Irish band plays around borough

As part of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities going on in Queens, members of the Irish band De Jimbe were flown in to make special appearances at schools, pubs and senior centers.
The band, which arrived March 1, first began coming to Queens when Brendan Fay, the organizer of Queens’ own St. Patrick’s Parade, approached them. He had heard about the group from some dancers and called founding member Brian Fleming.
“When I spoke with Brian Fleming it was like an immediate sort of connection,” Fay said.
De Jimbe was formed in 1995 by Fleming, with the group comprised of seven members. They have performed at festivals all over the world, including in New York, Korea, Cuba, France, Germany and Senegal.
Three members of De Jimbe, Fleming, Gwenn Frin and Joe Brennan, were joined by singer/songwriter Sean Millar and Irish banjo player Darren Maloney.
De Jimbe’s first performance of their unique sound in Queens was at P.S. 144 in Forest Hills last Thursday.
“They combine African drumming with traditional Irish jigs and reels,” Fay said. “It’s a really fantastic, energetic sound that has inspired people literally across the world. It’s great that they’re coming to Queens.”
The band, which is sponsored by the Irish government, played for an hour to approximately 250 children. The show was interactive with the children learning about the instruments.
According to P.S. 144 Parent Coordinator Siobhan Kyne, the most important lesson that the children learned through De Jimbe was how to appreciate other forms of music.
“It’s nice to see the kids exposed to their music and see their reaction,” she said. “They just thought it was great. The kids really enjoyed it.”
Everywhere the group performed, including to a sold out crowd at the Irish Arts Center, they were greeted by excited residents.
“They got an enthusiastic welcome and response,” Fay said. “People were thrilled and loved De Jimbe.”
For more information about De Jimbe, visit www.dejimbe.com.