Collaborations

Kyle Alden and Friends: The killer band with no name brings Kyle’s original songs to life in a live performance setting. Featuring Robert Powell, guitars and vocals; Scott Thunes, bass and vocals; Howie Cort, drums.

Mild Colonial Boys: Three-part harmony singing, beautifully interwoven instrumental strands, and toe-tapping Irish tunes characterize this unique trio of seasoned players. Featuring Rory McNamara, vocals and guitar; John Caulfield, vocals, fiddle and mandolin; and Kyle on vocals, guitar and mandolin.

Curlew: This powerhouse instrumental quartet plays jigs, reels, hornpipes and waltzes drawing from the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, Galicia and Cape Breton—with the occasional American hoe-down and French bouree thrown in for good measure. Featuring Wake the Dead members Paul Kotapish on mandolin and guitar; and Maureen Brennan on harp; fiddle whiz Bobbi Nikles, and Kyle on guitar and fiddle.

The Gas Men: As the name makes clear (Gas is Irish slang for “fun”), the party begins whenever this group of traditional Irish musicians rolls into town, bringing the listener along for the ride with their great musical spirit. From Alaska to Argentina, Galway to San Francisco, the band has enjoyed playing music and entertaining audiences since the early nineties. Vincey Keehan, mandolin, guitar and vocals; Kenny Somerville, banjo, guitar and vocals; Vinny Cronin, flute and whistles; Cormac Gannon, bohdran and vocals; Barry O’Connel, accordion; John Caulfield, fiddle, mandolin and vocals are joined by Kyle on guitar and vocals.

PAST COLLABORATIONS:
In the recording studio: Musicians Todd Denman, Bill Dennehy, Sarah Franklyn, Charlie Hancock, Bobbi Nikles, Stone Circle, Scott Thunes, Mark Ungar, Heather Alexander, Liz Stires, Robert Powell, Jayme Pohl, Konrad Alt, Peter Lacques, Suzie Davis, Suzy Thompson, Jim Brunberg and Scott Mathews. Producers Robert Powell, Scott Mathews, Jim Brunberg and Julian Smedley.

Live performance: Bands in roughly chronological order: Easy Street Ensemble (folk), Young Republicans (rock, punk), Rainshadow (acoustic), Stone Circle (world), The Alamo Mail (Americana), Na Rogari (Irish), Floating Crowbar (Irish), Gnarly Pilgrims (Irish), Todd Denman’s Aniar Band (Irish), 42 (Irish), The Gas Men (Irish), and Big Value (rock, Americana). He has appeared in bands that have opened for headliners Lunasa, Great Big Sea, Maria Muldaur and Culann’s Hounds on stages such as Slims, The Independent, and The Freight and Salvage.

Kyle has accompanied many traditional Irish musicians on stage, including: Tommy Peoples, Randal Bays, Athena Tergis, Laura Risk, Paddy Keenan, Gearoid O’hAllmhurain, Martin Hayes, Dale Russ, Bill Dennehy, Todd Denman, Andrew McNamara, Paul Chaffee, John Sherry, John Pedersen and Steve Gardner.

Kyle has had a long relationship as an accompanist for the Celtic Dance Ensemble, the San Francisco based Irish dance company, Brian Cleary, director. While a member of the group during the nineties and beyond, they performed regularly at the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival held at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater in June.