”In the halls of Irish music, one musician is unanimously recognized as the best at his instrument. The best who ever was. Jimmy Keane on piano accordion has become what it means to be the best in any art form. It is not enough to say he is a master musician. When it comes to the piano accordion, he is the maestro. The best. Period. No argument. My God, this man is a gift!”
— Bill Margeson (Irish Music Critic, Journalist, Presenter, Radio Host)
Best of the Year Awards
Jack Baker
December 2016
Best Accordion of All Time: Jimmy Keane
Best Irish Christmas CD: bo-ho-ho-hola by Jimmy Keane & Pat Broaders
Jack Baker
December 2016
Best Accordion of All Time: Jimmy Keane
Best Irish Christmas CD: bo-ho-ho-hola by Jimmy Keane & Pat Broaders
Jimmy Keane & Fergal Scahill
Jimmy Keane
Jimmy Keane & Matt Heaton
Jimmy Keane & Pat Broaders
Jimmy Keane & Dennis Cahill
Jimmy Keane & Richard Mandel
Jimmy Keane
Jimmy Keane
Jimmy Keane & Pat Broaders
Jimmy Keane & Dennis Cahill
Jimmy Keane
********
Jimmy Keane
Irish American News
Male Musician of the Decade (2000-2010)
"Now, you might think that this would really be a tough award to figure out. Not so. It may be the easiest of all. In Irish traditional music, as in every other form of art, you can usually be headed to an enjoyable fist fight in a pub if you want to argue who is the best fiddle player, the best bodhran whacker, the best flautist. Not so for this award. Trust us. In the halls of Irish music, one musician is unanimously recognized as the best at his instrument. The best who ever was. Jimmy Keane on piano accordion has become what it means to be the best in any art form. It is not enough to say he is a master musician. When it comes to the piano accordion, he is the maestro. He is rather like a musical combination of Ray Charles, David Beckham and Mickey Mantle. The best. Period. No argument. My God, this man is a gift! Long may you rule, Jimmy. To the literally hundreds of other unbelievable musicians who are out there playing fabulously, we apologize. But, you know as well as we do. There is no argument."
- Bill Margeson
January 2011
Tradition in Review
Irish American News
- Bill Margeson
January 2011
Tradition in Review
Irish American News
******
Jimmy Keane
Live Ireland's
Male Musician of the Decade (2000-2010)
*****
Jimmy Keane
Live Ireland's
Male Musician of the Decade (2000-2010)
*****
Jimmy Keane
"wild and beautiful piano accordion"
(Christy Moore)
"wild and beautiful piano accordion"
(Christy Moore)
*****
Male Musician of the Year
2010/Irish American News/Tradition in Review/Bill Margeson
Jimmy Keane and Pat Broaders gave us the album, Jimmy Keane and Pat Broaders! Of course, you know they form Bohola.
Well, technically, their name is bohola, but that is another story.
THE story here is Jimmy Keane. It is not enough to say that he is easily the best piano accordionist in the history of Irish music. That doesn’t cover it. Jimmy could, and should, win Male Musician of the Year every year. He, as with Liz Carroll, Dennis Cahill and a few others like Kevin Henry ARE Chicago Irish music, and there is none better. The Japanese have different artists who their society officially recognizes as Living Treasures. Chicago ought to do the same, and the first should be Jimmy Keane. A master. Total.
*****
Well, technically, their name is bohola, but that is another story.
THE story here is Jimmy Keane. It is not enough to say that he is easily the best piano accordionist in the history of Irish music. That doesn’t cover it. Jimmy could, and should, win Male Musician of the Year every year. He, as with Liz Carroll, Dennis Cahill and a few others like Kevin Henry ARE Chicago Irish music, and there is none better. The Japanese have different artists who their society officially recognizes as Living Treasures. Chicago ought to do the same, and the first should be Jimmy Keane. A master. Total.
*****
_______________________________________________________________
Celtic Album Winner
Just Plain Folks
2009 Celtic Album Winner
Jimmy Keane & Pat Broaders
bohola
2009 Celtic Album Winner
Jimmy Keane & Pat Broaders
bohola
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Vocal/Instrumental Album
Irish American News / March 2009
Tradition in Review by Bill Margeson
Vocal/Instrumental Album of 2008
Jimmy Keane & Pat Broaders
Tradition in Review by Bill Margeson
Vocal/Instrumental Album of 2008
Jimmy Keane & Pat Broaders
"Chicago's own hometown world champions. This album NEVER puts a foot wrong, and really showcases the two lads' magic at its best. Jimmy and Pat are such a vibrant, critical part of Chicago's preeminent position as the best city in the world for Irish music lovers. Their almost insane concert schedule proves the world agrees. These are two master musicians in their day and in their prime-and this album shows all that and more. Pat's vocals get better and better and better---and no one can now touch Jimmy on that magical accordion of his. These guys, right now, are alpha and omega.
We love 'em!! WOW!!"
We love 'em!! WOW!!"
Paddy on the I&M Canal
