Companion Star

by Sarah Allen

Written for a dear friend, this tune was composed after I read that some stars are gravitationally bound to each other and orbit around each other – I imagine them dancing quietly together, taking care of each other, each always looking out for the other.

Sarah is best known as a founder member of award-winning flute-based Anglo-Irish quartet, Flook, who will be celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2025. Though originally classically trained, Sarah’s first outings as a professional musician saw her playing alongside legendary free jazz drummer, John Stevens, whose approach to music challenged everything she had previously learned. Onwards from there, she joined ramshackle political big band, The Happy End, and the much loved The Barely Works. Sarah has also played with The Waterboys, Oysterband, Show of Hands, Phil Cunningham and many others.