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Brendan Power is a New Zealander who has developed a considerable reputation for his concert and recording work featuring the harmonica. Equally at ease on both the earthy Blues Harp as well as the sophisticated Chromatic Harmonica, he employs his own custom tunings to breathe fresh life into an often typecast instrument - especially in his original compositions, which feature on several of the 12 instrumental CDs he has released to date. These cover a diverse range of styles reflecting Brendan's eclectic tastes, everything from down-home Blues to Bulgarian folk music, Baroque, Country, Japanese and Irish traditional music, MOR, Rock and Jazz.
He has recorded with pop artists such as Sting, Desree, Van Morrison, Mel C, Paul Young and Shirley Bassey, classical guitarist John Williams, flautist James Galway, and Irish singer Mary Black, amongst others.
Other session work includes numerous TV jingles and several Hollywood film soundtracks, among them Love Actually, Crossroads, Shanghai Noon, The Next Best Thing, and Pushing Tin. TV soundtrack work includes Auf Wiedersehen Pet and Paradise Heights.

ALBUMS


APPEARANCES +


Clark Datchler
Journey Songs Two
2023,
Sting
Duets
2021, 2x Vinyl Gatefold Sleeve,
Pop Rock/Vocal/Soul-Jazz/Soundtrack/Rhythm & Blues/Chanson/Blues Rock/Ballad
Van Morrison
The Healing Game (Deluxe Edition)
2019, 2x CD, CD, All Media, ,
Blues Rock
Kate Bush
Remastered Part II
2018, Box, Comp + 2xCD, Album, RE, RM + CD, Album, RE, R, Fish People, ,
Art Rock/Pop Rock/Acoustic/Europop/Synth-pop/Ballad
Andrew White
Beautiful Trouble
2017, CD, Album, Not on label
Karen Matheson
Urram [Respect]
2015, CD, Album, Vertical Records (4)
Hilary James
You Don't Know
2015, CD, Album, Acoustics, Acoustics Records
Ashley Hutchings
The Riot Of Spring And Other Historical Dramas, Large And Small
2014, CD, Comp, Mixtape, Talking Elephant Records,
The Wanted
The Wanted
2013, CD, DVD, ,
Europop/Electro
Kate Bush
Director's Cut
2011, ,
Alternative Rock/Art Rock
The Wanted
The Wanted
2010, CD, ,
Ballad/Electro/Europop
Randy Edelman
Leap Year (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
2009, ,
Soundtrack
Sting
The Album Collection
2007, 4xCD, Album, Enh, RM + CD, Album + Box, Comp, Universal Music, ,
Soft Rock/Jazz-Funk/Pop Rock/Smooth Jazz/Jazzdance
Dario Marianelli & Featuring Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Atonement (Music From The Motion Picture)
2007, CD, ,
Score/Classical
Jim Leverton & Geoffrey Richardson
The End Of The Pier Show
2006, CD, Album, Eclectic Discs
Various
Doogal (Music From The Motion Picture)
2006, CD, Album, Comp, Milan, ,
Folk Rock/Europop/Nursery Rhymes/Pop Rock/Country Rock/Soundtrack/Score
Tim Edey
Tunes
2006, CDr, MiniAlbum, Not On Label (Tim Edey Self-Released)
Mary Black
Full Tide
2006
Chris Priestley
Uncovered - A Collection Of New Zealand Folk Songs
2005, CD, Album, Not On Label (Chris Priestley Self-released)
Martin Winch, Carl Doy
For A Lazy Afternoon
2004, CD, Comp, Marks & Spencer
Laura MacKenzie
Laura & The Lads
2003, CD, Album, New Folk Records
Cecil Sharp Centenary Collective
As I Cycled Out On A May Morning
2003, CD, Album, Talking Elephant
Renée Geyer*
Tenderland
2003,
Soul
Des'ree
Dream Soldier
2003
The Eddie Rayner Project*
Play It Straight
2002, CD, Album, G-Tone Music, ,
Pop Rock
David Cassidy
Then And Now
2002, CD, ,
Vocal
Spek
Don't Sweat The Small Stuff
2001
Andy Irvine
Way Out Yonder
2001, CD, ,
Celtic/Folk
Mary Black
The Best Of Mary Black 1991-2001 / Hidden Harvest
2001
Various
Nua Teorainn - New Celtic Music From Green Linnet
2000, CD, Comp, Green Linnet
Various
Hot Summer Music - Global Harmonica Summit And The Hot Summer Jazz Festival
2000, CD, Hot Springs Records,
Andy Dewar, Brian Burrows
Lo Fi Fo Fum
2000, CD, Album, JW Media Music Ltd, ,
Score/Theme/Soundtrack/Dub/Alternative Rock
Various
Hot Summer Jazz Sampler - Best Of The Hot Summer Jazz Festival & The Global Harmonica Summit
2000, CD, Hot Springs Records,
Sting
After The Rain Has Fallen
2000, ,
Pop Rock
Various
The Next Best Thing (Music From The Motion Picture)
2000, CD, ,
Pop Rock/House/Soundtrack/Electro/Downtempo/Synth-pop/Ballad
Randy Edelman
Shanghai Noon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
2000, ,
Soundtrack/Score
Various
Tanz & Folkfest Rudolstadt '99
1999, CD, Comp, Heideck, ,
Folk/African/Nordic/Romani
James Galway
Un-Break My Heart
1999, CD,
Anne Dudley
Pushing Tin - Original Motion Picture Score
1999, CD, ,
Electro/Soundtrack/Score
Mary Black
Speaking With The Angel
1999
Máirín Fahy
Máirín
1999
Reeltime
Live It Up
1998
MACA
Blood & Gold
1998
Jimmy Ray
Jimmy Ray
1998
Kathryn Tickell
The Gathering
1997, CD, Album, Park Records
Various
The Gathering
1997, ,
Celtic
Keith Christmas
Love Beyond Deals
1996, CD, Album, HTD Records,
Various
Common Ground
1996, ,
Folk Rock/Pop Rock/Ballad/Celtic
John Williams
Plays The Movies
1996,
Various
Sult - Spirit Of The Music
1996, ,
Celtic
Altan
Blackwater
1996
Chris Thompson
Song For Laura
1995, CD, Album, Manu (2),
The Runners
Phonetic
1995, CD, Album, i 2 i Records
The Poozies
Dansoozies
1995
Arcady
Many Happy Returns
1995
Geoff Castle
Expanded
1994, CD, Album, Turret Records (2)
Frances Black
Talk To Me
1994
Derek Lind
Stations
1994, ,
Folk/Folk Rock
Bill Tarmey
Time For Love
1994, Cassette, ,
Vocal
Wayne Gillespie
Living In Exile
1993, CD, Album, Ravenswood Records
Kath Tait
Roller Skating To The Blue Danube
1993, Cass, Album, Not On Label
Various
Different Tracks (A Sampler Of Contemporary Music From Aotearoa New Zealand)
1993, CD, Smplr, Rattle Records
Various
Different Tracks
1993, CD, Rattle Records, ,
Contemporary/Acoustic/Ambient/Modern Classical/Experimental
Andrew Cronshaw
The Language Of Snakes
1993
Sting
Ten Summoner's Tales
1993, ,
Soft Rock/Pop Rock
Sting
Ten Summoner's Tales
1993, ,
Soft Rock/Pop Rock
Hilary James
Burning Sun
1993
Various
Voyages (New Zealand Discoveries In Music And Sound)
1992, CD, Kiwi,
Annie Crummer
Language
1992
John Grenell*
Past Like A Mask
1990, 7", Single, CBS, ,
Country
John Hore Grenell
Born In The West
1990
John Hore Grenell
Welcome To Our World
1990, ,
Country
Dianne Swann
Something Good
1989, 7", Single, WEA
John Hore Grenell
Silver
1988, LP, Album, Ode Records, ,
Country
Ralph Bennett
Dance
1988, Cass, Album, Not On Label
Howard Morrison
Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing
1988
Shona Laing
South
1987,
Snakes
Snakes
1986, 12", EP, Sam Snake Records, ,
Alternative Rock
Jodi Vaughan
Straight From the Heart
1986, LP, Festival Records, ,
Country
Hello Sailor
Shipshape & Bristol Fashion
1986, ,
Pop Rock
Nick Smith
Flanker
1986
Derek Lind
Mixed Blessings
1986
Various
Auckland Acoustics
1985, LP, Comp, Real Groovy Records
Chris* & Lynne Thompson
Together
1985, LP, Album, Ode Records, ,
Folk
Patsy Riggir
You Remind Me Of A Love Song
1985
Michael-Roy Croft
Slow Burnin'
1985, ,
Country
Wayne Gillespie
Wayward Son
1984, LP, Album, Wizard Records (16)
Various
Seven In One Blow
1984, Cass, Comp, Industrial Tapes
Patsy Riggir
You'll Never Take The Country Out Of Me
1984
Michael-Roy Croft
Holding Things Together
1984
Kathryn Tait*
Original Songs
1983, LP, Album, Not On Label,
Brendan Dugan
Hands On The Wheel
1983, LP, Album, CBS
Brendan Dugan, Jodi Vaughan
Fairweather Friends
1982
Patsy Riggir
Lay Down Beside Me
1981
Patsy Riggir
True Country Music
1980
Various
Folk Awards 2012
2012, 3xCD, Comp, Proper Records (2),
Various
Harmonica Masters Of New Zealand
2007, CD, Ode Records
Various
Celtica Volume 29
2004, CD, Comp, Edizioni 3ntini
Various
Mega Celtic
2003
Various
Hoochie Coochie Men (A History Of UK Blues And R&B)
2002, Box + 4xCD, Comp, Indigo Recordings, ,
Rhythm & Blues/Beat/Blues Rock
Various
Live På Halkær Kro (International Folkemusik)
2000, 2xCD, Album, Halkær Kro, ,
Nordic/Celtic/Bluegrass/Folk
Various
Ceol Tacsi
2000, CD, ,
Celtic/Folk
Various
Celtic Music Of The World
1997, CD, Promo, Smplr, Car, MRA Entertainment, ,
Celtic
Various
A River Of Sound - The Changing Course Of Irish Traditional Music
1995, CD, Album, Virgin
Various
Super Instrumental 11
1995, CD, Comp, Star Ltd., ,
Instrumental
Various
Irishtown - A Hummingbird Collection Vol.1
1995, CD, Comp, Hummingbird Records, ,
Celtic
Various
The Perfect instrumental Love Album
1994
Various
Perfect Love (18 Romantic Love Themes) Volume Two
1993
Various
Perfect Love (18 Romantic Love Themes) Volume Three
1993
Various
Perfect Love (18 Romantic Love Themes) Volume One
1993,
Easy Listening
Various
Perfect Love (18 Romantic Love Themes) Volume Nine
1993
Various
Perfect Love (18 Romantic Love Themes) Volume Six
1993
Various
Perfect Love (18 Romantic Love Themes) Volume Ten
1993,
Easy Listening
Various
Hot Harp - Blues Harmonica Greats
1992, Cass, Comp, BCD (7)
Various
New Zealand Country Gold - Volume 2
1985, LP, Comp, RCA Victor
Various
Hot Harp - Blues Harmonica Greats
CD, Comp, BCD (7),
Various
The Next Best Thing (Music From The Motion Picture)
2000, ,
Pop Rock/House/Soundtrack/Electro/Downtempo/Synth-pop/Ballad
Sting
Ten Summoner's Tales
,
Soft Rock/Pop Rock