Mick is a singer and fluteplayer from the North-East of England. As well as singing, playing and recording the music of his native place (cf "Young's Fish" advert on cinema and television over the past six years - "When the Boat comes in" - and contributions to two CD collections "Folk Song, Story Song" volumes 1 and 2(KPM 301 and 302) he is an accomplished singer in the Irish "sean nos" tradition, singing and playing the music of his grandparents (cf CD "Ireland"(AVF 123) and "Celtic Dream" on Delta Records).He can also be heard on Kev Boyle's CD "Bon Cabbage" (BSM CD 01).    He began singing as a child, in a family of singers. His father was wellknown throughout the North-East and with his brother, sister and cousin he formed an a capella group "the Sands Family" during the sixties folk revival and played the local clubs with the likes of Dave and Tich Richardson of "Boys of the Lough", Chuck Fleming (JSD Band, Five Hand Reel,Lyra Celtica etc.) rubbing shoulders with Finbar and Eddie Furey, Cathal McConnell and Aly Bain.    He continued playing while at university in Manchester with fellow students and London musicians Kev Boyle and John Roe and befriending Des Donnelly(senior) and the Oldham Tinkers. Moving to London he formed the Irish traditional group "Mar Bhi" with his sister and the Boyle family, Kevin, Maggie and Paul and was a founding member of the legendary London Irish band "le Cheile" with Kev, John, Raymond Roland, Liam Farrell, PJ.Crotty and Danny Meehan. He lived in a wild house of music with Kevin and PJ. and Angela Crotty and among the stream of musicians who passed through were Liam og O'Flynn, Maddy Prior, Arlo Guthrie, Kevin Burke, Brendan McGlinchey and many others. He was a regular member of the Fulham branch of Comhaltas Ceoltori Eireann.    In the 80s his work with an international charity, L'Arche, and the demands of a young family left Mick unable to be involved in the music scene but in the late 80s, mainly through the encouragement of singer Frankie Armstrong he began running voice workshops and working with actors. He worked more and more in theatre, specialising in adapting medieval and ethnic vocal music for use in classical plays and began composing original material - which he continues today - for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, the Peter Hall Company and many others. He is a recipient of the Christopher Whelen Award for Music in Theatre and has been involved in many award-winning productions in the West End and internationally. In 2000 he wrote and performed music for a television documentary film on American PBS - "Tantalus: Behind the Mask" - which received an EMMY nomination.    The challenge of writing in different genres for theatre productions has led him to research music from all over the world but it is mostly to the music of the British Isles and particularly of Ireland and his native North - East that he returns for this, his first CD: " the Ominous and the Luminous".