The new album “Sweet Nyaa” is now released, and again produced together with Irish icon Dónal Lunny, but this time with Dónal playing on 11 of the CD’s 13 numbers. The album was recorded in both the band’s own Hot Frigidaire Studio and in Konge Studio, Yamazaki, Japan. Again, the mastering was done by Robyn Robins at Mid Atlantic Digital.

It's Wednesday 16th July 2003 in Nathy Brennan's pub in Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo. Members of Moving Cloud are leading a lively session. In comes the well known Sligo fiddler Fiona Doherty who listens to the music. After a short while, she says, "Nathy tell me, who are these musicians? There's a nyaa...there's a sweet nyaa to their music."

"There's hardly a country in Western Europe that doesn't have a healthy number of people involved in Irish traditional music. Still, there are few bands in Scandinavia with Moving Cloud's ability to combine an eclectic approach to the music with a deep respect for the Irish tradition."

An Irish subcultural explosion happened in Århus, the second city of Denmark, in the late 80's/early 90's. Irish people and others with a specific interest in Irish traditional music settled in the city. People from the Danish traditional music circuit and students from the University of Århus started playing Irish traditional music in a serious way. A very important pivotal point was the weekly session at Færgekroen in Skolegade, run by former circus queen Thyra Miehe and her husband, former circus rider Alfons Cossmy.

Moving Cloud stems from these weekly sessions. The band was established in 1988 and was named after one of Ireland's outstanding reels, composed by the lagendary fiddler Neil Boyle (1889 - 1961) from Dungloe, Co. Donegal, in Ireland's North Westerly corner.

Moving Cloud has been an established name on the Irish scene in Scandinavia ever since, and has played all over Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Northern Germany. Over the years, Moving Cloud has been involved in festivals (e.g. Tønder Festival, Skagen Festival, Copenhagen Irish Festival, Tarm Festival, etc.), concerts, and broadcasts on radio and television. Moving Cloud has played together with musicians such as box player Tony MacMahon, fiddle virtuoso Frankie Gavin, and singer Eleanor Shanley.

Moving Cloud has recently been working together with celebrity chef Chilli John Rassmussen in the project "An Irish Night", bringing together Irish food, drink, music, songs and dancing to provide a "Total Irish Experience" for both private and public companies, large and small. Response to these events has been overwhelmingly positive.

During the many years of existence, the line-up has changed a couple of times, but the creative close-harmony arrangements of the songs fused with traditional tunes, the high level of energy and the pleasure and enjoyment of playing together has remained the same over the years.

Moving Cloud's repertoire
Although Moving Cloud's repertoire is extensive, it's in a constant state of growth. The songs are taken from not only the classic Irish ballad tradition, but also include original songs from contemporary Irish songwriters. Add to this the instrumental music - material gathered from Donegal, Galway, Clare and Sliabh Luachra, but especially the area of South Sligo, whose fiddle-flute tradition has made a deep impression to the Moving Cloud sound.
Moving Cloud's music is hot, energetic and catchy.
The instrumental music is delivered in exciting, rhythmically-driven arrangements, whilst the songs are often enhanced with 3 part vocal harmonies.
The music is presented by 5 experienced musicians, whose highly original and recognisable collective sound is able to draw out the innate charm of Irish traditional music through the sheer joy of playing.

Cuckanandy (GO0102)
In 2002, Moving Cloud released the CD entitled "Cuckanandy", recorded in Århus, with mixing and post-production by the Irish master-producer Dónal Lunny, who has also worked with the likes of U2, Sinead O*Connor and Elvis Costello. Furthermore, Lunny was the chief architect behind groups such as Planxty, Bothy Band, Moving Hearts and Coolfinn.
Cuckanandy was mastered by Dónal Lunny and Robyn Robins at Mid Atlantic Digital, Enniskillen, N. Ireland.
The album gathered considerable critical acclaim, receiving a nomination for a Danish Grammy in 2003.

The line up:

John Pilkington: vocals, guitar, Irish bouzouki
John was born and raised in Manchester, England. Travels in America and Ireland opened his ears to the roots of Bluegrass and Celtic Music. In 1987, he became a full-time travelling musician, singing and playing guitar and bouzouki around Europe as a solo performer.
An album of self-penned songs, "From My Point of You" (SPIN CD140), was recorded for the English label Making Waves and was enthusiastically received.
After settling in Denmark, John formed the Atlantic Wave Band. Through extensive touring, their ability to appeal to both a specialist audience and to a wider general public allowed them to establish a rattling reputation across Europe for their concert and festival performances. In 1995, the album "Serious Hits" (SPINCD 156) was released to considerable critical acclaim.
In 1995, John returned to his old love of Irish traditional music and joined Moving Cloud, which has progressively become the focus of his musical energies ever since.

Svend Kjeldsen: bodhrán, percussion
Founding memb