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Joe Burke (1939-2021) from Kilnadeema near Loughrea was the most acclaimed Irish button accordionist of his time. He was a frequent visitor to New York and lived in the city from 1962 to 1965. During that time, he became a fast friend and musical companion of fiddler Andy McGann. In 1965, they got together in a recording studio with Bronx native Felix Dolan, the best piano accompanist in New York, to lay down the tracks for A Tribute to Michael Coleman, issued the next year on Burke’s own Shaskeen label. The album was a stunning display of virtuosity and telepathically close duet playing, recorded in just a few hours.
![The funny reel, LP cover [Joe Burke, accordion ; Andy McGann, fiddle ; Felix Dolan, piano] / Unidentified photographer. Mastertone Studios, USA, 1979.|Joe Burke, accordion / Deb Putman. Eagle Tavern, New York, 1980s. Image courtesy Deb Putman|Joe Burke, accordion ; Ann Conroy Burke, guitar, accordion ; Kevin Burke, fiddle / Don Meade. Blarney Star, 43 Murray Street, New York,11 May 2001.](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/images.itma.ie/newyork/burkemcganndolanlp.jpg|https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/images.itma.ie/newyork/joe-burke.jpg|https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/images.itma.ie/newyork/blarneystarmay01.jpg "The funny reel, LP cover [Joe Burke, accordion ; Andy McGann, fiddle ; Felix Dolan, piano] / Unidentified photographer. Mastertone Studios, USA, 1979.|Joe Burke, accordion / Deb Putman. Eagle Tavern, New York, 1980s. Image courtesy Deb Putman|Joe Burke, accordion ; Ann Conroy Burke, guitar, accordion ; Kevin Burke, fiddle / Don Meade. Blarney Star, 43 Murray Street, New York,11 May 2001.")
