Accordion
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Island to Island – Traditional Music from Ireland and Newfoundland
Press Reviews
FolkWorld CD Reviews
Traditional Music from Ireland and Newfoundland off the east coast of Canada. “Talamh an Éisc” (land of the fishes) as the island is known in the Irish language.
Legend has it that Saint Brendan undertook the voyage across the Atlantic in the 6th century. Seriously recorded Irish settlement began in Newfoundland in the 17th century, mainly from the South-East, the counties Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny and Tipperary. Indeed, by the late 18th century, the Irish were the 2nd largest group in Canada.
Today about 4 of 30 million Canadians claim Irish ancestry. Placenames, phrases, accents, a traditon of house dancing and lilting clearly indicate the Irish connection. The fiddle is the predominant instrument regarding traditional music, the button accordion is popular as well, usually accompanied by the piano.
So it’s a meeting of cousins: Bodhran player Paddy Mackey (Black Dog Bodhrans), guitar players Mick Daly (Arcady, Four Men and a Dog, Lee Valley String Band) and Jason Whelan, banjo player Billy Sutton, accordeon players Aidan Coffey (De Dannan) and Graham Wells, fiddlers Colin Carrigan and Séamus Creagh. Concerning the latter, “Island to Island” actually is almost a Séamus Creagh album in disguise. Originally from Westmeath but residing in Cork, Séamus is one of the best exponents of the Sliabh Luachra style. Not many traces here, straightforward jigs and reels prevail.
Séamus spent five years in Newfoundland (1988-93), during which he taught and played traditional music with a number of St John’s musicians. “Island to Island” is the meeting of two traditions sharing an ample amount of common ground, energy and fun. Walkin’ T:-)M
The Living Tradition Dec/ Jan 2004
This is a very interesting CD, bringing together the music of traditions separated by 2000 miles of ocean. The traditions in question being the Irish and that of Newfoundland, are nowhere near that far apart musically. Irish emigration to Newfoundland has a long and fairly unique history. According to the information contained in the notes the first Irish settlers in Newfoundland were from the southeast, Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny and Tipperary, many left before the Great Famine.
Newfoundland’s isolation has meant that until recently the Irish musical influence has been left uncontaminated.
So most of the music on this CD is very Irish in both sound and structure.
Some of the musicians, the Irish ones, Seamus Creagh, Aidan Coffey, Mick Daly among others are known to me and
I am sure to readers of L.T. The Newfoundlanders are new to me.
However, everyone is a fine musician and on top form. The tunes are a mixture of old and new, bet you couldn’t tell which is which without referring to the notes, from both Ireland and Newfoundland.
Island to Island is a most enjoyable CD of well played traditional music, some from one of the most well known of traditions, some from a tradition that may sound familiar but is much less well known.
Island-to-lsland is an unusual project and worthy of support buy it and enjoy the music;
the academic interest is a bonus. Danny Saunders
The Irish Music Magazine Aug 2003
The word, reflections, or alternatively, retrospectives, could be useful subtitles for this new CD, which brings together the music and the musicians of the two Atlantic Islands, Ireland and Newfoundland.
Anyone who has been a reader of this magazine over the years will know of my personal interest in Talamh an Eisc as Newfoundland in known in the Irish language, so I’ll admit right away a definite pleasure in just seeing the CD appear on my desk. That pleasure was greatly added to by listening to it later.
The production was made possible not only through the efforts of the musicians and the producers themselves, but also through the backing and support of An Chomhairle Ealaion, (The Arts Council of Ireland) and the Ireland Newfoundland Partnership. Over the past few years, the latter organization has done great work in creating opportunities for business, educational, research, and cultural groups and individuals in Ireland and Newfoundland to promote and develop mutual interests and joint projects. Long may it flourish.
But to the recording itself; in an introduction to the detailed and very useful CD notes, musician and broadcaster, Peter Browne, observes that listening to the music “suggests a comfortable meeting of cousins who have not seen one another in a while”. He adds, “tunes from both traditions blend easily together and there is a unity of sound that could not be contrived”. Exactly; and what I like also is the pace and the delivery of the music is easy and fluid, no trick o’ the loop stuff, but just letting the music speak for itself, as it were, which allows the listener to identify who is playing what and how.
Fiddle player, Seamus Creagh spent five years in Newfoundland (1988-93) and while he’ll no doubt acknowledge
That he gained a lot from his time there; it has to be said also that he has made an enormous contribution to the Newfoundland as a player and teacher. The other Irish musicians with him on this CD are Aidan Coffey, (accordion), and Mick Daly, (guitar). The Newfoundlanders are Graham Wells, (accordion), Billy Sutton, (banjo), Jason Whelan, (bouzouki/ guitar), Colin Carrigan, (fiddle) and Paddy Mackey, (bodhran). Aidan O’Hara.
The Irish Post 12/7/03
The culture and music of Newfoundland is remarkedly similar to Ireland — even though 3,000 miles of ocean separates the two areas.
Indeed, the accent of the average Newfoundlander is so similar to the Irish that there is one celebrated case of an Irish musician being especially irked on arriving in this corner of Canada to discover that people enjoyed mocking him by imitating his accent.
It was only the hapless musician turned on the local telly that he realised this was the way they spoke in the area.
The accent of the music is similar — mainly because there has been a Celtic presence in Newfoundland since the 17th century.
Here in the north east corner of Canada, traditional music has been transplanted some 3000 miles from its Irish roots.
However, instead of being in anyway watered down by new world influences, if anything the music seems closer to the original form than most you might happen across in Ireland today.
In Island to Island, the links between the two music cultures is explored by a crack outfit of Irish and Newfie musicians.
Fiddle and accordion are the two dominant melody instruments, backed by bodhran, bouzouki, guitar and even the odd tenor banjo.
The fiddling of Seamus Creagh, a Westmeath fiddler, not only employs some of the characteristics of the Midlands (of Ireland) — he also uses some of the Scottish influences of nearby Cape Breton: short bow, lots of that characteristic Scot’s “snap”,
and with the triplet often being preferred to the more languid Irish roll on the notes.
The CD is packed full of traditional goodies — a great job is made of two particularly attractive double jigs, Lizzie’s Jig and Sam’s Jig, written by the respected Newfoundland fiddler, Rufus Guinchard (1899 – 1990) — but really the standard throughout is exemplary.
The only criticism might be that a little light and shade could have crept into proceedings — the odd air or song might well have been a welcome contrast to the wall-to-wall reels and jigs.
But that’s a small criticism. You’d have to recommend this album to anyone who loves Celtic music.
Or indeed to anyone who just enjoys a one-night stand with the tradition. Malcolm Rogers. 3/5
The Irish World 27.6.03
Two thousand miles of ocean water may separate Newfoundland and Ireland, but the two communities have m ore in common than you would imagine, especially musically.
This beautiful collection of music represents the meeting of two traditions sharing an amount of common ground. Newfoundland and Ireland have many similarities in both the dance and music tradition and this album demonstrates a “meeting of cousins”. Broadcaster and folklorist, Aidan O’Hara has conducted considerable research into the music and songs of Newfoundland, finding similarities such as the importance of house dances known as “sprees” or “times” during the lengthy winter nights and even a tradition at one time of dancing masters.
Island to Island album features some of the finest musicians from both islands. Seamus Creagh, Mick Daly abd Aidan Coffey, all highly respected traditional Irish musicians combine with Graham Wells, Billy Sutton, Jason Whelan, Colin Carrigan and Paddy Mackey from the Newfoundland tradition to give us this unique album containing both historical depth and musical dexterity. Xenia Poole.
The first Irish settlers in Newfoundland were from the South-East – the counties of Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny and Tipperary and they were unique among Irish emigrants to North America in that they went there before the
Famine. Placenames, phrases and, most remarkably, accents in Newfoundland indicate strongly the Irish connections and I know of one Irish musician in recent times who, on arrival in St. John’s, felt quite insulted by, as he thought, his own accent being imitated to his face. The truth of the matter only dawned when, after several conversations, he realised that the problem had been caused simply by the similarity of the local accent to his own
Aidan O’Hara, a broadcaster and folklorist, conducted considerable research into the music and songs of Newfoundland and made many valuable recordings there in the 1970s. He found similarities, such as the importance of house dances known as “sprees” or “times” during the long months of winter isolation, lilting and even a tradition at one time of dancing masters.
No wonder therefore, that listening to the music played by these Irish and Newfoundland musicians suggests a comfortable meeting of cousins who had not seen one another for a while. Tunes from both traditions blend easily
together and there is a unity of sound that could not be contrived. All of the musicians playing on this recording are highly skilled and in a perfect position to bring out the essential nature and feeling in the tunes. It is a unique experiment, which succeeds in providing both interesting and enjoyable listening”. Peter Browne RTE MUSIC PRODUCER and uilleann piper.
The Musicians.
Seamus Creagh (fiddle) is one of the most respected fiddle players in Ireland; He is originally from Westmeath, but now resides in Cork. his relaxed style has brought him to international prominence, particularly his duets with Jackie Daly and Aidan Coffey. He spent 5 years in Newfoundland (1988-93), during which he taught and played traditional music with a number of St John’s musicians. He made regular appearances at the St John’s Folk Club, and folk festivals. His solo album, Came The Dawn was recorded at Daydeen’s Studios, (St John’s) and also featured Don Walsh, Paddy Mackey and Rob Murphy. The album was released by Ossian (OSSCD90) in 1993. While in St John’s, Seamus was also a member of the band, Tickle Harbour, and appeared on their album, The Brule Boys in Paris. He also worked as a session musician ona number of other Newfoundland albums. Since he has returned to live in Ireland, he has been visited by a constant stream of Newfoundland musicians.
Mick Daly (guitar) is from Cork City and is a long-time player on the shifting Irish traditional music scene. He has been a member of Arcady, Any Old Time, Four Men & A Dog, Mary Black Band and Lee Valley String Band. He has been
playing for many years with Seamus and Aidan in traditional sessions in Cork City. As well as being a much sought after
guitar accompanist, he is also a well-known vocalist and 5 string bluegrass banjo player.
Aidan Coffey (accordion) is from County Waterford on the south coast of Ireland. His early repertoire was derived from sessions of traditional music during the early 1980’s around west Waterford. He uses the “press and draw” C#/D and D/D#.
For the last 10 years, he has been playing hand-made French accordions b Salterelle and uses the Salterelle Nuage ( three voice with stoppers and conventional 8- bass) model. He has played and recorded with De DANANN. with Frankie Gavin and Arty McGlynn as a trio, and also with Seamus Creagh. He plays mostly around Cork with Seamus and Mick.
Graham Wells (accordion) At 22 years of age, Graham has already logged 16 years behind the bellows in his hometown of
St John’s, Newfoundland. While recent musical stints have seen him on stage with such groups as, The St Pat’s Dancers, Connemara, and A Crowd of Bold Sharemen, he is perhaps most closely associated with the local session scene. Graham
has played as important role in establishing traditional music sessions in St John’s, and currently hosts two weekly sessions downtown.
Billy Sutton (banjo) is a multi-instrumentalist, an excellent player on more instruments than we have ink to name. Raised in Harbour Grace, he has performed as a freelance musician throughout Newfoundland and has toured Canada extensively
with his group, The Fables. In his spare time, Billy has been known to teach, compose and produce albums.
Jason Whelan (bouzouki, guitar) has been playing music professionally in Newfoundland snce 1989, with such diverse acts as, The Roger Howse Band, Connemara, The Plankerdown Band, and The Punters. He also owns and operates, The Sound Solution Recording Studio. When not playing, he enjoys madrigals and interpretive dance (not necessarily in that order).
Colin Carragan (fiddle) has been involved in Newfoundland music for most of his life. Over the past decade, he has travelled
in Quebec, Ontario and Northern England, pursuing music professionally as a solo and group performer, while practising his trade as a violin and mandolin maker. Colin’s commitment to Newfoundland traditional music hinges upon his repertoire of the fiddle tunes of Rufus Ginchard and Emile Benoit, and the dance tunes from around the island
Paddy Mackey (bodhran) is the brains behind Black Dog Bodhrans, Paddy, is perhaps the longest-standing instrument maker in St John’s, Newfundland. He’s also lent his tipper to many bands in town throughout the years, notably Tickle Harbour and Jeezus Murphy. As his building talents spill over into furniture making and house carpentry, so does his muse occasionally
draw a 4 stop accordion to his knee.
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Joe Derrane, Seamus Connolly John McGann: The Boston Edge
Press Reviews
The Wall Street Journal
The wearing of the green is upon us, a time to dye for, St. Patrick’s Day. Beer, beef, beans, bread and broth suddenly take on the hue of the
Emerald Isle, and too often the Irish music heard on March 17 is not much more appetizing or genuine.
The following albums are an exception. Consider them a three-leaf shamrock of music rooted mainly in the turf of centuries-old tradition.
This is blarney-free music, the kind that stays green without trying, all year round.
“The Boston Edge” is a triumph of equal impact. Released late last year by Mapleshade Records, a small, independent label in Maryland, the album is perfectly titled for the razor-sharp music of Boston-area trio Joe Derrane on button accordion, Séamus Connolly on fiddle, and John McGann on guitar and mandolin.
Derrane, who celebrated his 75th birthday yesterday, is the most talented Irish-style button accordionist America has ever produced. Born of Irish immigrant parents in Boston, he initially recorded from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s, then took a nearly 40-year hiatus from playing the button accordion in public. His performance on May 29, 1994, at an Irish folk festival in Vienna, Va.’s Wolf Trap launched what many regard as the greatest comeback in the history of Irish music, culminating for him in a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2004.
Renowned for his triplets (three notes played in the time normally taken by two notes) and hornpipes (dance tunes usually in 4/4 time), Derrane sparkles in this inspired collaboration with Connolly, a 10-time All-Ireland fiddle champion, and McGann, a much-in-demand accompanist.
Never letting virtuosity or velocity overwhelm a melody, they play within the structure of a tune while infusing it with fresh, interpretive gusto.
It is in the details where this recording soars. The trio’s deftly ornamented playing of such reels as “The Curragh Races/The Skylark/The
Reconciliation” and “Patsy Touhey’s/The Gooseberry Bush/Reilly’s” represents Irish traditional instrumental music at its most propulsive and soulful. For taste and touch, it’s hard to top “The Boston Edge,” Earle Hitchner
Irish Music Magazine March 2005
It’s about time that two of the most respected and masterful traditional musicians in the Boston area got together to record a CD. Seamus Connolly, fiddle, and Joe Derrane, button accordion, share a number of remarkable attributes: both were lauded in their early careers as prodigies of their respective instruments, both are accomplished tunesmiths, whose compositions have passed into the traditional repertoire, and both are centres of the Boston area traditional music community and heroes to a younger generation of musicians and enthusiasts.
Their musical styles, however, are quite distinct: Seamus Connolly is known for his gorgeous tone and fluid, inventive phrasings; and Joe Derrane’s playing is all clear, crisp precision and brilliant ornamentation. What is perhaps most striking about The Boston Edge is the fact that these two very different approaches are meshed seamlessly, with John McGann’s able and versatile guitar and mandolin accompaniment, into a whole that reflects the respect these musicians have for each other, the love of their music, and the fun they must have had recording these tunes. The tracks include newly-composed tunes, that are rarely heard in sessions, tunes from the Cape Breton tradition, and tunes that are typical of what one might hear at a Boston-area session.
Each musician is featured in solo pieces, but the real revelation is the freshness and delight the group brings to each of the ensemble sets.
The Boston Edge is cutting-edge stuff. Let’s hope this is just the first of several outings by this outstanding trio. Sally K Sommers Smith
Taplas: The Welsh Folk Magazine
THIS American/Irish trio comprises Joe Derrane on button accordion, fiddler Seamus Connolly and John McGann on guitar and mandolin. The vastly skilful playing reveals the decades of experience these fellows have in the Irish music tradition.
Although there are only three of them, they produce a very full sound, perhaps partly because this was recorded and mastered live in what sounds like a fairly echoey room. The repertoire is mainly traditional Irish session tunes, arranged in a mainly session-like way.
This, the old fashioned style of recording, and the accomplished playing makes it sound like a non-crackly version of an old masterpiece. In fact, Derrane featured on 78-rpm recordings during the 1940s and 1950s, so you can easily guess the influence of his style!
There are a lot of hornpipes – roughly a third of the album consists of them. One features McGann’s solo mandolin track, Whidden’s The Nightlight and Hannah McGann’s – the letter two being his own compositions. Another is the complex, chromatic and downright flash, Petticoat Promenade, written and played by Derrane. This is a great CD for the collection – I just wish there was more of that wonderful mandolin on it. Imogen O’Rourke.
HOT PRESS
Following on the heels of button accordion player Joe Derrane’s 2004 National Heritage Fellowship, this rollicking album sees him teaming up with fiddler Séamus Connolly and their fellow Bostonian, guitarist John McGann.
These three musicians share a bracing, muscular approach and have been playing together long enough to achieve a rare sympathy, easing back or surging forward as a solidly cohesive unit.
The opening set of reels sets the pace, with McGann occasionally breaking effortlessly into melody flat-picking for a bar or two before returning to chordal accompaniment. McGann’s mandolin solo set, Whiddon’s/The Nightlight/Hannah McGann’s (the latter two of which are McGann originals), is another highlight, as are Connolly’s original slow air Remembering Curly and Derrane’s turn in the spotlight on Miss McLeod’s and his own Petticoat Promenade, featuring a jazzy Hot Club de Paris-style backing from McGann. Sarah McQuaid Nine/Ten
www.netrhythms.com
The press handout describes this release thus: “a ‘dream team’ Irish trio plays traditional jigs, reels and airs with passion and originality”, so what gives it the “edge” of the title over other instrumental albums which might be similarly depicted?
Well, the Boston edge refers to the distinct advantage of the superlative virtuosity of the three musicians who come from the Boston (Mass.) area. Button accordionist Joe, fiddler Séamus and guitarist/mandolinist John first played as a trio onstage at a New York club in 1999, an occasion noted by all who attended as bringing to the scene something worth pursuing further, an outstanding tightness of ensemble allied to brilliant solo work.
Cementing the musicians’ approach was their mutual deep respect and enjoyment of each other’s music, and once they’d worked together it then seemed the most natural thing to continue the working relationship. After five years of memorable concert performances, at last we have a recording to treasure.
It highlights their seamless togetherness, boosted by arrangements that are carefully prepared and yet remain flexible enough to allow inspired touches of improvisation or ornamentation or else felicitous swopping-round of the carrying of the melodic line from, say, accordion or fiddle onto guitar, giving surprising and delightful twists to one’s expectations. The skill of these musicians in creatively rethinking well-trodden session staples is stunning, whether they’re tackling sets compiled entirely from Irish sources or mixing in Scottish or Cape Breton tunes to demonstrate the cross-fertilisation and enriching of the different tune traditions.
Highlights of this album for me are the sparkling opening set, the fiery lead work throughout but especially on the amazingly together fiddle/accordion duet that comprises two-thirds of the set of reels on track 9, also on the Humours Of Lisheen/McMahon’s Jig/The Merry Old Woman set (track 7), the joyous sense of rhythm on the hornpipes (track 10), and, on a smaller canvas track 6, an entire set played solo by John on mandolin, a benchmark of agility and imaginative interpretation the like of which you don’t often encounter on albums of Irish traditional music.
But on every single track the playing exhibits a rich but vigorous energy that’s absolutely captivating, with a healthily varied interplay between parts that’s born of true understanding between the players. Each set is played at a sensible speed (not rushed through as if to fit onto one side of a 78!), allowing the felicities of melody to emerge through the spring in the step that the players’ keen rhythmic sense
deploys. And what’s also important, listening to the music on this album rather often brings a smile to the face – a nice touch that (just lend an ear to the delicious swing of track 8 for instance!). It starts off really good, but then just goes on getting better, and you really don’t want it to end!
The only drawback as far as I can hear, albeit a minor one, is with the recorded sound, which isn’t ideally clear, the guitar sound in particular being somewhat boomy or boxy in the ensemble context – or maybe I’ve heard too many state-of-the-engineer’s-art recordings lately? But the 64 minutes of this seriously enjoyable album just fly by – take it from me! David Kidman
The Glasgow Herald 11.12.04
Amid the avalanche of supertalented youngsters who are making traditional music an exciting, hip and gratifyingly youthful artform of the twenty-first century, it’s as well to remember that the older heads still have wisdom and musical examples to share.
Joe Derrane is now on his second career as a button accordionist; his first began in the 78rpm era and he spent thirty-five years as a jobbing keyboard player.
This brand new set with fellow Boston residents, fiddler Seamus Connolly and guitarist-mandolinist John McGann, shows the zest, appetite and musical mastery Derrane restored on his return in 1994.
It’s essentially three musicians playing as one: tightly executed Irish tunes played with heart, self-expression and the richness that comes from long dedication to the music. Rob Adams FOUR STARS
The Irish Echo. Ceol Column 24.11.04 Give the ‘Edge’ to this Boston trio
We New Yorkers can get immodest, spoiled, even complacent about the Irish traditional musical riches in our backyard. But when it comes to
top trad playing, Boston doesn’t have to take a backseat to any other city in America or Ireland.
For proof, listen to “The Boston Edge,” the CD debut of 2004 National Heritage Fellowship-winning button accordionist Joe Derrane, fiddler
Séamus Connolly, and guitar-mandolin player John McGann. Residing or working in and around the Boston area, this trio have created something
altogether rare: an album showing no restraint in individual musical expression yet cohering as a well-rehearsed, mutually sensitive and
responsive unit.
In that respect “The Boston Edge” is a significant improvement on “Ireland’s Harvest,” a Mapleshade CD made in 2002 by Derrane, fiddler Frankie Gavin, and pianist Brian McGrath. I picked it as the fourth-best trad album of that year, but with this caveat: “A sonic imbalance among box, fiddle, and piano (the latter two instruments are too high in the mix), some odd choices in tunes (e.g., ‘The Minstrel Boy’), and the personal tangents taken by producer Paul MacDonald in his liner notes prevent this release from placing higher.”
The seat-of-the-pants, strut-my-stuff approach to playing by Gavin in “Ireland’s Harvest” did generate some heat, but it also resulted in more
dueling than dueting with Derrane. Technique trumped teamwork and partly undercut both Derrane’s trademark preparation and the trio’s overall effectiveness.
“The Boston Edge,” in contrast, shows what can happen when three musicians who have been gigging from time to time during the past five years
put their heads as well as their talents together in the recording studio. It’s obvious that the music has been mapped out with meticulous care but also with enough flexibility to allow inventive flourishes.
Those qualities combine viscerally right from the album’s opening track, “The Curragh Races/The Skylark/The Reconciliation.” This medley of reels breaks out of the gate like Secretariat: strong, spirited, sure-footed. The synaptic sparks and symmetry between Derrane and Connolly are extraordinary, each feeding off the other’s virtuosity and energy, each performing with, not at, the other.
Some accompanists in Irish traditional music can lapse into metronomic rigidity or tepid vamping, and for critics with a blinkered appreciation
of rhythm, an unnoticed accompanist is a good accompanist. John McGann has refused to wear this silly musical straitjacket. He brings plenty of chops and imagination to the CD, laying down a rhythm that can be percussive and driving or finely brushstroked behind Derrane and Connolly.
From time to time McGann tucks in his own nimbly picked passages of melody, and in “Whiddon’s/The Nightlight/Hannah McGann’s” hornpipes,
the last two of which he wrote, McGann showcases his exceptional soloing skill on mandolin.
Backed by McGann on guitar, Derrane offers a jaunty hornpipe-clog pairing, “Miss McLeod’s/Petticoat Promenade,” as his crisply played solo.
The clog is the button accordionist’s own tune and vividly conjures up a scene of Irish girls in rustling skirts out for a night of dancing at one of the five ballrooms dotting Dudley Street in Roxbury, Mass., during the 1940s and ’50s.
Accompanied by McGann on guitar, fiddler Séamus Connolly takes a different tack on his solo, “Remembering Curly/The Twins/Mordaunt’s Fancy.”
The initial slow air, his own composition, is a moving threnody in which Connolly explores, not exploits, honestly felt emotion. It eventually segues
into a hornpipe that he plays with more joyful verve, and the medley finishes with a capering jig that reveals another side of the master fiddler’s touch.
Above all, true teamwork gives this album its finely honed edge. “The De’il and the Dirk/The Trip to Windsor/Brumley Brae” reels, “The Humors of Lisheen/McMahon’s/The Merry Old Woman” jigs, and “The Dash to Portobello/McFarley’s/Geegan’s” reels represent three-part instrumental
playing of the highest order.
There’s also some breathtakingly tight dueting by Derrane and Connolly throughout “Patsy Touhey’s/The Gooseberry Bush/Reilly’s,” with McGann
entering on mandolin just for the third reel. A slice of Django-ish guitar swing by McGann provides a tantalizing intro to “The Man From Newry/The Last of the Twins” hornpipes, where Derrane and Connolly interlock impressively in their ornamentation. The fun of playing together similarly comes across in another pair of hornpipes, “Chief O’Neill’s Favorite/The First of June.”
Not a single moment of weak or mediocre music can be heard on this 14-track recording. “The Boston Edge” is full of tasty tunes, focused
arrangements, unclichéd thinking, transparent communication, and resplendent playing. These three musicians are a bona fide trio, not an
armchair-impulse gathering. They thrive in each other’s company, and I can’t imagine any listener not thriving in theirs. In the parlance of
their beloved Red Sox, this album is a World Series clincher. Earle Hitchner
PAY THE RECKONING.COM
Following Mapleshade’s release of accordionist Derrane’s comeback album – Ireland’s Harvest, which featured Frankie Gavin and Brian McGrath – Mapleshade have succeeded in coaxing the National Heritage award winner back into the studio. In the process they’ve assembled yet another
“dream team”, with Connolly on fiddle and McGann on guitar.
No mistakes, this is a superb album, every bit as compelling as his comeback. Despite (or perhaps because of!) his advanced years, Derrane hasn’t lost the magic touch that teases impossibly inventive ornaments from his box; at the same time he manages to be incisively precise and crisp in his playing. Connolly, of course, is equally renowned for his inventivess and McGann is a much sought-after accompanist, whose chords and runs anchor the tune, but never dominate his fellow musicians.
So it’s no surprise that this is an album, which elevates the senses. It brims with good humour and abandon. Three master musicians have chimed in to create a modern masterpiece. Aidan Crossey.Joe Derrane.
Joe Derrane, born in Boston, Ma. In 1930 to Irish immigrant parents developed a deep and abiding love for the accordion and traditional Irish music from a very early age. Around 1940, he started studying the 10 key melodeon with the great Jerry O
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John Regan & Paddy Glackin – Let Down the Blade
The Golden Keyboard / The Bellharbour Reel
The Maid at the Spinning Wheel / A Visit to Ireland
The Queen of the Fairies / Victoria Hornpipes
The Flax in Bloom / Colonel Rodney
The Tailor’s Twist / The Friendly Visit
Billy McCormack’s / The Ship in Full Sail
The Greencastle Hornpipe / The Kildare Fancy
The Maid at the Well / The Knocknagow Jig
Tom Ward’s Downfall / The Piper’s Despair
The Road to Ballymac / The Policeman’s Request
Sliabh Russell / Bimis ag Ol
Spillane the Fiddler / President Garfield
Scotch Mary / Farewell to London
Buttermilk Mary / The Knights of St Patrick
James F. Dickie / Drops of Brandy
The Laurel Bush / The Sligo Lasses
The Waltz from “Coppelia”
Mulqueeney’s Hornpipe
Miss Langton’s / The Copperplate
Press Reviews
Folk Roots Aug/Sept 2000
John Regan is a north Sligo button box player who moved to Dublin some years ago and bumbed into players like Mary Bergin and a young Paddy Glackin.
Paddy joins John for five tracks and Mary Corcoran’s solid piano underpin a regular but lively selection of reels, jigs and hornpipes that will appeal to his fans.
Joe Crane
The LivingTradition May/June 2000
Back when I’d aspirations to play the button box, I used to listen to as much of John Regan’s playing as possible. My playing didn’t improve but I liked his style, and still do. He partnered fiddler Paddy Glackin on the first ever Comhaltas concert tour of Britain, back about 197O~ Somewhere, I’ve a tape of him playing in the square in Listowel in 1972; no audience, just playing for the love of it. He seemed to drop out of earshot for a long time but he certainly didn’t rust away, because he’s as good as ever I remember him. This is good Sligo-style accordion, crisp and driving, without over-ornamentation. There’s obviously influence from Joe Burke, but Regan’s his own man all the time.
The 19 tracks are a balanced mixture of reels, jigs, and more hompipes than you’d normally expect. Most are familiar, some less so. Besides solos, John plays 5 duets with Paddy Glackin, and accordion duets with each of his young sons, CoIm and Donal. Most tracks have Mary Corcoran’s sensitive and unobtrusive piano accompaniment, a welcome change from some of the piano drivers I’ve heard. A happy combination is of strathspey and slip jig; unusual, but it works. ‘James F Dickie” just slides into a Donegal version of “Drops of Brandy”. The surprise of the album is a duet with Donal on piano on Delibes’ Waltz from “Coppelia”. I’m usually scornful of “cross-over” but if this is what it’s about, then I’m all for it. I suppose it’s evidence that good music is universal and timeless.
The inlay notes are concise and adequate, with the sources of each tune, and tributes to many other musicians, from Patsy Tuohy to the current crop. Definitely one for the more discerning accordion fan.
(By the way, I finally gave up on the box. I realised that nof only did the left hand not know what the right hand was doing, it didn’t even know what it was doing itself.) Mick Furey.
Irish Music Mag
From John Regan, one of the finest accordionists over the past 20 years, comes a new recording that will delight those who have enjoyed his tasteful and relaxed approach to music. Featuring plenty of well known tunes alongside ones of rarity, John Regan strikes a lovely balance on this recording with sets such as The Flax in Bloom/ Colonel Rodney, showing the flowing and unforced quality which is such a hallmark of his playing. Featuring piano accompaniment throughout from the able Mary Corcoran, this album also sees a guest appearance by fiddler Paddy Glackin who joins John for many a fine set. Similarly to Brian Rooney’s album, John plays the great jig, Buttermilk Mary and what great spirit there is in this playing. Another track of note sees John joined by his son, Colm, for a beautifully measured set of unusual reels, The Road to Ballymac/The Policeman’s Request. A most welcome addition to the collection of accordion albums, which like most others, is continually growing. Oisin MacDiarmada. Dec/Jan 2,000
The Irish Post
Irish music is simple. You get three good musicians, pick a couple of dozen tunes from the traditional repertoire of 6,000 pieces and press the record button.
Don’t add anything fancy, mind. Just use a top-class accordion player, (John Regan), a top-notch fiddler (Paddy Glackin), and one of the finest piano accompanists around (Mary Corcoran from the Templehouse Ceili Band).
What you end up with is a memorable traditional album with no frills, just plenty of great music. Let Down the Blade opens with a haunting reel, The Golden Keyboard, composed by Galway man, Martin Mulhaire, who has spent most of his life in New York. This well structured tune has shades of that great Irish set piece, Drowsy Maggie about it, but is altogether less jaunty, giving the melody an added poignancy. Played on the button accordion by John Regan you can almost hear the strains of the immigrant in the Bronx wafting through the air.
John Regan is originally from north Sligo, but moved to Dublin in 66, which accounts for the inclusion of jigs such as Sliabh Russell and Bimis ag Ol on the album, two favourites of pipers and fiddlers in the late 60s/early 70s, but not heard so often these days. John’s sojourn in Dublin however has given him an eclectic repertoire from which to choose. Everything from the definitive Michael Coleman version of the huge reel Tom Ward’s Downfall to the welcome inclusion of that Scottish traditional oddity the Strathspey.
There is one delightful aberration on Let Down the Blade — The Waltz from the ballet, Copelia by the 19th century composer Leo Delibes. From The Geese in the Bog to Swan Lake in one ethnomusicological leap! But I tell you what — it’s a great version and the most ballet I’ve listened to all year. Bravo, as they say at Covent Garden, both to Copelia’s Waltz, and to the whole album. Malcolm Rogers, Dec/Jan 2,000
The Irish World
Of all instruments used in traditional music, the accordion is probably my least favourite, but even so, in the hands of John Regan, and his sons Colm and Donal, it creates quite an effective sound. With fiddler Paddy Glackin and accompanist Mary Corcoran on hand to lend their two-pence worth, there is plenty of music on this 19-track album to fill the ear.
The tracks include, hornpipes: Queen of the Fairies/Victoria/The Tailor’s Twist/The Friendly Visit, Spillane the Fiddler/President Garfield’s, jigs, The Maid at the Spinning Wheel/The Knocknagow, and reels like, Miss Langton’s/The Copperplate, most with the bouncy nature that the accordion offers.
Both Colm and Donal Regan currently hold All-Ireland titles on the box, and the duets with their father make this album a family affair. L.A.Livingston
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Johnny Connolly – An Mileoidean Scaoilte
Press Reviews
“This CD should be in everybody’s collection of traditional music”. Joe Mullarkey The Irish Post
“Johnny Connolly is an acknowledged master: possibly the greatest Irish melodeon player ever, certainly the best of his generation”.
The Living Tradition
“An instant classic . . . a memorable recording of Irish dance music”, Alex Monaghan/ The Living Tradition.
“This thoroughly wonderful CD is available from Copperplate Distribution”, Rod Stradling, editor, Musical Traditions web site
The Stillwater Times Reviews Star Rating: ****
“Johnny Connolly is an acknowledged master: possibly the greatest Irish melodeon player ever, certainly the best of his generation..
” The Living Tradition
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Johnny Connolly – Drioball na Fainleoige (The Swallow’s Tail)
The Swallow’s Tail
Si do Mhamo I / gan Ainm
Cuz Teehan’s / The Blackbird
Cooley’s / Come West Along The Road
The Annabla Polkas 2+1
Na Ceannabhain Bhana / Paidin O’Raifeartaigh
Amhran Mhainse
Rileanna Chois Fharraige
Give Us A Drink of Water / Hardiman the Fiddler
Kiely Cotter / The Bridge of Athlone / The Cuil Aodha Slide
The Trip to Barbados(That’s Right Too) / The Leading Role
Johnny Seoighe
The Bee’s Wing / The High Level Hornpipe
Poirt Inis Bearachain
The Bucks of Oranmore
The Friendly Robin / The Dawn Chorus
Press Reviews
The Irish Times
Fiddler/ Pianist Charlie Lennon and guitarist Steve Cooney combine with Connemara melodeon/accordion guru Connolly to produce a truly wonderful thoroughly rhythmic collection of Reels, Jigs, Flings, Hornpipes and Song.
The Living Tradition
His playing is sharp and solid and has a lovely warm quality to it…Each note is in place and spun with the hand of a weaver.
Musical Traditions
Johnny is a great technician and plays with a great deal of drive.
Rock’n’Reel
Johnny Connolly’s command of the melodeon allows some bright, sparkling moments of inspiration on Cuz Teehan’s and The Annabla Polkas. The Swallow’s Tail shows conclusively that Connolly is a very gifted traditional musician.
Sing Out
This album proves Johnny Connolly to be a mighty player of the melodeon. He plays with a strong rhythmic sense and depth of emotion not often reached by other boxplayers. There is an earthiness to his sound that seems to touch a lost chord in the soul.
Taplas
Enemies of the accordion family have its nomenclature on their side; melodeon, for instance, means different things in different places. In Ireland, it’s the humble instrument with one row of right-hand buttons and this is what Johnny Connolly plays. There’s a humility in this man too. His playing is understated and measured, but wonderfully rhythmic, forever exploring new twists and turns of expression. Charlie Lennon’s inventive piano accompaniments are exemplary (he’s also there on fiddle) and Steve Cooney’s more up-front guitar suits the two tracks of polkas and slides. Drioball na Fainleoige, meaning The Swallow’s Tail (which tune Connolly plays in three different keys) is a great second album from one of Ireland’s finest but less vaunted traditional musicians. John Neilson
The Living Tradition
Johnny Connolly’s debut album An tOile n Aerach received fulsome plaudits in the pages of this magazine, which rated it one of the musical highlights of its year of release, 1991. This pair of welcome new offerings from Clo Iar-Chonnachta are ample indication that the phenomenon which caused so much excitement back then was no flash in the pan, and that, indeed, what we’re dealing with here is … well, a living tradition.
Dreaming Up the Tunes is as fine an example as you’d hope to meet of a son following in an illustrious father’s footsteps. But to deal with the dad first:
Johnny senior – known as Sean-Johnny (“Old Johnny”) to distinguish him from his talented offspring – has presented us here with another virtuoso display of eclecticism and swing on the melodeon and accordion. The tunes come from all over the place – Johnny obviously has a soft spot for Kerry music, and slides and polkas are well represented here, played with a naturalness and surety of touch rare among non-Kerry musicians, unobtrusive accompaniment from the ubiquitous Steve Cooney perhaps helping the case. As might be expected, music from Johnny’s homeplace in Cois Fharraige is also well to the fore, song airs from Connemara providing the basis for dance tunes in a couple of cases, as in his slip-jig version of P id
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Johnny Og Connolly & Brian McGrath – Dreaming Up The Tunes
Gan Ainm / Doberman’s Wallet
Paddy Ryan’s Dream / Jimmy Batty’s
Mick O’Connor’s Reels
The Happy Hornpipe / The Souvenir
The Inis Bearachain Jigs
Ril Johnny Phadraig Pheter / Ril Joe Mhaire Mhicilin
Christmas in Spiddal / Twelve to the Bar
The Carraroe Jig / Homage to Rooney
Mountain Dew / Loughrea Reel
Dillon’s / Marion Egan’s
Bean Phaidin / Seanamhach Tube Station
Michael Coleman’s / Flanagan Meets O’Hanlon Barndances
Press Reviews
Taplas
Johnny Og is Johnny’s senior’s son and plays the slightly larger two-row button accordion with a beautiful fluent, light touch. The great Joe Burke was one of his early influences. Virtuoso banjo player Brian McGrath, one of the founders of Four Men and A Dog, currently plays in Sean Keane’s Band and At The Racket. He and Johnny Og have played together for years; there’s both tightness and an easy give and take in their duo playing. Distinguished accompanists here too, James Blennerhasset on cello and double bass, Eugene Kelly and Peter O’Hanlon on guitars and McGrath on piano. The title is apt. Several of the tunes are recent compositions by, among others, Charlie Lennon and Johnny Og himself, whose fine, intricate tunes include the lovely set of jigs Poirt Inis Bearachain(also featured on his father’s CD) and named after the now uninhabited Island off the Connemara coast, where Johnny Connolly Snr was born John Neilson
The Living Tradition
All are played with gusto and the box and banjo keep each other company with microsecond-precise timing, producing an overall sound that positively throbs with vitality.
The Irish Voice
The full maturity of Irish banjo and box playing has never been demonstrated better.
Dirty Linen
Johnny plays with a fine sense of rhythm, but also very melodically with smooth execution, a light touch and nice ornamentation.
The Examiner
Good honest playing of the highest order. Johnny Og’s strong, yet sensitive, accordion style combines perfectly with Brian’s crisp banjo picking
City Tribune
An album which mixes freshness and spontaneity with professionalism that is their second nature.
The Living Tradition
Johnny Connolly’s debut album An tOile n Aerach received fulsome plaudits in the pages of this magazine, which rated it one of the musical highlights of its year of release, 1991. This pair of welcome new offerings from Cl
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Le Cheile – Out of the West
Le Chéile was formed from musicians who played regularly in The White Hart, Fulham Broadway in the early 1970’s. The 1960s and ’70s were golden years for traditional Irish music in London when musicians played before packed audiences and sparked the revival which went on to spread back home and around the globe. Le Chéile were the cult trad Irish group of 1970s London, producing some of the most memorable recordings of the time. The 1970s album Lord Mayo, was reissued on CD in 2006. To coincide with that release the surviving original band members — master fiddler Danny Meehan, Liam Farrell (banjo), John Roe (piano) and Kevin Boyle (guitar) — reformed alongside new recruits, flautist Paul Gallagher and Andy Martyn (box).
So now they’re back, adding powerful momentum to the revivalist movement within Irish music today with their exciting new big band mix of back to basics traditional Irish music from Donegal and Galway.
In March 2008 the boys began recording their long awaited third album which has now arrived.
This is the first new ‘Le Cheile’ album since 1977. A CD re-release in 2007 by Limerick University of a compilation of albums made in 1974 and 1977 reignited the band and with new members, Andy Martyn and Paul Gallagher, we returned to the studio in 2008 to put together recently developed selections of music. Though once entirely instrumental, we now incorporate songs into our repertoire.
We would like to thank our producer and engineer Gerry Diver for his great skill and remarkable patience during the recording of this album. Also, thanks to all of those who have supported and given endless encouragement to Le Cheile and the ‘Scene’ over the years. Particular thanks to the Cartys (Maureen, James & John), Annette Roland, Alan O’Leary, Austin Dawe, Bill Walsh, Lisa Knapp, Steve Dent, Karen Ryan and Noel & Mary at the ‘Kilkenny’ South Wimbledon. A particular thank you to Brendan Mulkere who is largely responsible for getting the band back together after all these years and to Niall and Sean Keegan of Limerick University for their work in releasing our 2006 CD ‘Lord Mayo’.
Also to our families and friends whose inspiration and encouragement helped us capture our music in this album.
Also available from Copperplate
Danny Meehan: The Navvy on the Shore
Kevin Boyle: Palestine Grove
Gerry Diver: Diversions
Press Reviews
Chicago Irish News
This group is a London-based quintet sent to us by Alan O’Leary at Copperplate Distribution and Promotions. Copperplate is the best and only handles the best. Le Cheile is wonderful. These guys make you feel that they are right there with you in an incredible session. They have a ball, and just play it ahead. Lay it out, and “Bob’s ‘yer uncle”. This is the stuff we all love. The vocals are not to be believed. Every now and then we hear an album and smile through the whole thing. This is one of those. Terrific, wonderful music. Bill Margeson
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Luke Daniels – The Mighty Box
Since releasing my first solo album Tarantella in 1994 I have made many different recordings but began to feel the need to make another record of my accordion playing after starting to explore the interesting possibilities of an A and B flat tuned keyboard. I have not changed any of the keys of the tunes on this record but instead, have enjoyed using a range of new fingering patterns thrown up by thinking a tone higher than normal to produce the old notes.
I recorded the tunes with Junior Davey over two days at Doolittle recording studios Co Sligo in a playing marathon I am unlikely to repeat. As a result the playing is raw, spontaneous and full of life. I’m especially grateful to the contributions of Seamie O’Dowd and Dennis Cahill whose accompaniment and musicianship helped turn this feast of Irish accordion playing into a wonderful listening experience.
Press Reviews
www.liveIreland.com
Luke Daniels is one of our favorite button box players in the world, and has been for some time. He is out with a fabulous double album, entitled The Mighty Box. We first heard him years ago with the iconic, Reeltime. He stayed with us here in Chicago, and we also met him in Ireland for a couple nights at Reeltime founder, Chris Kelly’s home. Magic memories, now lost in the veil of history. At that time, he had been selected by the BBC as Young Musician of the Year. That was many years ago (enough that it would be indelicate of you to ask what specific year) again, all lost in the veil. However, he has gone on to wonderful things since then. He is a master of the traditional form and is also extraordinarily creative at the same time. An extremely gifted musician. If you love Irish button box, this album is a must. Be aware that there are stretches of trad perfection, accompanied by brilliant modern touches. This is magic. This is Luke Daniels. This is the best. Wow! Let us repeat, Wow! Bill Margeson
The Living Tradition Jan/Feb 2012
The title is a suitable description for the elegantly constructed white box housing the two CDs constituting this amazing magnum opus from accordionist Luke Daniels. The statistics themselves are astonishing to anyone familiar with recording work. 71 tracks (compiled from traditional Irish music manuscript collections, other contemporary musicians’ sessions and recorded output, and eight of Luke’s own compositions) amounting to almost 110 minutes of music recorded over two days at a studio in County Sligo in, as Luke self-confessedly, and perhaps unsurprisingly, puts it, “a playing marathon I am unlikely to repeat!”
The wide assemblage of tunes embraces strathspeys, reels, jigs, slip jigs, hornpipes, slides and other Irish tunes spanning over three centuries and resonant with wider Celtic echoes, Cape Breton in particular. The pieces, each of which is described in detailed tune notes based on research at the Traditional Music Archive in Dublin, are organised in an array of 24 tune sets that must assure Luke’s perpetual place in the pantheon of great box players.
Consistent agility, fluidity and dynamic sense characterise his playing of a button accordion with the keyboard tuned to A/Bb allowing him to present the traditional tunes in conventional keys but using intricate fingering patterns that provide a refreshing originality. His playing forms the foreground of a beautifully balanced soundscape with, equally consistently, excellent and empathetic accompaniment from, in the main, Seamie O’Dowd (guitars – steel strung, 12 string and resonator; harmonica and fiddle), Junior Davey (bodhran) Dennis Cahill (guitar and cittern) and Rick Foot (double bass). The recording has a very live feel and is of such a clear quality as to suggest the musicians are in the room playing for you!
This album is a truly great achievement by this ever imaginative, interesting and versatile player imbued with an innate sense of Irish traditional music and the wider Gaelic tradition but open to contemporary ways of reinterpretation and arrangement. Personally, I’ve a modest interest in the button accordion as an instrument but found myself in no way tired or distracted at relentless exposure to so much instrumental tune music. The intricate melodic detail and rhythmic intensity of the music is both magnetic and compelling; indeed I challenge anyone to listen to it and sit still! Kevin T Ward
Irish Music Magazine
There’s so much to absorb in the latest release from the highly accomplished box player Luke Daniels. The Mighty Box encompasses a staggering seventy one tunes in its double CD format that are an amalgamation of his own compositions, session derivatives and tunes sourced from traditional music archives. His Doug Briggs crafted accordion tuned to A/Bb explores intricate fingering structures that toy with the traditional in a fresh and invigorating manner.
This successful experimentation is strengthened by the able accompaniment of guitar stalwarts, Seamie O’Dowd and Dennis Cahill, Junior Davey on bodhran, bass player Rick Foot, percussionist, Gigi Bioclati and Victor Nicholls on tuba.
Each a master in their field, the album illustrates their ability to enunciate with precision whilst ensuring each tune flows to its own pace. A great example of this being the Australian Waters set where strings, percussion and box merge together with rhythmic clarity. Style and range are a standout in the Doodley Dank set where slip jigs surge into a slide taken from the playing of Sliabh Luachra box player Johnny O’Leary. I’m drawn to the variation in tracks ranging from the use of harmonica which, along with all the instruments, provides a funky introduction to the Rainy Day set contrasted with the subtleness of instrumentals partnering Daniels expertise on a lovely set entitled Patsy Geary’s Doberman’s Wallet.
The standout of this double CD is the fact that with so many tunes to immerse yourself in, with one instrument as the common thread, your attention could dissipate yet Daniels engages with a variety of style, ornamentation and contrasting instrumental accompaniment whilst showcasing his obvious expertise on the box throughout.
The Mighty Box is the work of a mighty box player. Enough said! Eileen McCabe
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Micheal Hynes, Charlie Lennon, & Steve Cooney – Ceol Sidhe (Shee Music)
Press Reviews
Irish Music Magazine
A well-known Galway musician, piano accordionist in his youth and later switching to the concertina to save his back, Micheal O’Hynes has a sureness of touch and a fondness for the nuances of slower tunes which comes with a certain maturity. He also acquired a strong interest in more unusual traditional dance forms – clogs, strathspeys, flings, clan marches and the like – from his Clare and Galway parents. Many of these are to be heard on Ceol Sidhe along with more familiar reels and jigs such as Bunker Hill, Brennan’s, Rakish Paddy and Munster Bacon.
Micheal is joined on this impressive recording debut by adopted Galwayman, Charlie Lennon on fiddle and the well-travelled Steve Cooney on guitar. There are two of Charlie’s compositions here, and four of Micheal’s own: the rest are broadly traditional. The pace is restrained, but that only enhances the quality of this music. Like a fine malt whiskey, this album reveals more with time. And after all, as the title of Micheal’s delightful jig says, What’s the Hurry?
Ceol Sidhe, music of the magical and mischievous Irish faery folk, doesn’t actually include any of the numerous tunes attributed to fairy musicians – with one possible exception. The slow air The Enchanted Valley may be such a tune, ancient, modal, haunting on .solo concertina. Much of Micheal’s music is similarly magical, particularly his slow airs: faster Snow, The Wild Geese, Da Auld Resting Chair by the late Tom Anderson from Shetland, and a spellbinding version of Limerick’s Lamentation which progresses from march to jig to air. Green Grow the Rushes and Jimmy Lyons’ Highland are familiar as flings in Donegal, and continue the Scottish strand here, which culminates in as fine a pair of strathspeys as I’ve heard from Irish players. There’s also a great selection of hornpipes and clogs: The Tailor’s Twist, City of Savannah, The Locomotive and Charlie Lennon’s Salthill. Charlie features prominently on a superb pair of reels, Micheal’s Welcome to Charlie and his own composition The Twelve Pins – named after the pub in Finsbury Park, no doubt.
Grace and charm, musicality, and plenty of expression: that’s the music of Micheal O’Hynes. Alex Monaghan
www.liveIreland.com
Ceol Sidhe features Steve Cooney, Charlie Lennon, and Michael Hynes on guitar, fiddle and concertina, respectively. There are 19 cuts on the album, each more brilliant than the other. Believe it or not, there are only two sets of reels! This album is adults playing Irish music. Perfectly. Not 305mph, like so many of today’s children. If you love Irish traditional music, this is the perfect instrumental album. We know Copperplate in London has it. Bill Margeson
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