli Theatre's production of Blues in the Night directed by Carol Todd, and the part of Grace Farrell in the Olympia Theatre's production of Annie, opposite Austin Gaffney, bring us up to her most recent theatre role in Jimmy Murphy's Castlecomer Jukebox, presented by Red Kettle theatre Company, which toured successfully for five months with an all star cast.
Honor has recorded three solo albums, Stormy Waters, a contemporary album. Chasing the Moon with her long time musical collaborator Noel Kelehan which featured Peter Ainscough, Richie Buckley, Mike Nolan and Martin Curry, and is truly representative of Honor as an expressive and sensitive singer. Her most recent, released in October 2005, Fire and Ice has received critical acclaim as her finest album to date. She is joined here by Barry Green on Piano, Jeremy Brown on Bass and Stephen Keogh on Drums who also produced the album.
Honor has also worked in Norway with the Knut Mikaelsen Trio and the Sandvika Big Band conducted by Rob Mc Connell the world renowned arranger and Trombone player. She has worked with the BBC Big Band and recorded two concerts for radio with them. She appears regularly at the Cork Jazz Festival and is one of the big attractions there.
Her current series of Old Fashioned Shows with Jim Doherty where they bring to life the music of Gershwin, Cole Porter and Duke Ellington amongst others, have been playing to full houses in The National Concert Hall since they began a few years ago. Their upcoming tribute to the music of Irving Berlin will be on January 18 th 2006.
Honor undertook a 10-day National Tour in support of Fire and Ice in November 2005 and played to great audiences all over Ireland. Further touring is planned for 2006, in Ireland and abroad, so keep checking the website for updates. |