Bodhran
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Goitse – Tall Tales and Misadventures
“Holy smokes!!! – I thought the whole bunch of us was going to jump out of our seats when Goitse played our Showcase at the World Music Centre at the University of Limerick. Surely, we’ll see you in the U.S. and in Milwaukee.’ – Ed Ward, Executive Director and Founder of Milwaukee Irish Festival
‘Goitse are band that were conceived and developed here at the University of Limerick over the four years. The band has developed in that time into one of the more individual and exception voices in folk and traditional music.?Individually the members of the ensemble are leaders in their field. Áine Mc Geeney is one of the leading young traditional fiddlers in a northern style whose vocals is a marriage of contemporary and traditional technique. Colm Phelan is one of Ireland’s leading young percussionists, and an exceptional bodhran player, providing new dimensions to the voice instrument. Conal O’Kane brings new complexity to guitar accompaniment through his adoption of contemporary themes and styling. James Harvey is simply the best young tenor banjo player about at the moment and Tadhg O Meachair is one of the busiest and individual musicians in Europe today.?Goitse produce a new sound, and are leading exponents in their field individually. They have managed to help reinvigorate a tradition looking for new directions in ensemble and contribute to this practice in a unique and startling way.?I recommend Goitse whole-heartedly.”? – Niall Keegan, Course Director, ? BA Irish Music and Dance
“Goitse impressed me with their tangential take on the tradition, yes they can play it straight but they have the musical imagination and the dexterity in their fingertips to move, groove and syncopate with the best of them.?Alumni of the University of Limerick’s prestigious Irish World Music Academy they are glowing examples of the potential-energy we all know is locked inside traditional music.?The difference with Goitse? Bravery. They have the spark to make it (trad) explode.”? – Sean Laffey, Editor Irish Music Magazine
‘Grab hold of them while you can!”? – Michael O Suilleabhain, Head Of World Academy of Irish Traditional Music and Dance, UL.
www.liveireland.com 2015 Livie’s Awards
TRAD GROUP OF THE YEAR: Goitse
Goitse has established itself as a massively popular band among trad fans the world over. Rightly so. This wonderful quintet released Tall Tales & Misadventures to worldwide recognition in 2015. Rightly so. This talented group is highly respected and still young enough to have all their best years in front of them. They are wonderful. Their music is unequalled for energy, ability, and intelligence. So young to be so good. Wow!
Press Reviews
SONGLINES Feb 2015
* * * * Let these rascals spin you a yarn
Album number three from the Irish ?ve-piece Goitse (the name is an informal Irish greeting, meaning (‘come here’) follows 2012’s splendid Transformed with more than agreeable panache.
Tall Tales & Misadventures reins in much of the excess energy and impetuosity that characterises the band in performance and which spilled across their ?rst two outings on disc.
Usefully so. It should do much to raise the pro?le of this energetic, but tightly knit ensemble, formed while still students at Limerick University’s Irish World Academy of Music and Dance.
There’s a vivid and vital sense of an out?t reaching its maturity; this is playing of considerable ?nesse, ?exibility and ?air. Taking centre stage is Aine McGeeney, whose feisty ?ddle and silky vocals are beautifully evocative on the plaintive ‘Ye Lovers All’. James Harvey’s characterful banjo is delicate and delightfully brittle on ‘ Changing Lanes’ , while the dextrous piano accordion of Tadhg O Meachair is gleefully virtuosic on’ Misadventures ‘, a particular highlight.
There’s tremendous subtlety on display,too. courtesy of bodhran champion, Colm Phelan and Conal O’Kane’s eleganty expressive guitar. In all, it’s a big forward for a band with a promising future ahead of them. Michael Quinn
R2 Magazine Nov/Dec 14 ***
Everyone else does it so l should join in – it’s pronounced “Gwi-cha”, which only goes to prove my theory that Gaelic was invented just to piss off the rest of us.
Tall Tales & Misadventures is the third album from this young quintet from Limerick. Goitse play Irish music with a light touch.
There are no guest appearances except for Martin Brunsden’s double bass on four of the eleven tracks and Kieran Munnelly’s backing vocals on ‘Carrick-A-Rede’. For the most part, the band could play the album live. The opening set is the ‘Tall Tales’ of the title. The note relates how banjo player James Harvey mailed himself across the border into the USA because his visa was late and he learned the last tune in the set from the delivery van radio. The fiction is maintained for ‘Trip To Dixie’. The misadventures involve an over-enthusiastic sprinkler system, a golf cart and a ‘Salmon Coloured Ticket’, all related in tune.
The album mixes the fun with moments of beauty such as Tadhg O Meachair’s tune ‘A Decent Lunch’, which opens the ‘Kansas City Knockout’ set, and ‘Ye Lovers All’. The up-tempo Gaelic song ‘Ta Sé ‘Na La’ is something they should do more of. Dai Jeffries
Froots Mag 11.14
Originally formed in Limerick University this Irish quintet delivers an authoritative third album. Sprightly instrumentals with exciting and unexpected twists topped off with winsome vocals. The rough edges have been honed into an exciting energetic package with requisite bulls eyes hit.
www.liveireland.com
We KNOW we have previously reviewed Tall Tales and Misadventures by Goitse. But, it was a case of too little, too early. This is their best album yet. What is not to love about Goitse? On Imeda Bhroga’s and my LiveIreland,com show, based out of Dublin, Ireland every Sunday at noon, Chicago time, there are few more-requested groups than Goitse. As with Socks in the Frying Pan, Goitse has benefitted tremendously from the attention and support received worldwide from LiveIreland.com. If you’re Goitse, you want to be supported in Chicago by Maryann Keifer and Erik Carlson and Mary Caraway. If you want to break worldwide, the only game in town is LiveIreland.com Goitse deserves every bit of popularity and support they are receiving, no matter the source. There are no more talented young groups in the music right now than Goitse and Sock in the Frying Pan. Tall Tales and Misadventures will show you why. This is a stunning bit of business. Bill Margeson
Folkwords.com
‘Tall Tales and Misadventures’ from Goitse – an effervescent flow of expression (September 01, 2014)
There’s something incredibly infectious about Irish music. Whoever you are, part of you cannot help but pick up on the energy and passion that pervades. The wealth of this music appears increasingly in the hands of young Irish bands who are committed to explore their tradition and equally happy to innovate and create. This time the band in question is Goitse and their latest album ‘Tall Tales and Misadventures’. A product of Limerick University’s Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, the band is well-recognised and appreciated, and rightly so.
Mixing their own compositions with traditional tunes they create sets with a figure-hugging intensity and invisible seams. The flow of expression and that permeates this music is so effervescent you fully expect it to carry you away – sprightly tune or emotive ballad the depth of Goitse’s music invites you to join the party. The album opens with ‘Tall Tales’ and closes with ‘Misadventures’ to relate the trials and tribulations experienced by a travelling band. Along the way, the band also created the special magic of ‘Trip To Dixie’ and ‘Changing Lanes’ — both scintillating sets. Songs like ‘Ye Lovers All’ and Tá Sé ‘Na Lá are made for Áine McGeeney’s softly expressive voice.
Goitse are Áine McGeeney (fiddle, vocals) Colm Phelan (bodhran, percussion) Conal O’Kane (guitars) James Harvey (banjo, mandolin) and Tadhg Ó Meachair (piano accordion, piano). For those of us with a touch of Erin’s blood flowing in our veins that wish we were close enough to our own personal roots to master the Gaeilge, ‘Goitse’ is an informal greeting meaning ‘come here’ — and when ‘Tall Tales and Misadventures’ comes your way, that’s exactly what you should do. Reviewer: Tim Carroll
“This act is now so polished and professional it is no wonder that they are one of the most popular acts on the international festival circuit” – Chicago Irish American News
‘Music that’s brimming with energy and creative zeal’ Irish Music Magazine
“With Tall Tales and Misadventures, Goitse have taken their expressive landscape of sound to a whole new level” – Eileen Mc Cabe
“This mix of gentle grace and gloves-off grit is becoming a hallmark of Goitse’s recordings” – Living Tradition
“The new album is a stunner.” – Live Ireland
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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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Liam Kelly – Sweetwood
Sweetwood is the name of the area in Co. Leitrim where his father hails from, and Sweetwcod is the name of Dervish flute-plijyer Liam Kelly’s debut album.
Celebrating his twentieth year with Dervish, one of Ireland’s most successful traditional-music group.s, which Liam co-founded in 1989, Sweetwood is a culmination of thirty years of
flute and whistle playing and of his experiences in travelling the world, meeting people and playing music.
He cites Matt Molloy, Seamus Tansey and Mary Bergin as major influences.
Sweetwood includes a lament written by Liam entitled ‘Sweetwood’.
Liam is performing at the flute concert at the Willie Clancy Summer School on July 7th and this summer is performing with Dervish in Stuttgart, New York and California.
Sweetwood will be launched on July 24th in The Glens Centre, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim.
Sweetwood is Dervish flute-player Liam Kelly’s debut album. Celebrating his twentieth year with Dervish, one of Ireland’s most successful traditional-music groups, which Liam co-founded in 1989, Sweetwood is a culmination of thirty years of flute and whistle playing and of his experiences in travelling the world, meeting people and playing music. Sweetwood includes a lament written by Liam entitled ‘Sweetwood’ and a tune co-written with Dervish bouzouki player Michael Holmes, ‘Bethnal Green’, which recalls their time in London.
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Marcas O Murchu – Turas Ceoil
Turas Ceoil means a musical journey, a title that aptly captures the essence of this album which pays homage to the roots of the tradition, with tunes from as far back as the eighteenth century, while also looking to the future with new compositions by Ó Murchu. He is joined on the album by guest musicians that include Teada’s Oisin Mac Diarmada, Ben Lennon, Jose Climent, Sean Óg Graham, Gearoid Mooney, Seamus Kane, Ciaran Curran and Seamus Quinn.
The colourful CD booklet includes 24 pages of information about the tunes as well as photos of the musicians.
Ó Murchu is originally from Belfast but has been living in Derry for many years. He is a master of the rolling Sligo-Leitrim-Roscommon style of flute-playing. He is in constant demand internationally as a performer and as a music tutor. He teaches at many of the music schools throughout the country, including the Willie Clancy Summer School and the Frankie Kennedy Winter School. As well as being a musician, Ó Murchu also presents a music show on RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta every summer.
Turas Ceoil is his second album. His first, Ó Bheal go Beal, was released in 1997.
Copperplate is very proud to have this title on our roster and to help it achieve its full potential will be supporting this release with a full-scale promotional mail out to media and retail.
Press Reviews
“Marcas Ó Murchu’s flute and whistle bristle with exhilaration … he makes joyful music that never reveals signs of force or haste nor loses touch with his love of the tradition”. – The Rough Guide to Irish Music
The Folk Diary
It is now ten years since Marcas released an album, ‘Ó Bhéal go Béal’, which had a huge impact on the traditional music community in Ireland. Ten years later another album of his mesmerising flute playing is bound to have a similar impact. As a young man, he met and learned from the great rural flute players in the Roscommon/Sligo area that his family originated from, so that we can still hear the influence of the likes of Josie McDermott in his playing.
One of the great things about his playing is that he is able to give the music a modern feel without in any way compromising the traditional lilt of
the tunes. The album is very carefully programmed with solo items in different rhythms mixed with Marcus working with a variety of different
settings, with the best track saved for the seventeenth and last; two delightful polkas.
Every single tracks bubbles with vibrancy on an album that stands as a type example of what can be done to make an album of traditional music exciting. This is outstanding stuff. Vic Smith
www.liveIreland.com
Few labels guarantee a great album, but Ireland’s Clo-Iar-Chonnacta comes close. Here’s another winner. Marcas O Murchu’s Turas Ceoil is just the best. This flute player has gathered some of the tradition’s great players around him, ranging from Altan’s Ciaran Curran on guitar and Oisin McDiarmada on fiddle to Ben Lennon on fiddle, with the great Seamus Quinn on piano. There are more, but the trad buff gets the drift. This album is really filled with the northwestern style of flute—you know the deal— Sligo, Roscommon and Leitrim. Polkas, reels and jigs abound. One complaint. There are only two airs, with one thrown overboard too quickly in favor of adding a hornpipe. We have long argued against recording a gorgeous air, only to have it turn half-way through into an uptempo piece of business. It is as if the musician does not trust the audience to cherish the air, hold it close to the heart, and make it a part of their soul. Rather, it seems to say, ” Okay, we won’t bore you any longer with this. We know what you want, hear comes some faster stuff.” Shame. BUT–that is only nitpicking! This is a great, great album by a master musician. Flute players the world ’round know about, and respect, this brilliant interpreter of the staccato, yet flowing style that marks his geographic style of playing. We are rapidly losing the regionally stylistic features of Irish traditional music for a number of reasons frequently described here. The point is that these styles can still be found, thanks to labels like Clo-Iar-Chonnacta, and true-to-the-bone musicians like Marcas O Murchu. This is a great album. Not very good, mind you. Great. Bill Margeson. Rating: Four Harps
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Oisin MacDiarmada – On the fiddle (ar an bhfidil)
Press Reviews
Irish Music Review
One of the brightest young stars in the panoply of Ireland traditional music, this is fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada’s third album, though the first to bear just his own name. First came, in 2000, the sparkling Traditional Music on Fiddle, Banjo & Harp, recorded with banjo player Brian Fitzgerald and harper Micheál Ó Ruanaigh, followed earlier this year by Oisín’s band Téada’s self-titled debut album, also on Ceol Records. However, Ar an bhFidil (‘On the fiddle’) tops the lot, fully confirming Mac Diarmada’s position as a wonderfully adept and evocative musician.
Oisín’s early years were spent in County Clare where he learnt his first music before the family moved to South Sligo where he took lessons from the notable fiddle teacher, Paddy Ryan. Now noted as a music tutor in his own right, and still only in his early twenties, Oisín’s playing on Ar an bhFidil creates a relaxed confection of the music of Sligo and Clare, topped with the delicacies of an astounding technique given full expression by the sheer imagination of his tune settings. His playing of the slow air Bean a ‘leanna, associated with the late Connemara singer Joe Heaney, simmers with an unrequited passion. Jigs and reels are threaded with an innate merriment and, above all, Oisín has the power to invest very familiar tunes, such as The Lark in the Morning with new life fashioned by the pure merriment in his playing. Thoroughly enjoyable throughout, this is unquestionably an album that merits repeated listening.
The Living Tradition Dec/ Jan 2004
This is really good fiddle playing by a 24 year old who’s got more talent than many older fiddlers. Moving from Clare to Sligo as a lad must have done something for him because he has a mixture of both styles as well as his own personality stamped on his playing.
He wrote his own concise but thorough sleeve notes giving due credit to the players he got the tunes from and they show the wide range of the players who influenced him, Coleman, James Morrison, John McKenna, and Ennis (of course).
He seems to be able to change style as easily as changing key, from the old Clare style of the first track, to the 1920s James Morrison/ Michael Coleman tracks on The Tap Room/The Kerryman’s Daughter, via John McKenna, Josie McDermott, Denis Murphy and Ed Reavy. Yet throughout, he puts his own style of playing on every tune. In some ways, his ability to do this is reminiscent of Frankie Gavin in one of his mischievous moods.
There’s a good mix of tunes, mostly well known but with rarities like a Seamus Ennis version of The Lark in the Morning that’s not often played now. Reels predominate, of course, but ther are single and double jigs, hornpipes, and Leitrim style polkas too. A big surprise is The Strayaway Child, composed by Maggie Barry (who’s become known as Margaret lately), that Michael German used to play But the big one for me is The Morning Thrush, composed by Seamus Ennis’s father James. I’ve never heard anyone else but Ennis play this, and Mac Diarmada makes a great fist of it. It’s a great pipe tune that deserves more playing.
My old friend Paddy Ryan wrote the introduction to the CD and says at the end that he can highly recommend it. I sometimes disagreed with Paddy in the past, but not this time. This is great music, well played by a fine young fiddler. I look forward to his next release. Mick Furey
Irish Music Magazine April 2003
Of late, there seems to have been a trend among traditional musicians of a younger generation to move from fiery blistering pyrotechnics to more mellower and laid back means of musical expression. By that, I mean players are engaging themselves with the details of the music and it’s manifold subtleties rather than kick stepping their ways to oblivion. Martin Hayes is one such example and on this showing, Oisin MacDiarmada is another.
Oisin MacDiarmada’s debut solo album, Ar an bhFidil typifies this laid back approach. MacDiarmada’s fiddle playing is rooted in the Sligo style. While the frantic wildness of a Michael Coleman is evident on, The Tap Room, he is no idle speed merchant. He favours the low-fi approach with the music speaking for itself; the result is a warm natural sounding album.
Ar an bhFidil revels in the small dry sounds so beloved of Television’s, Tom Verlaine on their seminal Marquee Moon album. This is low-key traditional music, yet rich in character, subtlety, and individual strength. The 17 tracks on show augurs well for the purse strings along with a plentiful supply of notes for each track detailing source musicians and other details. We aren’t talking encyclopedia type documentation, but enough for the casual reader to get the gist of what’s going on, and yet nail the vital facts down.
The accompaniments are also sparse with a minimum on one extra instrument whether, it’s piano, flute, second fiddle or bouzouki – the balance between featured protagonist and guests is just right. Add to that, a concise production from Harry Bradshaw and this becomes one well thought and enacted affair. Ar an bhFidil is a work of discernment and quality, check it out. John O’Regan.
Claddagh
A very pleasing trait of some current young musicians is that quite a few of them are happy to play in the way their antecedents played; one thinks immediatly of the Kane sisters, Harry Bradley, Martin Hayes. Oisin MacDiarmada is another such. He has the lonesome touch, and quite a few of the tracks are totaly unaccompanied. Where accompaniment is used, it is not as an offensive weapon, and throughout. he proves that he is not just a very fine fiddler, but a young man with an understanding of exactly what the music means. Yet another very worthwhile release in a year that has provided us with many great recordings.
Hot Press November 6th 2002
This debut solo CD by 24-year-old Sligo fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada opens with a superbly confident set of tunes played without accompaniment, full of lovely raw scraping double-stops and rolls. Elsewhere on the album, Séamus Quinn contributes a bouncy piano to a few tracks, a set of reels played by Mac Diarmada on the whistle has bodhrán backing from Tristan Rosenstock, and several others feature bouzouki or guitar accompaniment; there are also a couple of fine duets with fellow fiddler John Carty. Mostly, though, it does exactly what it says on the tin – pure traditional fiddling, raw and unadorned, and all the better for it. The album was produced by RTÉ’s Harry Bradshaw, who’s done a beautiful job at keeping the sound natural and letting the tunes take centre stage. Sarah McQuaid. Nine out of Ten.
The Irish Times (Irish Newspaper) September 26th 2002
Fiddle music for folks who like their trad infusion unadulterated. Oisín Mac Diarmada, Sligo fiddler and member of young turks téada, is already on his second solo run, and how his pace has slowed – but admirably so. Ar An bhFidil is exactly what is says on the tin: a stripped down sally (back and) forth through the Sligo tradition. Duelling and duetting with fellow fiddler John Carty on the set of Michael Coleman jigs, Jackson’s Morning Brush/The Rambling Pitchfork, Mac Diarmada’s playing is feisty and earthy at the same time. Not afraid to let the fiddle’s hoarseness seep through, this is a player who cajoles his instrument through nooks and crannies in the tradition that lesser players would avoid. Lonesome magnificence.
Siobhán Long**** (4 stars)
The Irish Examiner (Irish Newspaper).September 26th 2002
In traditional music, as in other forms, solo albums are rarely what they claim to be. At a minimum, musicians like to use the safety net of an accompanist. Other players are added, sometimes in a perfectly valid attempt to recreate some fondly remembered session. When the process is taken to extremes, the leading player is often relegated to the background. In his new album, Ar an bhFidil, Oisín Mac Diarmada sets a brave course.
This is a solo fiddle album and, on many tracks, solo fiddle is exactly what we get. When he moves beyond the strictly solo format, it is in the company of another melody player – John Carty on fiddle and Damien Stenson on flute. Or in tandem with a single accompanist – Séamus Quinn on piano, Seán McElwain on bouzouki, Tristan Rosenstock on bodhrán and John Blake on guitar all take turns. Mary Brennan’s Favourite kicks off, slow and steady. The pace picks up for The White Leaf, but the velocity remains on the leisurely side. John Carty joins for the jigs, Jackson’s Morning Brush/The Rambling Pitchfork, and the hornpipe/schottische Peter Wyper’s/The Killarney Wonder. The two players meld wonderfully. Mac Diarmada shows another part of his musical personality in switching to whistle for the reels The Flannel Jacket/The Maid That Dare Not Tell. The Cisco Hornpipe and Walsh’s Hornpipe are taken at a strolling pace, which allows both the music and the musician room to breathe. The Morning Thrush – written by Séamus Ennis’ father James – is a beautifully clear and expressive slow reel. A jokey piano line introduces The Tap Room, pushing forward to the point of interference. In contrast, the bouzouki background on The Rainy Day is unobtrusive.
Ar an bhFidil is warm, rich music that combines a high level of technical skill with a sense of humour. Pat Ahern
Pay The Reckoning Web Site
Pay The Reckoning was captivated by Teada’s recent offering and so we were excited to hear rumours that Oisin MacDiarmada, the band’s fiddler, was in the process of putting together a solo recording. Well, folks, the patient wait is at an end and the results of MacDiarmada’s time in the studio have surpassed our high expectations.
MacDiarmada proves himself yet again to be one of the most sensitive and soulful fiddlers around. The album’s design, simple and straightforward, reflects his own approach to his craft. MacDiarmada isn’t a man for pyrotechnics, he doesn’t batter a tune into submission and then bends it to his will. His is a more subtle approach; he gives the tune room to develop in a seemingly organic way, so that his ornamentation and embellishments seem natural, unforced.
However, as any musician will tell you, such apparently natural ease with a tune is the product of two elements – natural talent and hard work. MacDiarmada has no end of the former and has no fear of the latter. The result is pure magic!
MacDiarmada’s knowledge of, and captivation by, the music of the 20s and the 30s (the “golden age” of Irish music, as some have dubbed the period) is worn proudly on his sleeve as he gives us versions of a number of tunes and sets on the album which were recorded by such legends as Coleman, Morrison, John McKenna, Patsy Tuohey and Paddy Killoran. However, you mustn’t get the impression that MacDiarmada’s an academic. His interest isn’t so much in the history of the tunes as their timelessness and his playing of the tunes represents a reawakeneing rather than a resurrection.
There are moments of savage, soulful (there goes that word again) perfection on this album. His playing of “The White Leaf” – a version of the more widely known “Mason’s Apron” – is so elementally powerful a sound as to cause the listener to wonder how one tune can express at the same time such extremes of joy and melancholy.
On the polka set “The Merry Girl/Charlie O’Neill’s”, MacDiarmda lays claim to Sligo/Leitrim influences. But to our ears, the latter tune in particular sounded as if it was being played by the ghost of the long-dead John Doherty (and we know of no higher compliment), so refined was the blend of dazzling technique and sheer emotion.
The reel set “The Flannel Jacket/The Maid That Dare Not Tell” is of interest in that MacDiarmada shows us another aspect of his musical ability as he gives both tunes an airing on the whistle. Accompanied by Tristan Rosenstock on inventive, yet rock-solid bodhran, the “spare” feel of the track conjures up an atmosphere which a more busy production could never capture.
And so, throughout the album, MacDiarmada, along with various musical sparring partners (Seamus Quinn on piano, John Carty on fiddle, Damien Stenson on flute, with guest cameos by fellow Teada members Sean McElwain on bouzouki, John Blake on guitar and Trisan Rosenstock on bodhran), lays out his stall of mighty talent, a great ear for a tune and a great feel for capturing mood.
However, even amid all the excellent music which MacDiarmada provides, his solo version of “The Strayaway Child” stands out as a defining moment of the album. Played to great effect by Kevin Burke in his Bothy Band days, MacDiarmada nevertheless manages to inject the tune with so much of his own feeling that it’s difficult to imagine it ever having been played by anyone before and almost impossible to imagine anyone else ever doing the tune justice.
A massive album. Honest, passionate and quietly defiant. You’d do well to visit http://go.to/copperplate and get yourself a copy. And while you’re at it, grab hold of a copy of Teada’s debut!
Live Reviews
Teada Live Review
The Herald (Scottish Newspaper) April 25th 2003
The name, like k d lang’s, is determinedly lower case. It’s pronounced “tay-day”. It’s Irish for “strings”, and it might be advisable to get used to it because there was a feeling of portent as pronounced as a poteen hangover about this gig. The band are young – how young you can guess by the news of teada’s bodhran player’s absence due to exams – and maybe it was the novelty of having an accordionist make up the quartet, but loathers of football clichés look away because I’m going to use one: this was a game of two halves – bloody good and bleedin’ marvellous. The first established the group’s liking for variety of metre and arrangement, pairing off for fiddle and flute duets, and employing numerous other instrumental permutations, from solo to quartet. It also confirmed that, in Oisin Mac Diarmada, teada have a fiddler of quite starting old-head-on-young-shoulders ability. You could hear centuries of tradition and doubtless long hours of dedication in his sweet and graceful melodiousness. If at times, then, his colleagues seemed to be playing catch-up, later they were right on the pace, adding richness and precision on banjo, bouzouki, box, and flute. Flautist John Blake, English-accented but Galway-based, takes stick for his origins but brings natural aptitude and technique on tunes, and in doubling upon guitar he offers harmonic invention and real drive. One complaint might be their one song per set ration. Mac Diarmada sings well, interestingly, and with feeling, and might do even more so with some practice. But with such quality of musicianship and attention to a tune’s essential shape, they’ll so as they are for now. Rob Adams
Teada Live Review
Edinburgh Evening News (Scottish Newspaper) April 24th 2003
Edinburgh’s Ceilidh Culture programme continued last night as young Irish band Teada brought their classic Celtic credentials to town in their debut Scottish gig. Now a five-piece outfit since the recruitment of accordion player Paul Finn earlier this year, Teada were shorn of their bodhran player Tristan Rosenstock, back home in Dublin preparing for his finals, but, in his absence, the band, with Oisin Mac Diarmada leading on fiddle and excellent vocals certainly passed this test. Traditionally Irish but with a punkish edge to their style, Teada, which is Irish for strings, genuinely enjoy their music, and their repertoire had enough shifts in pace and style to keep the band, and their audience, on their toes, raucous one minute, sensitive and serene the next, traditional Irish music with attitude. Seemingly playing well within themselves in their first set, with an intriguing mix of reels, jigs and hornpipes, the band cut loose in a second set that got one encore, but could have received several, such was the reception they received. Mac Diarmada is a real talent, his fiddle-playing of the highest order, but with a distinctive, almost discordant edge to it, and his Irish vocals were full of Irish passion. Teada, however, are no one-man-band, and with banjo/bouzouki player Sean McElwain offering subtlety and style, Finn on accordion and John Blake on guitar and flute, they are a refreshing addition to the genre. The highlights were the numbers in celebration of the piping tradition shared on both sides of the Irish Sea, and the hornpipes, especially Tom Connor’s and Mayday, and reels such as Teetotaller and Billy McCumiskey’s showed the versatility of Teada goes across the spectrum of Irish music. Teada are a tight, traditional Irish band with something quite intangible to separate them from the rest, and if there is a better new band on the Emerald Isle, then they must be very, very good. Mike J. Wilson
Customers Comments.
I was having a few tunes with Marcus O’Murchu this evening, (as you do) & he happened to have a few copies of this new CD about his person, so I took out one of those crisp foldy things & exchanged it for Oisin’s brilliant new CD – fair exchange is no robbery.
It is lovely piece of work, from this highly accomplished young musician, who is confident enough to play many of the tracks without any accompaniment, & his playing stands up beautifully on it’s own, a joy, especially for Fiddlers, to listen to.
He is joined by John Carty on a couple of tracks for some super double Fiddle magic. Seamus Quinn comes in on a couple of tracks on Piano, while Sean McElwain does the same on Bouzouki, John Blake lends a hand on Guitar on one track & Tristan Rosenstock accompanies Oisin’s whistle playing, on Bodhran, on track No. 5.
Paddy Ryan writes about how ‘the music is tastefully played by a musician who knows his art form. He has a deep understyanding of the richness & beauty of the music & an innate ability to interpret a good tune.
The imaginative tune settings, the intricate variations & technical mastery, & the full-bodied, sweet tone are the hallmarks of his superb musicianship. His style is very distinctive & very personal with influences from Clare & North Connaught showing through. This recording encapsulates the artistry of Oisin MacDiarmada as a top class Fiddler. The music flows with clarity & fluency, & the rich variety of tunes displays his extensive musical range.’
Paddy concludes by saying he ‘can highly recommend it’. Well I concur, it’s a beezer, & if your a Fiddler, it will be added to your collection, sooner or later, mark my words.
One wee gripe, & it’s nothing to do with this CD, or it’s incredible music, which is sure to delight all who are fortunate to listen to it. It’s just that since James Morrison’s Orchestra recorded this tune in the 20’s, & someone miss spelt the name, nobody has since checked up, they just copy the fault. For anyone interested, take out an atlas & find Aberdeen, on the NE coast of Scotland, now travel due west until you come to the village of Monymusk – not Money Musk. OK – you have now been warned!
Posted on August 30th 2002 by PtarmiganSligo fiddle-player Oisin Mac Diarmada, at 24 years of age, is an honours graduate in Music Education from Trinity College, Dublin. In addition to widespread performing activity whish has brought performances in venues and festivals throughout Europe and the USA, Oisin is respected internationally as a fiddle tutor and his journalistic, lecturing, examining and production work. He is fast becoming one of the most exciting young musicians on the traditional music scene, his playing on a previous release, CICD144 Traditional Music on Fiddle, Banjo and Harp (available from Copperplate) was described by renowned music journalist, Simon Jones as “so sensitive it’s enough to make grown men cry”.
Now, performing with exciting young traditional band, teada, who have released their highly successful debut album (available from Copperplate) recently, Oisin’s performances bring a strong flavour of the rich Sligo tradition of fiddle-playing, together with what fiddler/ researcher/ broadcaster, Paddy Ryan describes as ” a deep understanding of the richness and beauty of the music, and an innate ability to interpret a good tune”.
On this new release, Oisin predominately features traditional Irish fiddle-playing in a pure, solo context, performed in a uniquely personal and traditional style with flavours of the great Sligo fiddle tradition. Additionally there are a number of tracks which separately feature artists of the calibre of John Carty, on fiddle, Seamus Quinn on piano, Sean McElwain on bouzouki, Damien Stenson on flute, John Blake on guitar and Tristan Rosenstock on Bodhran.
We at Copperplate will be supporting this release with a high profile promotional campaign and full-scale mail out to media and retail sectors. Feedback always welcome. Thank you for your support.
£14.99
