Antoni O’Breskey – shares new single ‘El Baile de la Luz’

One of Ireland’s most singular and visionary musical voices, Antoni O’Breskey, releases new single ‘El Baile de la Luz’, from his upcoming monumental three-volume career retrospective, Antoni O’Breskey: 50 Years of Music. 

‘El Baile de la Luz’ was originally featured on O’Breskey’s 1989 album Al Kamar (Arabic for ‘The Moon’), which was the first fusion between Irish traditional music, flamenco, jazz and the music from the Maghreb region of North-West Africa.

This is the second release from the compilation and is taken from the second volume of O’Breskey’s 50 Years of Music album. Across three volumes, the compilation spans will be available digitally and on CD and spans five decades of boundary-dissolving composition and performance and will be released on 24 June 2026.

To mark the release, O’Breskey will perform a special anniversary concert at the National Concert Hall  on 15 July with his Nomadic Piano Ensemble, featuring his daughter and collaborator Consuelo Nerea Breschi (VARO, Landless, Rattling Ark), piper Joe McHugh, flamenco guitarist Juan José Manzano, and multi-instrumentalist Paahto Cummins (Skipper’s Alley / Ispíní na hÉireann). The evening will also feature a very special guest appearance by legendary accordionist Máirtín O’Connor (De Dannan), a longstanding collaborator since the early 1980s. Tickets are on sale now from NCH.ie.

O’Breskey says:

“Listeners are often surprised to learn that ‘El Baile de la Luz’ was inspired by

Southern Italy, given its distinct North African and Middle Eastern sound. The track’s very first melody was born spontaneously at my aunt’s house during a piano improvisation with my cousin Francesca Breschi, who accompanied me on a small Lucanian tamorra (south of Italy tambourine).”

A celebration of people, culture and unity, ‘El Baile de la Luz’  features contributions from legendary Gypsy flamenco band Ketama alongside Jamal Ouassini, Balel Lopez De Munain and Ricardo Espinosa, with touches of the Irish music tradition weaved in by flautist Johnny McCarthy.

ABOUT THE COMPILATION

Antoni O’Breskey: 50 Years of Music is a carefully curated journey through the diverse musical landscapes that have defined one of Ireland’s most prolific composers. With more than 40 albums to his name and creative partnerships, this album features an incredible cast of collaborators, including: Ronnie Drew (The Dubliners), Máirtín O’Connor (The Dannan), Steve Cooney, Johnny McCarthy, Joe Mc Hugh, Consuelo Nerea Breschi (Varo/Landless/Rattling Ark), Gabin Dabiré, Paahto Cummins (Skipper’s Alley/Ispíní na hÉireann), Ultan O’Brien (Skipper’s Alley/Slow Moving Clouds), Cathy Jordan (Dervish),  Davide Viterbo (Distant City), Benito Lertxundi, Antonio Carmona (Ketama), Jamal Ouassini (Tangeri Orchestra),  Josemí Carmona, Josè Seves (Inti-Illimani), and many more. 

The three volumes map distinct yet interwoven chapters of his career:

Volume I – The New Orleans Jig Rooted in the Irish, jazz traditions that first shaped his voice, this volume showcases the earthy, rhythmic vitality of O’Breskey’s explorations alongside his rich encounters with West African music. Lead single ‘Jig In The Castle’ is taken from this volume.

Volume II – Mediterranea  A vibrant dialogue with the Mediterranean, Arabic world, and flamenco traditions, reflecting O’Breskey’s years of collaboration with artists from Italy, Spain and North Africa.

Volume III – Nomadic Mantra The contemplative, inward-looking dimension of his work, embracing the spaces of classical minimalism and solo piano composition.

Each thread is unified by O’Breskey’s lyrical, exploratory and deeply expressive pianistic style. As The Irish Echo noted: “He brings all eras and cultures together in one musical space.”

Antoni O’Breskey: 50 Years of Music Pre-order on Bandcamp here.