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Luka Bloom (born Kevin Barry Moore; 23 May 1955) is an Irish folk singer-songwriter. He is the younger brother of folk singer Christy Moore.


Early life

Kevin Barry Moore was born on 23 May 1955 in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland. His parents were Andy Moore and Nancy Power, who had already raised three daughters and two other sons. Moore attended a Patrician Brothers primary school and later studied at Newbridge College. In college he formed the group Aes Triplex with his brother Andy and a school friend. He later attended a college in
Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...
, but he dropped out after a couple of years to pursue a music career.


Early career as Barry Moore

In 1969, 14 year old Barry Moore embarked on a tour supporting his eldest brother, Christy, at various English folk clubs. He subsequently spent all of his spare time practising and writing music. In 1976, Christy recorded one of his songs "Wave up to the Shore". In 1977, Barry Moore toured Germany and England as part of the group Inchiquin. In 1978, Moore released his debut album, ''Treaty Stone''. In 1979, having normally played guitar using a finger-picking technique, he was afflicted with tendinitis—forcing him to learn to play with a plectrum, which altered his guitar style. That year, he moved to
Groningen Groningen ( , ; ; or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen (province), Groningen province in the Netherlands. Dubbed the "capital of the north", Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of ...
in the Netherlands. In 1980, he recorded and released his second album, ''In Groningen''. In 1982, he released his third album, ''No Heroes'', which contained songs all written by Moore himself. For three years, from 1983 to 1986, Moore was the front-man for the Dublin-based band Red Square. During this time, in 1984, his son Robbie was born.


Musical career

In 1987, Moore moved to the United States and began performing using the stage name of "Luka Bloom". He chose the name " Luka" from the title of Suzanne Vega's song about
child abuse Child abuse (also called child endangerment or child maltreatment) is physical abuse, physical, child sexual abuse, sexual, emotional and/or psychological abuse, psychological maltreatment or Child neglect, neglect of a child, especially by a p ...
and "Bloom" from the main character in
James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (born James Augusta Joyce; 2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influentia ...
's novel '' Ulysses''. Initially he lived and performed primarily in Washington D.C., but in winter 1987 he moved to New York City. The following year, he released his first album – later withdrawn – under the name Luka Bloom. In 1990, Bloom released his album ''Riverside'', which included the song "The Man Is Alive". The album was recorded in New York, with its lyrics reflecting his experiences living and performing in that city. In 1991, Bloom returned to Dublin to record '' The Acoustic Motorbike'', which included a cover version of LL Cool J's " I Need Love". The cover song was reviewed by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, noting that "the prospect of a folksy Irish rocker covering a rap ballad may seem strange, but experimenting with different forms is precisely what keeps established traditions vital." In 1993, Bloom again returned to Ireland to record the album ''Turf'', this time with producer Brian Masterson and sound engineer Paul Ashe-Browne. The album attempted to capture the sound of a live performance, and was recorded in front of an audience that was asked to remain as quiet as possible. In 1998, Bloom released ''Salty Heaven'', an album inspired by his return to Ireland. Bloom's early albums showcased his frenetic strumming style (once described as "stadium rock for the bedroom"), including "Delirious", the debut track on Riverside, and his penchant for thoughtful cover songs, an affinity that he maintains even in more recent work. He had previously covered LL Cool J's '' I Need Love'' and
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
's '' Can't Help Falling in Love'' on the album ''The Acoustic Motorbike''. Released in 2000, ''Keeper of the Flame'' was an album of
cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
s featuring renditions of
ABBA ABBA ( ) were a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They are one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, and are one of the List ...
's " Dancing Queen",
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...
's "Natural Mystic", and the Hunters and Collectors' " Throw Your Arms Around Me", among others. Bloom's 2004 acoustic mini-album, ''Before Sleep Comes'', was recorded while he was recovering from tendinitis. He stated that the purpose of the album was "to help bring you closer to sleep, our sometimes elusive night-friend". In 2005, Bloom released the album ''Innocence''. Some of the songs feature a new-found interest in Eastern European Romany music and other world music. The album features Bloom playing classical guitar, and the resonant plucking associated with that style of instrument. In his previous work, Bloom relied almost exclusively on steel-stringed guitars that created his distinctive style. In 2007, Bloom released the album ''Tribe'' —a collaboration with County Clare musician Simon O'Reilly. O'Reilly composed the music and sent the recordings to Bloom for him to complete with lyrics and singing. In February 2008, Bloom released a DVD titled ''The Man is Alive'', featuring footage filmed in Dublin and at his home in Kildare, a question and answer session with fans, the documentary ''My Name is Luka'', and a CD of music taken from the two performances. In September 2008, Bloom released the album ''Eleven Songs'', which featured an expanded ensemble of instrumentation, giving the album a distinct sound within his catalogue.


Discography


Albums

* ''Treaty Stone'' (1978, as Barry Moore) * ''In Groningen'' (1980, as Barry Moore, with Eamon Murray) * ''No Heroes'' (1982, as Barry Moore) * ''Luka Bloom'' (1988, withdrawn) * ''Riverside'' (1990) * '' The Acoustic Motorbike'' (1992) AUS #39 * ''Turf'' (1994) AUS #93 * ''Salty Heaven'' (1998) AUS #46 * ''Keeper of the Flame'' (2000) * ''The Barry Moore Years'' (2001, compilation) * ''Between the Mountain and the Moon'' (2001) * ''Amsterdam'' (2003, live) * ''Before Sleep Comes'' (2004) * ''Innocence'' (2005) * ''Tribe'' (2007) * ''The Platinum Collection'' (2007, compilation) * ''The Man Is Alive'' (2008, CD/DVDs) * ''Eleven Songs'' (2008) * ''Dreams in America'' (2010) * ''This New Morning'' (2012) * ''Head & Heart'' (2014) * ''Frugalisto'' (2016) * ''Refuge'' (2017) * ''Breathe'' (2018, Meditation with Trea Heapes) * ''Sometimes I Fly - Live in Bremen 2001'' (2018) * ''Live at De Roma'' (2020) * ''Bittersweet Crimson'' (2020) * ''Out of the Blue'' (2021, instrumental) * ''Wave Up To The Shore'' (2022, Triple CD, 50 Songs 50 Years) * ''A Second Wind (2025)


References


External links

*
Everything about Luka Bloom
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bloom, Luka 1955 births Living people People from Newbridge, County Kildare Musicians from County Kildare Irish male singer-songwriters Irish singer-songwriters 20th-century Irish male singers Reprise Records artists V2 Records artists People educated at Newbridge College 1960s in Irish music 1970s in Irish music 1980s in Irish music 1990s in Irish music 2000s in Irish music 2010s in Irish music 2020s in Irish music