Album signing marks major moment for Kilkenny music scene
A new album written, recorded, and produced in the Old KCR radio station Kilkenny, is set to be
released on the Detroit-based Sound Signature label, marking a major moment for the local music
The project, created by East West Assembly — made up of Shane Tobler, Sean Montgomery Deitz, Cian Frawley — was developed at the iconic Crossroads Recording Studio in Kilkenny, where the group has been quietly honing their sound over many years.
In search of the right collaborator, the group reached out to renowned Detroit vocalist Monica Blaire, who immediately connected with the music and travelled to Ireland for the first time to record
in the Kilkenny countryside. The sessions at Crossroads resulted in a collection of recordings that
would go on to take an unexpected journey back to Detroit.
There, the tracks came to the attention of Theo Parrish, one of the most respected figures in the
Detroit music scene and founder of the Sound Signature label. Deeply resonating with the project,
Parrish is now in the process of mixing the album ahead of its official release on the label.
For the group, and for the wider Kilkenny and Irish music scene, the signing represents a significant
and proud milestone — the result of decades spent committed to their craft and to an independent,
underground approach to music-making.
Sean Montgomery Deitz and Cian Frawley, in particular, have been carving their own path through the Irish music scene for over 20 years, alongside Shane Tobler, consistently putting in the work both as artists and as builders of a creative space in Kilkenny.
Through Crossroads Recording Studio, they have fostered a community around music, collaboration, and expression, making this moment not only a personal achievement, but one shared by a wider network that has grown steadily over time.
To mark this milestone, Theo Parrish and the Sound Signature family will travel to Ireland for a
special event at The Savoy in Cork on May 9, 2026.
The event will celebrate the collaboration and offer audiences an early opportunity to experience the project in a live setting.