DKOS Artists 23rd Jan 2025 :- Barry Kenny – Jim Byrne & Friends – Kris Mizzi – Màiri Callan – Garua Tango Club

Garua Tango Club

We are Glasgow-based ensemble, and we aim to develop an authentic tango scene in the city and beyond. Currently we are a flexible 7 to 9-piece band – consisting of accordion, cello, violins, violas, double bass, flute and piano. Our repertoire represents a broad variety of tango – traditional, modern and experimental whilst maintaining true essence of the genre, as well as having musicians from around the world – cellist Santiago Gil Duarte, who brought the true spirit of tango from Argentina, Megan Warnock from Scotland, Edinburgh-based Chris Lyons, Cyprus-born David Anastasiou, Masha Zhuravlova from Ukraine, Emily Barnett from England, Bianca Wesley-Smith from South Africa, Eldon Bradfield from USA and Ana Cos from Bolivia. Most of us met while studying in Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and were brought together by curiosity and passion of exploring different musical languages, as well as the goal to bring Scottish audience closer to tango. One of our performances in June, in Websters Theatre in Glasgow was sold out particularly thanks to the tango dancing community who came to enjoy traditional milonga tunes, but apart from that we are also focused on developing a programme of experimental contemporary tango of living composers and tango Nuevo

Jim Byrne & Friends

Jim Byrne & friends: Kate Kramer (fiddle), Lesley O’Brien (vocals, guitar, percussion) and Graham About Jim Byrne
Born in Clydebank Jim spent his teenage years playing in  punk & country punk bands (Dexter Slim & The Pickups) and many subsequent years playing in rock and garage bands, most notably, The Hemingways, Loris and The Primevals (the band I was in supported the Primevals once, in Coatbridge’s infamous Club de France!). When he set out on a solo career in 2008 he picked up his acoustic guitar and headed towards the Americana/Folk genre. 
An award-winning songwriter and accomplished guitar player, prior to signing with Fox Star Records he had self-released four critically acclaimed solo albums. The three most recent, ‘Oh My Beautiful You’, ’The Innocent’ and ‘Every Day is Sunshine’ were particularly well received by listeners and press alike (Q Magazine, UNCUT, Maverick, Folk Blues and Beyond, Spiral Earth).
Jim has toured internationally and has supported artists such as Benny Gallagher (of Gallagher and Lyle) and shared the stage with Blues performers Hans Theessink and Whizz Jones, famed for influencing Eric Clapton. As a songwriter he has written with, among others, the Jazz singer Carol Kidd, pop singer Marti Pellow (‘Lay With Me’ is on Marti’s Boulevard of Life album) and many writers and poets including Janet Crawford, professional storyteller Lesley O’Brien and with his wife, the writer, blogger and webmaster, Pat Byrne.
In late 2024 released his album, ‘A Scottish Child from the 1960s’

BARNEY KENNY

Having supported the likes of Seth Lakeman, Baskery, True Strays, Langkamer, Martin Carthy, Geoff Lakeman, Mishra, Mad Dog McRea, Wille and the Bandits, Rusty Shackle, Kitty Macfarlane and Blair Dunlop, Barney Kenny is quickly carving out a name for himself as a solo artist across the folk circuits. Having toured the UK solo, with his duo Tamar and also with musical partner Chris Murphy (USA) armed with a 6 string and a Lapsteel slide guitar, Barney Kenny’s music doesn’t fall into the normal trappings of ‘folk’. Heavily influenced by world music, blues and Celtic folk, Barney blends storytelling and acoustic music with his foot-stomping West Country/Celtic guitar style. He has racked up several thousand views on the Narrowboat Sessions platform and also over social media. His writing crosses many boundaries throughout a live set, from Anglo-Celtic tunes to southern-blues rock to retellings of traditional songs from the transatlantic scene.. His slide playing is ever-exciting to watch whilst his more driving style of guitar playing is the perfect accompaniment to his lyrical narratives. He is currently promoting his new album ‘The Seaton Tapes’ – a live ‘in session’ album 

KRIS MIZZI – AUSTRALIA

With a voice that is both strong and tender, Melbourne singer-songwriter Kris Mizzi has earned his place among Australia’s most captivating folk artists. A masterful storyteller, Mizzi crafts songs that linger long after the final note, weaving beauty, truth, and vulnerability into every line. His live performances are a kaleidoscope of emotions—joyful, uplifting, spiritual, comedic, and deeply moving.
Accolades and Achievements:
Winner of the 2017 Troubadour Award and the 2021 Folk Alliance “Australian Solo Artist of the Year”, Mizzi has become a standout voice in Australia’s folk music scene. His most recent album, Some Other Morning (2019), solidified his reputation with festival anthems that have audiences on their feet.
International Breakthrough:
Fresh from showcasing at Ireland’s prestigious folk conference, Your Roots Are Showing, he is delighted to be given the chance to play for audiences in Scotland. This is his first time here! And to be performing on the revered Danny Kyle Stage, is a dream come true. Mizzi continues to leave an indelible mark wherever he plays. Musicians and fans alike have hailed him as a leading voice in Australian folk, delivering performances that feel like intimate, once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Nashville Connections:
Mizzi’s songwriting journey has recently taken him to Nashville, where collaborations with top-tier musicians and a deal with TEN TEN Publishing signal a new chapter in his career. Currently working on new material for an international release, he’s poised to step onto the global stage with the same authenticity and passion that define his artistry. He will return to the UK in 2025 for more touring.
A Life in Song:
Born in Moe (Gippsland), Victoria, Mizzi has spent over a decade honing his craft as a solo artist, drawing inspiration from the golden era of contemporary folk in the 1970s. His dedication to music is unwavering, reflected in a body of work that resonates with fans across generations.
Kris Mizzi isn’t just a performer—he’s an experience, leaving listeners with the sense that they’ve witnessed something rare and profound. Prepare to be moved, inspired, and enchanted by one of Australian folk music’s finest voices.

MAIRI CALLAN

Màiri Callan is a harpist, singer and composer. She grew up immersed in the Gaelic song tradition of the Hebrides before studying classical Gaelic song with Kenna Campbell, and traditional and classical lever harp with Savourna Stevenson. Màiri’s musical journey continues to traverse musical genres. Her jazz arrangement for piano and voice of the Gaelic satire, Cailleach Mhòr Stadhlaigh was selected for the St Andrews Scottish Songbook.
Màiri won the prestigious An Comunn Gàidhealach Gold Medal at the Royal National Mòd in 2021 and has since performed at the Blas Festival and Ceòlas, and on BBC Alba’s Alleluia. Màiri graduated BMus (First Class) from the University of Edinburgh in 2023.