Fiddle
Showing 17–32 of 135 results
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Ceide – Out of their Shell
Out Of Their Shell is the second album by Mayo-based traditional band Céide, but it’s the first to feature their new ace in the hole: singer Marianne Knight, who also plays a bit of bodhrán and adds a jazzy flute to the spirited ‘Bold Donnelly’.
“Her clear, bright voice and crisp ornamentation make her one of the most exciting vocalists to come along in years, and when flute player Brian Lennon sings harmony on the final verse of ‘John O’Dreams’ the effect is electrifying”. Hot Press
Produced by Seamie O’Dowd, former guitar/fiddle ace with Dervish, who is acquiring the most sought after producer hat in Ireland, among his recent productions, which drew tremendous critical acclaim, was Mary McPartlan’s The Holland Handkerchief, which won MOJO magazine’s Folk Album of 2005. Seamie is bevering away at h is own solo debut album. Which is eagerly awaited.
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
These five lads from various backgrounds first started to play together at a regular Sunday night session in my pub in Westport. It soon became clear that they were developing a distinctive and original sound, combining the best of traditional music with contemporary songs and arrangements. This recording does great justice to their individual and collective talent. It has a very broad appeal and I highly recommend it.’ —- Matt Molloy
The Chicago Irish American News, July 06
“This is terrific, traditional music played with gusto and understanding—a rare combination”, Bill Margeson
FolkWorld 33
Well I come from the land of the long grass and gorse, I flew with the eagle and I ran with the horse, and I played with the wild wind and whistled its tune… The Irish band Céide (-> FW#21), featuring flautist Brian Lennon of the musical clan (Charlie, Maurice -> FW#23), evolved from a regular session at Matt Molloy’s pub in Westport in County Mayo. Their second album “Out of their Shell” features new singer Marianne Knight with a marvellous treatment of Bill Caddick’s “John O’Dreams” (with the Tchaikovsky tune), the traditional “Bold Donnelly” and Andy M. Stewart’s “Man in the Moon”. Guitar player Declan Askin wrote the traditional-like “Western Waves” and turns out to be a fine singer as well. Marianne plays no mean flute either — she then took out her whistle and she blew it sharp and shrill — and set out with the boys for a “Tae in the Bog” and swap some other tunes. Tunes such as “Pikeman’s” which dates from the 1798 rebellion when it was used for drilling Pikemen. The checks in the tune are the point where they would thrust into the dummy enemy. “Out of their Shell” has been produced by Dervish’s Seamie O’Dowd (-> FW#26) who brings in guitar, fiddle and dobro to polish it up. No need to actually, everything’s fine. Walkin’ T:-)M
Froots Jan/Feb 07
This County Mayo band named after a local megalithic monument, impressed highly on their debut album LIKE A WILD THING in 2001. While playing the basic Altan and Lunasa game line-up wise, they did endeavour to affix an individual slant through using contemporary song choices and clever subtle tune arrangements.
Out of their Shell, Ceide’s second album, sees some logical and unusual developments in their respective game plan. Firstly, adding female vocalist Marion Knight increases the song quotient, bringing a colourful and distinctive feel. While some might find this move confusing, with Ceide’s guitarist Declan Askin handling vocals adequately on their debut and here restricted to a background role, Ms Knight turns out to be something of a find. She has a nice, raw, unblemished sounding voice that is less sweet or strident for many of her contemporaries. This makes for some fine performances on The Man in The Moon, Western Waves and Bold Donnelly, the latter the only traditional song on show.
Musically, the tide pull of accordion, flute and fiddle handled by Tom Doherty, Brian Lennon and John McHugh, works well together laced with bass, guitar and percussion. The result is bold and precious with a well-placed balance of melody over dynamics.
This is a sure footed line-up bakes its recipes before unveiling them to the outside world.
Ceide are indeed out of their shell and while the sound is different, the basic promise remains intact. www.ceide.net John O’Regan
Taplas The Welsh Folk Mag-Aug/Sept 06 Adolygiadau o Reviews
Meanwhile Mayo-based Ceidc continue to impress with their second CD, which is greatly enhanced by the addition of singer Marianne Knight.
The tight unison playing of fiddler John McHugh, flute player Brian Lennon and accordionist Tom Doherty is nicely underpinned by the guitar of Declan Askin and double bass of Kevin Doherty, who invite favourable comparisons with the mighty powerhouse of Donogh Hennessey and Trevor Hutchinson.
The selection of tunes is interesting and varied too, with the wide range of sources duly acknowledged. Dervish’s Seamie O’Dowd produces and provides as some pleasing second guitar on the song Man in the Moon, which is one of the highlights of this excellent CD. Although the best-known version is probably that of Scottish singer Andy M. Stewart, this version comes from Donegal musicians Ernie O’Rahilly and Liam Deery.
And like Lunasa’s earlier CD, this comes recommended by Matt Molloy himself, at whose bar in Westport the band originally came together. Nick Passmore
The Irish Post 27/5/06
“Out Of Their Shell” is the second album by the Mayo-based traditional band Céide, it’s the first to feature their new singer Marianne Knight, who also plays bodhrán and adds a jazzy flute to the spirited ‘Bold Donnelly’.
“Her clear, bright voice and crisp ornamentation make her one of the most exciting vocalists to come along in years.
Marian is one of that numerous band of musicians known as the FBI (foreign born Irish) she learned her music at that well known musical nursery St. Wilfrids branch of Comhaltas based in the Irish centre, Cheetham hill, Manchester.
The material on the album has come from years of playing together trying new tunes and selections there is very relaxed feel to this album.
“These five lads from various backgrounds first started to play together at a regular Sunday night session in my pub in Westport. It soon became clear that they were developing a distinctive and original sound, combining the best of traditional music with contemporary songs and arrangements. This recording does great justice to their individual and collective talent. It has a very broad appeal and I highly recommend it. “Matt Molloy.
With a recommendation like that the album is a welcome addition to the discerning traditional fans album collection. Joe Mullarkey
Irish Music Review
“In conclusion, Out of Their Shell is the most striking album to be released by an Irish traditional band for some years and absolutely worth investigation”, Geoff Wallis
The Chicago Irish American News, July 06
We really, really like Ceide. Mayo-based, this group has a growing rep with other musicians, and a slowly but steadily growing American audience, as well. Big future, based on the fact that they are wonderful now! A talented sextet they offer some thumpin’ great tunes, lovely airs and some fine singing from recent addition, Marianne Knight. The album is titled, Out of Their Shell. Also got it from the aforementioned Copperplate.
This is terrific, traditional music played with gusto and understanding—a rare combination. It got us dancing around the room, and with this arthritis, that ain’t easy! Go Ceide!! Rating 3
£14.99 -
Charlie Lennon – Turning the Tune
Turning the Tune is a new double-CD of fiddle music from Charlie Lennon which includes one CD of his own compositions, released on the CIC label.
“One CD looks back, the other looks forward.” That is how Charlie Lennon summed up his new double-CD Turning the Tune.
Charlie is a veteran of traditional Irish music and a member of the well-known Lennon family from Kiltyclogher, Co. Leitrim, which includes his older brother Ben, also a master fiddler. Charlie has seen many changes within the tradition over the years and fears that it may be in danger of becoming too diluted. “We are moving through a period of constant innovation and unless we keep a sharp eye on where we’ve come from, we’re likely to stray off course,” he says. The challenge, he feels, is to build on the tradition, and that is the underlying principle of Turning the Tune. The first CD looks back to the roots of the tradition and past masters and features trusted old tunes with the notes in the booklet referring to many sources including McKenna, Morrison, Coleman and Killoran. Charlie Lennon presents many of these tunes in a new way while staying within the tradition, demonstrating the possibilities which the tradition offers. The second CD looks forward, and contains all new music composed by Charlie. He says of the compositions: “I find it helpful in writing to recall good memories of people and places and seek to capture these in music. While the genre is primarily Irish traditional, I have moved into other genres at times in order to best paint the picture.” The booklet details the inspiration for each piece, adding a particularly personal touch to the album.
Other musicians featuring on the album include: Brian McGrath, Frank Kilkelly, Éilís Lennon, Brian Lennon, Johnny and Johnny Óg Connolly, Steve Simmons and Emmet Gill. Turning the Tune contains thirty tracks in total.
Press Reviews
The Irish Times 2.11.07
Leitrim fiddler and prolific composer Charlie Lennon lends some finely wrought tunes to the tradition, and this double CD is a formidable addition to his arsenal.
With one CD of established tunes accompanied by another brimful of newly minted compatriots, Lennon bestows another gabháil of music to listeners and players hungry to cross new borders.
Against an occasionally overly robust backdrop of piano, banjo, viola and box, Lennon’s throaty fiddle traces an earthy route around old standards such as James Morrison’s Peach Blossom, as well as recently birthed muzettes (Waltz Joe-Anne), strathspeys and a pair of sublime commemorative pieces: an air/reel in memory of Lennon’s talented sound engineer, Éamonn Goggin, and a reel dedicated to his nephew, John Lennon.
Delicately perceptive playing from a musician who marries the cerebral and the emotional without ever sacrificing one to the other. Siobhan Long
The Folk Diary
Under the booklet section entitled “A Word of Advice” Charlie counsels ‘Don’t just learn the notes for these are only a portion of the tune.
Think about the different ways of phrasing it.’ He then demonstrates the value of this over 30 tracks and two albums. Thus on the first album,
his assured fiddling finds new and exciting ways of addressing standards from the Irish repertoire and tunes such as ‘The Liverpool Hornpipe’ and
‘The Wind that Shakes the Barley’ have new life breathed into them and his rendition of ‘The Blackbird’ makes the hair stand on its end.
Charlie doesn’t mention the value of listening to the classic recordings of Irish music, but from his whole approach we can hear his appreciation of these, particularly of the early Irish American 78s.
On the second album, Charlie plays tunes that he has written himself, but apart from the fact that these obviously sound less familiar than those on
the first album, nothing else in the approach is changed. These are tunes that totally fit alongside the tradition.
These albums are as exhilarating as any I have heard in a long time. Vic Smith
(This album also got my vote in the fRoots Critics/BBC Radio 3 “Album of the Year” poll)
Irish Music Magazine OCT 07
To get one CD of fiddler, Charlie Lennon’s playing is cause enough for celebration, but to get two, one of them devoted entirely to his own compositions, is quite something indeed. On the album he also plays viola, piano, harpsichord, bass and keyboards, and he is joined here and there by Brian McGrath (piano & banjo), Frank Kilkelly (guitar), Johnny O’Connolly (accordion), Johnny Connolly (melodeon), Steve Simmons (guitar), Emmet Gill (uilleann pipes), and family members, Eilis Lennon (fiddle), and Brian Lennon (flute).
The arrangements are nicely varied, but always with justice done to the fiddle player himself, whose sound doesn’t lose out to over-dominant accompaniment. For that we must thank Charlie himself who, along with David Lennon, produced the album, and to Ed Kenehan and the late Eamonn Goggin who were the sound engineers. The CD is dedicated to Eamonn, who was a close friend of Charlie’s.
In Clo lar-Chonnachta’s (CIC) website notes we are told, “One CD looks back, the other looks forward,” which is how Charlie summed up his new double-CD Turning the Tune. The first CD looks back to the roots of the tradition and past masters and features trusted old tunes with the notes in the booklet referring to many sources including McKenna, Morrison, Coleman and Killoran. Charlie presents many of these tunes in a new way while staying within the tradition, demonstrating the possibilities that the tradition offers. The second CD looks forward, and contains all new music composed by Charlie. He says of the compositions: “I find it helpful in writing to recall good memories of people and places and seek to capture these in music. While the genre is primarily Irish traditional, I have moved into other genres at times in order to best paint the picture.” The CD booklet details the inspiration for each piece, adding a particularly personal touch to the album.
In his written introduction to the CD, Charlie explains the choice of the album’s title. “Can you turn this one?” Francis John McGovern used to spend time at Charlie’s parents’ house in Co. Leitrim in long winter evenings. Charlie recalls that his father and Francis John would chat by the fire, and during a pause in the conversation, the latter would draw a Clarke’s whistle from his breast pocket and play part of a seldom-heard tune. “That came to me while I was taking the rough off a headstone in the workshop today but I can’t turn it,” he would say. There’d be another long pause while all looked into the fire for inspiration. “Sometimes I would get an inkling of the high part,” Charlie writes, “reach for the fiddle and start to stagger out a phrase or two.” Francis John would exclaim, “That’s it! I have it now.” Then the old man and the boy would take time in fleshing out the tune together. “This was Francis John McGovern’s way of giving encouragement and recognition to any aspiring young musician that he came in contact with,” says Charlie.
There is a feast of good music and tunes on these two CDs of Charlie’s: reels, jigs, hornpipes, a couple of barn dances, a waltz, an air/reel (dedicated to Eamonn and his parents), and even a strathspey which Charlie composed in memory of his friend, Dick Lett, who promoted Irish and Scottish music workshops when Charlie lived in the north of England. I recommend this album highly. Aidan O’Hara
www.liveireland.com
Turning the Tune” is a new double album out from the great musician, Charlie Lennon. In this outing, we have Charlie giving a tour de force on fiddle. This is a beautiful textbook of music at its best, played with total understanding and grace. This is for real trad lovers only. It is required for all aspiring Irish fiddlers, not only for the technique, but the vast array of tunes on offer. In a double album we would have wanted more airs, but you can’t have everything. This is a corker. Rating: Recommended. Bill Margeson
£16.99 -
Daithi Sproule – Lost River: Vol 1
About Daithi Sproule
Daithi Sproule of Derry, whose first group was the legendary Skara Brae, has lived for many years in Minnesota. He has performed and recorded with two highly influential traditional music trios: Bowhand (with James Kelly and Paddy O’Brien) and Trian (with Liz Carroll and Billy McComiskey), as well as providing accompaniment for recordings by Tommy Peoples, Seamus and Manus McGuire, Liz Carroll, Paddy O’Brien and others. In 1995 he released his first solo album, A Heart Made of Glass, with songs in English and Irish. In 2008 he released an instrumental guitar album, The Crow In the Sun, featuring thirteen original compositions. He is a 2009 Bush Artist Fellow, awarded by the Minnesota based Archibald Bush Foundation.
For more information about Daithi Sproule please visit www. daithisproule. com
£14.99 -
Danny Meehan – The Navvy On The Shore
- The Navvy on the Shore/Cathal McConnell’s Reels
- The Japanese Hornpipe/McCormacks.
- Johnny’s So Long at the Fair/The Trip to the Cottage. Jigs
- Kitty Sean’s Barndance/Jamesy Byrne’s Downfall. Reel
- The Humours of Whiskey. Slip Jig
- Tom Ward’s Downfall/Crossing the Shannon. Reels
- Dr Gilbert/The Donegal Peter Street. Reels
- Herlihy’s Rant/Con Cassidy’s. Jigs
- The Dovecot-Lament/Docherty’s Strathspey.
- Rakish Paddy. Reel
- The Longford Tinker/Paddy Canny’s. Reels
- O’Donnell’s Air.
- Jamsey Byrne’s No 1 & 2. Reels
- Casey’s/Jimmy Meehan’s. Polkas
- Dermot Byrne’s Delight-Strathspey/Drowsy Maggie. Reel
- Napoleon’s Grand March.
- The Shaskeen. Reel
- Johnny Docherty’s-Piece/Father O’Flynn. Jig
- Sean Dún na nGall-Air/Bean a tí ar lár. Reel
- The Lowlands of Scotland. Reel
- Tarbolton/Over the Moor to Maggie. Reels
Press Reviews
Dirty Linen Reviews.01/02
Danny Meehan comes form southern Donegal, and his primary influences are from his own family and local players, though he also has ties to the great John Doherty and the tradition of travelling musicians he represents.
Meehan moved to London in the 60’s and has been part of the lively Irish musical community there ever since.
He was a member of a loosely knit band called, Le Cheile, who put out two exciting records in the mid 70s, but Navvy on the Shore is, incredibly, his first solo effort. Meehan is a strong player with the forceful attack typical of Donegal players.
He still plays many of the tunes learned as a youngster, but he has also added melodies from all over Ireland, tipping his hat now to Coleman, now to his old comrade Raymond Roland. His version of “Humours of Whisky”, should not be missed.
In fact, all three of these releases are graced with superb liner notes, and all should be eagerly sought by lovers of Irish Music. Duck Baker.
Musical Traditions Web Magazine
‘As you were close to the Favourite scene in the ’70s and ’80s’ stated our editor as the criterion for offering this review to me – and I admit that I feel more confident reminiscing about the pubs of North-East London than analysing the remarkable and eccentric fiddle style of Danny Meehan. At least it gives me a place to start.
Two good reasons, then, for buying this one straightaway: to enjoy this excellent and unique music and encourage the next release from Bow Hand.
Roger Digby – 30.10.00
With this recording we have a wonderful opportunity to listen to yet another of the under-recorded masters of Donegal fiddle music.
Danny Meehan was born in 1940 and grew up in Mount Charles, just west of Donegal Town. There, he was exposed to the music of a relatively unrecorded, apparently under appreciated circle of musicians, mainly fiddlers.
The influence of the Dochertys and their relatives was strongly felt, as it was in other parts of southwest and central Donegal. The liner notes, by Reg Hall, nicely elaborate on these influences.
Other influences on Danny’s playing, however, seem to my ears equally strong. As a young man Danny moved to London, where he fell in with the now famous London Irish music scene that included the likes of Bobby Casey, Michael Gorman, Margaret Barry, Reg Hall, and many other musicians, many of them brilliant.
The liner notes also state that Danny was also very much taken with Coleman. The result in Danny’s playing is the blend of a staccato, attacking Donegal style with a more understated southern style perhaps somewhere intermediate between the styles of Gorman, Casey, and Jimmy Power.
Danny’s style is nonetheless unique–a very lively, bouncy, attacking style, which is highly ornamented, featuring rolls, cuts, triplets, and quite a bit of unison double stops.
Having listened to the CD twice, I already have some favourite tracks. The first, “The Navvy on the Shore/Cathal McConnell’s” is rightly highlighted, since the playing swings along confidently, is cleaner than on some other tracks, the fiddle is higher in the mix, and the tunes too are nice and well-performed.
“Humours of Whiskey,” a Donegal slip jig, is played unaccompanied, very briskly, with great spirit, in two octaves, and in a setting somewhat similar to (but also different from) that played by Francie and Mickey Byrne and recorded by Altan. Danny does a fine job on some Donegal showpieces, including “The Japanese Hornpipe” and a couple of strathspeys. I was particularly taken with his playing of “Rakish Paddy,” not the Donegal version, but a nonetheless wonderful, elaborate, four-part version. We are also treated to a duet of Mick O’Connell, an All-Ireland accordion champion who apparently learned a great deal from Danny, backed by Reg Hall. Very nice playing on that track–Mick definitely has the touch. There are 21 tracks in all, and definitely you’re getting your money’s worth in terms of sheer amount of music, especially considering that the CD is reasonably priced.
From the point of view of the Donegal fiddle aficionado, the CD is valuable not only for the above-mentioned reasons, but also because there are a few tunes recorded here that are not recorded on any other commercially available recordings of Donegal music–indeed, there are a few Donegal-sourced tunes I’d never heard before. One is based on a song Danny’s grandmother used to sing, called “Johnny’s So Long at the Fair.” Another is a polka, sourced from his father, called “Jimmy Meehan’s.” There’s a very nice strathspey Danny calls “Dermot Byrne’s Delight,” which, the liner notes say, “comes from a much younger fiddle player … who is now playing with Altan.” Finally, there’s a piece, either a song tune or a march, called just “Johnny Docherty’s.” Many of the other Donegal-sourced tunes–about half of the several dozen tunes–are in settings close to those of players such as James Byrne and Con Cassidy, while others are interestingly different. Unfortunately, Danny did not record “Danny Meehan’s,” the reel so masterfully played by Tommy Peoples on The High Part of the Road as one of “McCahill’s Reels.”
I’d recommend this to any fan of Donegal fiddling and anyone interested in the London Irish trad scene. The playing is very solid, listenable, and traditional. Larry Sanger
£14.99 -
Dave Sheridan and Company – Sheridan’s Guest House
Dave Sheridan
“Every musician playing on this album. It was an absolute privilege to play with you. I would like to thank all of the local musicians who I learned tunes from over the years. Thanks also to the John Me Kenna Society, Nancy Woods, John Regan, Meaiti Jo Sheamuis, Tom Mulligan, Fiachra 0 Torna, Liam Kelly, Damien Stenson, Sean Me Cague, all the lads in Monaghan, Galway, Leitrim, Sligo and Dublin for their musical friendship over the years, Jimmy Mc Kee, Gaye Mc Donagh, Sister Anne, Donal and Eithne in the Mater Dei Music Department and all the staff in St Michael’s College,
I would like to thank Mam, Paddy, Gerard, Marian and of course Miriam, as well as my extended family for the support they have given me over the years. A special thanks to Brian Mc Donagh who recorded the album. Even though he is one of the most laid back men I ever had the pleasure of meeting, the amount of work he did on this recording was phenomenal.
I would sincerely like to thank two men who, without their influence, I may have never played music. They are Sean Gilrane and My Father Joe. Sean is playing the Flute on track 10 and was a huge encouragement to me down the years. He also composed Enya’s Fancy, the first tune on this track. Dad would always bring me to local sessions, classes and Fleadh Ceoil’s
and wait, sometimes into the early hours until the session was over. I could have played music until my ‘heart was content*……thanks lads”!
Although this fine recording is over 2 years old, we at Copperplate believe it too good to have fallen throught the cracks of the torrent of good recording of traditional music coming out of Ireland in recent years. We will be undertaking a full scale mail out to retail and media, in the hope of helping this brilliant recording to achieve it’s full potential. We are delighted to add this title to our roster.
Press Reviews
The Folk Diary
Dave is a very talented young flute player from County Leitrim and he plays in that breathy straight-ahead fashion that is quite reminiscent of Matt Malloy. In fact a lot of the ensemble playing here – Dave surrounds himself a total of fifteen musicians at various places on the album – sounds like an updated Bothy Band, particularly when the flute is heard in tandem with fiddle or pipes and a bouzouki is providing accompaniment.
He is probably at his best playing reels and though there is that exhilarating flat-out feeling to them, it is clear that he is always playing within himself and allowing a feeling of space in the music. Strangely enough, the most interesting track is probably the one where Dave plays different instruments; he doubles on low whistle and button accordion on Johnny Allen’s and Paddy Gavin’s before bursting into one of Scotland’s most popular session tunes and it is fascinating to hear the slightly different emphasis that the Irish put on The Easy Club Reel.
Vic Smith.
Taplas
ALTHOUGH predominantly an Irish flute album with many opportunities to hear solo flute, Dave Sheridan’s feast of jigs and reels are considerably augmented by a large group of friends. Pipes, low whistle, fiddle, piano accordion, guitars, mandola, bouzouki, keyboards, electric bass, percussion and bodhran help to keep the music varied by playing in different combinations.
It’s driving, lively and upbeat The arrangements keep the music ever changing. It defiantly doesn’t sound ‘all the same1 as some uninitiated sceptics may sometimes accuse Irish music of being. The sound is often very full and padded out, setting it apart from other more typical trad CDs.
The one song is surprising, because it sounds more like a Broadway production than a traditional song. It’s very polished, nonetheless!
There’s a lot going on here, but it’s not overwhelming and in-your-face, but full of treasures to be unearthed as you return to it time and time again. Imogen O’Rourke
The Living Tradition
Co. Leitrim people never seem to shout about their musicians. OK, we know about Joe McKenna, Ben and Charlie Lennon, the MacNamara family, but 1 don’t understand why so much talent isn’t boasted about. Maybe it’s because Leitrim’s overshadowed by its next-door neighbours, Donegal and Sligo?
Dave Sheridan is a young Leitrim flute player, now teaching in Dublin, who deserves to be more widely known and appreciated. He has a fine drive about his playing with discreet ornamentation that still allows the basic tune to shine through. He’s laid down fifteen tracks, most of them around 3′ 30″, of ‘standard’ jigs and reels with a few less well-known tunes. Sixteen musicians, plus a singer, are on just about everything from accordion to uillean pipes. Not all of them play at the same time, so there’s a great variety between tracks. A special round of applause for track 3; Brian Rooney’s outstanding fiddle sets fire to The Maid on the Green and the Humours of Drinagh. He reminds me of the older fiddle style of players like James Morrison. One of Sheridan’s old mentors, Sean Gilrane, plays flute on his own composition, Eania’s Fancy, on track 10 then follows on with Captain Kelly’s and The Salamanca.
There are discreet and sensitive bodhran players, in spite of the base lies you’ve been told. The secret is playing so that musicians are aware of it without noticing it. Neil Lyons plays bodhran on most of the tracks, with Liam Cryan, Junior Davey and Hugh Sullivan picking up the rest. Track 2 (Christy Barry’s, King of the Pipers/Michael Dwyer’s) gives a valid answer to the spoilsports who insist that no more than one bodhran should be played in a session. Lyons and Cryan both play but don’t overpower the set.
Sheridan’s cousin, Conor, sings Sheridan’s own composition Our Beautiful Tradition, a song about older musicians wondering if the younger ones will carry on the well-loved old traditions. I liked the song immediately because it’s the first one I ever heard on this thorny subject. The answer is the latest crop of musicians; the tradition’s safer now than it’s been for decades. As well as the song, Sheridan’s own polka and reel, Enjoy Your Stay/In Sheridan’s Guest House start the final track. The last reel, Safe Home, makes a logical ending to the whole CD. I only wish that all sixteen had gone out in a blaze of glory on this track.
Copperplate Distribution believe this CD is ‘too good to fall through the cracks’, so they’re publicising this two-year old recording. I’m glad they have; it’s a real treat. For all it’s a studio recording, this has an impromptu feel because of the different line-ups on each track; I don’t think any two sets have the same musicians playing together. Copperplate’s blurb says, ‘Imagine a friendly hostelry somewhere in the Irish countryside…’ I don’t want to do that, because this isn’t a bit like a pub session; that would be full of the usual distractions. This feels more like a spontaneous gathering of musicians in someone’s house and you’ve been honoured by being invited. Welcome to Sheridan’s Guest House. Mick Furey
LiveIreland.com
Sheridan’s Guest House by Dave Sheridan from Ireland is a joy of a thing. He has about 16 guest musicians on the album. He is a wonderful flute player out of Leitrim, we believe. A massive talent, and there is such a sense of joy in this album as he generously shares the spotlight with his musical friends. This is just flat-out wonderful. Rating: Four Harps
Bill Margeson
www.netrhythms.com
Here’s another great recording that but for the kind auspices of Copperplate Distribution would have fallen through the cracks and remained largely unheard in the UK. It was made over 2 years ago, but has all the timeless appeal of the best of Irish traditional music.
Co. Leitrim-born Dave is a fine flute player who gathered together an assortment of his musician friends to partake of a session in that metaphorical guest-house-cum-caravan somewhere in the Irish countryside. The 15 tracks, mostly jigs and reels, may be carefully planned as far as arrangements are concerned, but they’re played with all the spirit of the convivial session and the varieties of texture Dave and his accomplices conjure up is quite miraculous. Dervish’s Brian McDonagh, who’s recorded the album, has given the sound a unified bloom that’s full and attractive, yet lets the individual contributions breathe within the total sound-picture. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a flute-centred record quite as much, in fact, for the spirit of the music-making is so infectious; even though the whole affair’s obviously a studio production rather than a live recording, there’s a great feel of different musicians dropping in for each set and being accommodated and allowed free rein.
This accentuates, but in a thoroughly nice way, the degree of contrast between individual tracks, and makes for some imaginative touches — as on the Johnny Allen’s set (track 5), an isolated instance of Dave forsaking the flute for the button accordion and bringing in Seamie O’Dowd on dobro alongside Padraig McGovern’s uilleann pipes and some excellent rhythmic underpinning from Neil Lyons and Keith Kelly. This set forms a real contrast with that preceding, a more strict-tempo approach to a pair of jigs (Maid On The Green and Humours Of Drinagh) where Brian Rooney’s spirited fiddle steps it out with Dave to Kevin Brehoney’s lively piano vamping. That sort of points up the glory of this album — that it’s emphatically not just another series of ‘more jigs and reels’ in ‘OK, so what?’ performances, but a pleasing and often intriguing sequence of inventively varied renditions. And when you glance down the list of musicians (apart from those mentioned, there’s Oliver Loughlin, Damien O’Brien, Michael McCague and Padraig O’Neill to name but four), you just know you’re in for some scintillating musicianship.
After all this positive commentary, however, I feel obliged to voice my one reservation regarding the disc: the inclusion of a song, a composition of Dave’s own (Our Beautiful Tradition), the admirable sentiment of which rather fails to light my candle on account of the smooth yet overwrought manner in which it’s sung by Dave’s cousin Conor. No such problem besets Dave’s self-penned polka and reel on the final track — the only other exception to the exclusively traditional source material used throughout this classy record. David Kidman
The Irish Democrat
GIVEN THE ongoing popularity of all forms of traditional Irish music and a seemingly never-ending stream of high quality recordings from both new and established musicians and groups it’s not surprising that the odd album falls through the cracks of critical recognition.
Sheridan’s Guesthouse would appear to be one such album. Originally released in 2006, this collection of traditional tunes has been put together, arranged and produced by Leitrim flautist and Dublin-based teacher Dave Sheridan.
Assisted by sixteen musician ‘friends’ of the highest calibre, including Dervish’s Seamie O’Dowd (guitars) and Brian McDonagh (mandola), they combine to deliver a delightful and varied set of traditional music with a distinctly upbeat, though not frenzied, feel.
The album ably showcases Sheridan and co,’s musical talents and passion for the tradition. On Johnny Allen’s and Paddy Galvin’s, Sheridan demonstrates that, in addition to being a fine flautist, he’s no slouch on the button accordion, while O’Dowd’s splendid rhythmic guitar playing is a particular joy, providing the drive behind many of the tunes.
The one song on the album, Our Beautiful Tradition, is sung by Dave’s cousin Conor Sheridan. A celebration of traditional Irish music, it is written from the standpoint of an older musician and questions whether it will survive and flourish amongst the younger generations. Given the opening paragraph of this review, I would say that the answer is fairly obvious.
However, while I approved of the song’s sentiments, the arrangement and slightly breathless vocal delivery leaned a bit too far in the direction of MoR for my taste – a bit too Daniel O’Donnell and not enough Christy Moore, if you like.
That minor criticism aside, this is an excellent album, which deserves a wider audience. So, take a break and check in to Sheridan’s Guesthouse. You’ll be sure to have a pleasant stay. David Granville
Hot Press Magazine
In the liner notes for his debut CD young Leitrim flute player Dave Sheridan thanks his Dad profusely for all the hours he spent waiting to drive the fledgling musician home from trad music sessions that continued late into the night. Listening to the aptly named Sheridan’s Guesthouse, you get the feeling that you’ve happened upon such a session-and a damn fine one it is too. An ever changing cast of players join in for a tune or two, anchored by the crack string team of Brian Mc Donagh (mandola) Seamie O Dowd (guitars) and Michael Mc Cague (bouzouki); but always at the centre of things is Sheridan, with his fluid, unflashy style, sound technique and solid ryhthm. A beautiful album throughout! Sarah Mc Quaid
Froots Magazine
It’s easy to have a soft spot for Leitrim, that gentle-paced Irish country whose traditional music seems to match the rises and rolls of the landscape and the tone of the flute players is as clear as the glassy waters of Lough Allen. Dave Sheridan is one such instrumentalist and comes from the tiny village of Killargue, halfway between Manorhamilton and Drumkeeran, but he’s not just a dab hand on the flute, but the button accordion and low whistle too, as Sheridan’s Guesthouse amply illustrates.
For any recording debutant it’s always a boon to be surrounded by inspirational companions, so Dave has corralled the doyen of local accompanists, Sligo’s Séamie O’Dowd, into the studio as well as the ex-Dervish man’s string-plucker in arms, mandola-player Brian McDonagh, and a host of other musicians from his musical stomping ground.
While Dave’s flute takes on lark-like qualities, not least on the effervescent opener Mulhaire’s/Kiss the Maid Séamie proves a bedrock throughout this utterly enjoyable album. However, the sparks truly fly when Dave hooks up with with long-time London-based fiddler Brian Rooney for Maid on the Green/Humours of Drinagh, while the thoroughly foot-stomping set of reels kicked off by Johnny Allen’s sees his accordeon trading notes in remarkable rapidity with the uilleann pipes of Patrick McGovern.
Elsewhere, there’s a flute duet to die for, Enya’s Fancy, featuring Dave’s cousin Seán Gilrane, and two tracks revealing the talents of fiddler Pádraig O’Neill from Dublin (clearly revealing himself as one of Ireland’s greatest wasted talents — as for why, the story’s too long to tell).
So book yourself a room in Sheridan’s Guesthouse, the rooms might need refurbishing, but the house band is a killer. James O Donnell
Gordan Turnbull
Hailing from County Leitrim, this impressive debut album features a large number of guest musicians (hence the title), with the flute playing being the central thread running through it all.
The flute playing is highly accomplished, dynamic and in a modern flowing style rather than the rhythmic style traditionally associated with Leitrim (such as Packie Duignan). The guests are too numerous to mention in detail here, but notably include Brian Rooney (fiddle) on one track, Junior Davey (bodhran) on several others and Brian McDonagh and Seamie O’Dowd from Dervish providing backing on all but two tracks. Some of the arrangements are inventive and forward-looking, but still very much within the tradition.
This is a delightful and exhuberent recording that reminds me of Jimmy Noonan’s The Maple Leaf in the sheer joy of playing that comes over to the listener.
£14.99
