Five years ago on April 2nd 1999, the first ever Ruby Sessions took place in Doyle's of College Street, Dublin. The idea was to book four artists who would each perform a twenty-minute set in an intimate candle lit setting. However, what set the Ruby Sessions apart from similar gigs was the idea to feature not just up and coming artists, but established acts also. Indeed during it's four year existence, the Ruby Sessions has featured such well known artists as Gemma Hayes, Mundy, Damien Rice, Paddy Casey and many more.

Then last year, thanks to the generous sponsorship of IMRO, The Ruby Sessions took to the road with a road that featured Rodrigo y Gabriela, Neosupervital, Keith Moss and Suzanne Rhatigan.To mark The Ruby Sessions fourth birthday this year, they have decided to go one better with the release of the Ruby Sessions limited edition album. The album features studio recordings from a collection of artists who have played over the past twelve months. You can also play video footage from last years birthday on your computer.

Featured artists include;
FIONN REGAN hails from the small, sleepy, neon, seaside town of Bray on the outskirts of Dublin. Aged 12 he picked his first tunes out on an old unloved piano in a local hotel and progressed onto the guitar after that. He cites Neil Young, Tom Waits, The Beatles and The Clash as his influences and his current listening includes 'Anvil favorites' Silver Jews, Sparklehorse and The Bees. Fionn has just finished a UK tour support Mercury Prize Nominated Gemma Hayes.

Catherine Dowling, Gerry Horan and Karl Odlum formed BABELFISH (now ALPHASTATES) in April 2001. Their formation was a little haphazard, no ads were placed in music magazines - they just met by chance and all shared the same desire to combine leftfield sounds and productions with good songs. Babelfish released their debut EP 'Sometimes' in November '01; this was followed by 'Conversations with robots' in November '02. Both releases were critically acclaimed and led to them playing Witnness, being nominated 'Witnness Rising band of the Week' on Today FM's Pet Sounds and various supports.

MARGARET HEALY emerged on the scene in Spring of 1999 armed with two songs and a nylon string guitar and began the Dublin singer-songwriter route to fame - open mic nights at The International Bar, Temple Bar Music Centre and Molloy's of Christchurch followed by support slots in Whelans, The Cobblestone and Eamonn Dorans- building up courage, a repertoire and a reputation, before deciding it was time to do either a headline gig or...make an album. Having chosen the album option, Margaret jetted off to London to work with South Bank Awards winner and Mercury nominee NITIN SAWHNEY. The result of this visit was Track 10 on the album ³Call It A Moment², the raw materials for the programming on the other tracks and an invitation to go back and work on more material for the next album! Back in Dublin, Margaret joined forces with Pat Barrett (Ten Speed Racer) and Ken Burke and together over a couple of months in early 2001, they produced 'margaret healy...and you are?'.

In a Hot Press interview 18 months ago, one of Ireland's most successful music figures, Paul Brady, described DECLAN O'ROURKE as "a really good writer and singer" and as one of the artists he would most like to see getting more attention. A growing number of people agree. In early 2000 Declan made his first solo appearance in a small singer songwriter pub in Dublin and in the following twelve months, he performed a staggering 140 times! Word quickly got around and Declan was invited to perform with household names such as Damien Rice, Gemma Hayes, Paul Brady, John Spillane, Kila, Scullion, Tommy Emmanuel and Paddy Casey. With Declan O'Rourke's first album on the way this summer, it seems Paul Brady is closer than ever to getting his wish.

KEITH MOSS spent 2002 continuing the herculean mountain-ascents made during previous years but still 2000's IMRO unplugged winner refuses to sit down to an omnibus edition of 'Take The High Road' with a tray of cake and tea. Far from it. the 23 year-old comes driven and equipped with the fruits of an audience swayed by his incendiary live shows and 3 instant-rarity limited edition albums not to mention glowing endorsements from The Irish Times; "a curious mixture of Bernard Butler and Loudon Wainwright III, he's an instinctive performer and someone to keep a judicious eye out for" and from music bible Hot Press who announced: "he's the endearing epicentre of all things eccentric...an utterly mesmerising amalgam of Nick Drake and a stoned Weird Al Yankovic. The songs host a sublime pop sensibility..." An ever-present act on the recent inaugural IMRO/Ruby Sessions nationwide showcase tour, the multi-instrumentalist is gearing up for a summer onslaught on the gig front.

NINA HYNES released her debut album 'Staros' in May '02 to huge critical acclaim. "The album is a tonic for Ireland's stagnant rock scene; an inventive, catchy and resonant collection.... The album runs a gamut of styles, from the spirited indie pop verve of her new single Mono Prix, to atmospheric electronica and otherworldly ballads." according to The Sunday Times. The Event Guide described the album as "Mixing pure pop, electronica and downbeat introspection into a single diverse, multi-layered yet coherent whole. 'Staros' bursts with ideas." Following on from the album release, Nina toured Ireland extensively and performed at all of the major music festivals. She was also nominated in the Best Female category at this year's Meteor Music Awards.

NEOSUPERVITAL released their debut EP 'Use What You Got' on October '02, this is what the press had to say... "...packed full of synth-pop gems...every one of them is worth treasuring...layered vocals and delicious chimes combining to gorgeous effect. More please" 4/5 - Sunday Tribune. "...Neosupervital is grade A electro pop, full of moody nuances and underpinned by excellent arrangements and fresh ideas...possessing a killer pop punch...fab and hypnotic..." 7/10 - Hot Press. "This is primarily a pop thing, one that occasionally orbits the worlds of Human League, the Beach Boys or Money Mark, whilst remaining thoroughly original and inventive." Leagues O'Toole - Homage "...a synth-driven affair that borrows from the futuristic pop of the early 80's...eerie and interesting" - The Event Guide. The latest, much-anticipated release from Neosupervital is scheduled to appear in June 2003...

MARTIN FINKE was born in Germany, but he will tell you he is Irish. His mother brought him to Ireland at the age of four, and they settled in County Galway. As a teenager, Martin listened to Van Morrison, My Bloody Valentine and The Wedding Present. He studied languages, and became enamoured by the use of the English language in Ireland. On exchange in Spain in 1997, he began to understand his ties to the west of Ireland, and started to write songs about summers and winters in Clifden. Martin moved to Boston in '98 where he bought a second hand four track, and started recording, often playing alongside his friend Josh Ritter. Martin has already released three and a half home-recorded albums, playing the instruments himself and releasing on his own label. 2003 will be a busy year for Martin. In February he returned to Boston to play both live and in a session for TV Cafe on Channel 15, and in March he embarked on a four-country tour of central Europe before returning to Ireland to take his new record on the road. Martin has also featured as a special guest on 'Other Voices: Songs From A Room' alongside Mundy, Damien Rice, Nina Hynes and many others.

DERRICK DEVINE is 25 and based in Dublin. His songs mix intelligent lyrics, quietly plucked acoustic guitars with louder, angrier moments. 'To Shrink You' is taken from his independently released debut E.P.'Charge', which is out now. 'One to Watch in 2003'- Hot Press.

DRAT play their own unique style of melodic lo-fi indie rock, with flowing guitar lines, soft vocals and fat drums and bass. During their relatively short life as a band they have already toured the U.K. and Ireland, recorded a Radio 1 N.I. Session (described by BBC on-line as "a gorgeous session by the reliably brilliant DRAT"), headlined an event at the Radio 2 "live in Belfast" festival and shared a stage with Gallon Drunk and Yo La Tengo. The release of their first EP in July 2002 saw Drat committing their sound to CD. Since it's release it has received extensive airplay throughout Ireland and fond reviews. They feel quite sure that the release of their second EP. in April will bring them even more into the public eye.

Resident in Belfast and carrying within his songs hints of the city's music hall legacy, as a writer and performer DUKE SPECIAL cuts an interesting dash. As likely to be found alone at a piano with only a wheezing old gramophone for company as he is to be surrounded by a vaudeville orchestra of musical cohorts. One part late-night poker room balladeer, the other all flying hammers and devil-may-care, Duke Special mines an historic vein of pop writing, harking back to a pre-Beatles era of literate and theatrical performers. He brings a unique musical identity to songs of genuine warmth and accessibility. As the Duke once said "I hear beauty, dirt, tremolo and smoke".

Belfast based singer songwriter SUSAN ENAN is currently promoting her new self released EP, 'Moonlight / Skin, Bone & Silicone', which has been receiving some airplay in the States reaching no. 4 in the Minneapolis based Radio K charts in January 2003. After leaving Liverpool with a music degree, Susan Enan moved to Belfast and set up the Susan Enan Band. Their first EP, a CD-ROM was released in 1998. In February 2000 Enan became a solo artist and released her first solo EP.

The record was made in a small studio, all instruments played, programmed and mixed by Enan. She put together a new band in May 2002 to record the new record. Enan has played the Edinburgh Festival, the Irish Festival in Finland, the A2A International Music Conference in Amsterdam, SXSW in Texas and this year's Folk Alliance in Nashville. She has opened for Tony Bennett, Roger McGuinn (UK and US shows), Damien Rice (the Olympia and Vicar Street), Gemma Hayes (London).

The limited edition Ruby Sessions album is out now through Rubyworks.

Proceeds of the album go to the Dublin Simon Community. Distribution is by RMG-Chart.

Hi Res album cover photo available at www.mcd.ie/rubycover.jpg

Ruby Tour Featured:

Nina Hynes
Susan Enan
Margaret Healy
Derrick Devine