BRT Presents: Gadan

This dynamic band blends the drive of Irish traditional music and bluegrass with the heart and soul of folk and Appalachian music – spiced up with an Italian seasoning for extra flair! Gadan was created by seasoned Italian musicians from the Irish trad and European folk/ rock scene, all with years of experience performing at major traditional and alternative music festivals across Europe and the US. The band originally featured four members, all Italian, bringing exceptional skill and passion to Irish traditional music and old-time American styles – a distinctive and remarkable combination.

In 2024, they were joined by Enda Scahill, a tenor banjo master, award-winner, All-Ireland champion, and founder of We Banjo 3. With Enda, Gadan expanded to a five-member band. Together, Gadan and Enda Scahill performed at all the major Irish festivals across the U.S. during August 2024, marking the start of an exciting collaboration that will continue into the future.

Their high-energy repertoire has a powerful live appeal, with a unique identity. With three banjos—tenor and clawhammer—fiddle, mandolin, and guitar, they create a distinctive “strings-only” sound, driven by a powerful rhythmic pulse. In 2025, the band completed its line-up with the addition of Eric Long, a clawhammer banjoist and singer-songwriter originally from the mountainous heart of Pennsylvania—a region deeply rooted in Appalachian tradition—and now based in San Francisco. Eric brings a raw, authentic American folk soul to the group’s transatlantic sound, further expanding their dynamic and diverse musical identity. Also featured are Lorenzo Testa – tenor banjo, mandolin, vocals; Jacopo Ventura – guitars, bass; and Joan Gatti on fiddle, hardanger fiddle. Do NOT miss this band!