.. ™---Darren McCarthy was born in West Cork, Ireland in 1983. At thirteen began studying electric bass with concert violinist Mark Pledger ARAM.He studied double bass for four years under hungarian bass player Zoltan Dekany (Charlie Hayden,Jeff Berlin,Alfonso Jackson) th the Leeds College Of Music. Darren has performed two consecutive years running at the Leeds International Jazz Conference and at the 2005 Cork Jazz Festival with the Richard Turner Quartet, Melissa Stott Quintet and the Zac Crawford Trio and has performed with leading UK musicians such as Tina May, Lee Gibson, Dave Cliff (Lee Konitz, BT Jazz Award 1998)and also shared a bill with Dennis Rollins.
Whilst studying in Leeds Darren was third member of the tango trio ..Fueye Tango.. led by French Bandoneonist Ninon Foiret and included John Barwood on Classical Guitar.Darren was bass player with the Duke Ellington Repertory Orchestra led by Anthony Faulkner for three years and the LCM Big band in his final year guided by Al Wood. In 2005 Darren Performed in the UK Premier of Duke Ellington's 'a drum is a woman' in the BBC's
..The Venue.. in Leeds
(**** The Guardian)
In 2006 Darren graduated from the Leeds College of Music with first degree honors in Jazz and Contemporary Music.-- In Ireland in early 2007 Darren began recording with Grammy nominee Andrew Phillpott (Depeche Mode) for the russian film P78 and seperatley with double golden globe nominee Maurice Seezer (50Cent, Bono, Gavin Friday, Andrea Corr). Has toured Italy, Slovakia, Poland, Czech Republic and England. Television credits include a hour long special 'Other Voices' concert with Interference and Glen Hansard, recorded in December 2006 and has also composed and performed for a national television documentary.
In May 2008 Darren performed with Glen Hansard (Oscar Winner for 'Best Song' in February 2008) and Interference to a sold out Radio City Music Hall, New York City.
