DANA LYN & KYLE SANNA
Barbès376 9th St, New York 11215
Dana Lyn and Kyle Sanna bring their duo to Barbès for a “Through the Looking Glass” approach to traditional Irish music. Their set connects the pair’s work as composers and improvisers in New York City’s musical community with their admiration for the Irish tradition. The evening presents Lyn and Sanna together, drawing on a partnership shaped by both traditional material and original projects.
Lyn is a Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist and composer whose collaborators include Stew, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, Heather Christian, Susan McKeown, Mick Moloney, Taylor Mac, Brooklyn Rider, and the Apple Hill String Quartet. Sanna is a guitarist whose practice spans composition, improvisation, recording, live coding, and Irish traditional music; he regularly performs with Kinan Azmeh, Maeve Gilchrist, Seamus Egan, and Martin Hayes. As a duo, they have worked with Irish-music interpreters including Hayes and Dennis Cahill, Cillian Vallely, Kevin Burke, Mick McAuley, and Egan. The New Yorker called them “first-rate, versatile musicians,” while The New York Times described them as “a top-notch fiddle-and-guitar duo.” Their music will also feature in Ken Burns’s upcoming film The American Revolution.
Barbès offers a compact, warmly worn space where the music feels immediate and close, with a long wooden bar and a back room under a scarlet ceiling that hosts nightly performances. The venue champions a broad spectrum of global sounds, from Balkan brass and klezmer to Afrobeat and experimental jazz, often featuring residencies like the Slavic Soul Party. The audience gathers around small tables or at the bar, sharing drinks crafted with a nod to French spirits, while the music invites attentive listening rather than loud conversation. Shows usually have a suggested donation instead of a cover charge, creating a welcoming environment where the focus is on the artists. The venue’s commitment to accessibility and its role in Brooklyn’s cultural fabric make it a distinctive spot for an evening of richly diverse live music.