Flute
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Hanz Araki & Kathryn Claire – A Winter Solistice Celebration
A Winter Solstice Celebration.
The longest night of the year is made bright with the light of music, storytelling and wonder. Ancient carols and winter songs of the Celts are given new life with stunning harmony, and the collection of brisk dance-tunes are sure to keep you warm even on the coldest nights.
‘Each of us bring to the table a varied collection of songs and stories that reflect the same themes of longing, love, loss, beauty, and celebration. These concerts give us the freedom to explore some of these experiences thoroughly through the music that has arisen from the last several hundred years of human existence,’ said singer and flautist Hanz Araki.
www.thecelticconspiracy.com
Press Reviews
The Living Tradition June/July 2013
This is one of four CDs by these two Americans reflecting the music of the seasons. They have good lyrical knowledge and love of Celtic music. The longest night of the year is made bright with the light of music, storytelling and wonder. Ancient carols and winter songs of the Celts are given new life with stunning harmony and the collection of brisk dance tunes is sure to keep you warm on the coldest nights.
From I Heard A Bird Song, The Sussex Carol,Seven Joys Of Mary and Christmas Eve, to In ‘Dulci Jubilo, Coventry Carol, Pat-a-Pan, Apples In Winter and The Wexford Carol, the CD then finishes with the glorious Ring Out, Wild Bells by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
Hanz and Kathryn come from a background of music ~ Kathryn’s family were all musicians and singers and Hanz’s father was a professional musician and master of the shakuhachi(bamboo flute). The album is mostly recorded live, with very little overdubbing. They bring old tunes to life with impeccable flair ~ a magical treat to your spirit. Kathy and Bob Drage
netrhythms.com
Hanz and Kathryn may not be household names over here in the UK, but on the Pacific Northwest coast of the US they’ve acquired a healthy reputation for their interpretation of Irish traditional music. He is a flute player par excellence, specialising in the wooden flute (his Japanese ancestry placed him ideally for an early career playing the shakuhachi), whereas she’s a classically trained fiddle player who also plays guitar; both of them sing too (and really well). They make a fine musical partnership indeed, and have become popular on the US touring circuit, presenting a choice of theme-based concerts that examine elements of the Celtic tradition.
In that connection, they’ve recorded and released no fewer than four studio CDs within the space of one year, the first of these being A Winter Solstice Celebration, which serves up a spirited, warm-hearted and intelligently realised half-hour-long menu of ancient carols, winter songs and brisk, sprightly dance tunes. Many of the selections turn out to be favourites of Kathryn’s from her childhood, and the genial affection with which they’re played here bears ample testament to this. The disc’s various medleys are creative conjoinings of fondly remembered tunes: particularly successful I thought was the Jeanette Isabella/Sussex Carol set, and there’s also a nicely paced version of In Dulci Jubilo for us to savour midway through the CD. Of the several vocal items, the highlights are probably The Wexford Carol and the duo’s haunting a cappella rendition of The Coventry Carol; and the disc opens and closes with a (very) brief snatch of poetry recited by their friend Finn MacGinty. Other contributors to the mostly-live recording sessions are special guests Cary Novotny (guitar), Joe Trump (percussion) and Suzanne Taylor (piano). And the inserted liner note sheet contains some intriguing (if occasionally rather odd) details regarding the duo’s sources (for instance, we learn that the song Remember O Thou Man was learned from a video of Richard Thompson singing it in a taxi cab).
The whole musical experience is attractively harmonious and pleasing (if over rather too soon), and should bring an appropriate measure of comfort and joy to the purchaser. David Kidman
Folkwords web site
The timing is perfect. Forget the rampant commercialism. Concentrate on the tradition. And if Celtic winter traditions are your delight then ‘A Winter Solstice Celebration’ by Hanz Araki and Kathryn Claire (collectively part of The Celtic Conspiracy) should make it on to thousands of Christmas lists.
Released for the first time in the UK, this album is integrated within a quartet of CDs under the Celtic Conspiracy banner – but back to ‘A Winter Solstice Celebration’ – these are tunes and songs designed to grace the longest night of the year. From the depths of tradition half-whispered within ancient carols, through the long-established discourse of time-honoured narratives, to scintillating tunes that hold the promise of light returning after the winter nights — this is a winter solstice celebration to savour.
The rich tones of Finn MacGinty open and close the album with two short spoken exhortations — one from Oliver Hexford to open, ‘I Heard A Bird Sing’ and to close ‘Ring Out Wild Bells’ by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The old carolling tradition is well-represented by such stalwarts as the devotional ‘The Seven Joys of Mary’ the 12 th century Irish nativity carol ‘The Wexford Carol’ and the 16 th century mystery play carol ‘The Coventry Carol’ . To dance your way through the solstice night there are classic tunes from ‘In Dulci Jubilo/Drops of Brandy/Three Sea Captains’ to ‘Apples in Winter/The Frost is All Over’. Seeking their music and songs from England, Ireland and Scotland, Hanz and Kathryn, accompanied by an acclaimed group of musicians, have delivered a perfect seasonal package.
Performing on the album are Hanz Araki (flute, whistles, vocals) Kathryn Claire (violin, guitar, vocals) joined by Cary Novotny (guitar) Joe Trump (percussion) Suzanne Taylor (piano) and Finn MacGinty (spoken word). Reviewer: Dan Holland
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Hanz Araki & Kathryn Claire – Songs of Love and Murder
Biogs:
Irish flute player Hanz Araki is the quintessential world music musician. After six generations, the name Araki is synonymous with the Japanese shakuhachi (an end-blown bamboo flute) which Hanz mastered making his professional debut in 1988.
After four years of concert appearances and teaching at the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo, Japan, Hanz returned to his hometown of Seattle, WA and found himself drawn to the world of Celtic music. The penny-whistle and the Irish flute became his single-minded focus, and jigs and reels became a second language. His unique style and passion were soon recognized and met with high praise.
Hanz also discovered his voice was well-suited to the songs of Scotland, Ireland, and England and is highly regarded for his interpretation of folk songs in what is one of the most exciting living traditions.
After several tours across the US, Canada, and the UK (first with the Juno Award winning Paperboys, then Casey Neill) as well as a return to Japan, now as a well-respected Irish flute-player, Hanz moved to Portland, OR in 2006. This move proved to be most fortuitous as it led to the musical partnership with Oregon-native
Kathryn Claire.
A self-taught guitarist and accomplished vocalist and fiddle-player, Kathryn has asserted herself in a new generation of traditionally-inspired musicians. Early classical training gave her a strong foundation, but naturally gave way to her own creative inclinations. Her violin-playing exhibits a technical grace which is matched only by her truly captivating voice. While she possesses the rare ability to move seamlessly across genres, her love and deep respect for traditional music has long been a driving influence, and those roots can be heard in her own original music, as well as her own distinctive take on folksongs.
Kathryn and Hanz quickly discovered a shared love of harmony — and a well-matched work ethic — and a creative process began that has produced a tremendous body of work. Their shared passion for traditional music is magnetic and they have become a favorite at music festivals and venues in the US and abroad. Frequent collaborators include Cary Novotny, Joe Trump, and Cal Scott (US); Takeaki Nagahama, Hirofumi Nakamura (Japan) and Aiko Obuchi (Japan).
Press Reviews
R2 March/April* * *
Songs Of Love & Murder is the fourth CD recorded in just one year by the proli?c American duo, Hanz Araki and Kathryn Claire. It’s a collection of well-known murder ballads and related tunes.
The son of lrish and Japanese parents, Araki’s father is grandmaster of the shakuhachi Japanes flute. Claire studied classical violin and voice, but is also a self-taught guitarist and songwriter. Residents of Portland, together they have amassed an impressive body of award-winning albums.
ln addition to singing, Araki plays flute and Claire plays fiddle and guitar. They are supported by Cary Novotny (guitar), Joe Trump (percussion) and Suzanne Taylor (piano). Araki plays a lyrical low whistle counter-melody to Claire’s lovely rendition of ‘Helen Of Kirkconnell’, while a simple but effective piano accompaniment underpins Araki’s singing of the haunting ballad, ‘The Banks Of Red Roses’.
The songs are broken up with flute and fiddle tune sets accompanied by relentless percussion, which I found rather too intrusive, particularly on ‘Unlucky In Love’.
Songs Of Love & Murder was recorded live, and the arrangements are simple but in keeping with the songs. It’s not going to set the world alight, but it’s well performed and is an enjoyable listen nevertheless. Keith Whiddon
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Island Eddy
Island Eddy is the debut album by the new band of the same name.
Featuring Brendan Larrissey (fiddle), Brian Duke (flute), Jim McKee (vocals, guitar) Martin Gavin (percussion).
Recently launched in Galway and released on the CI6 lar-Chonnachta label, the album features eight sets of tunes and four songs.
Ranging from newly composed to traditional favourites the tunes highlight the musicianship and solidity of Duke’s flute and whistles and Larrissey’s fiddle, viola and whistles.
McKee’s contemporary vocals embrace the sentiment of the four self penned songs, which are influenced by his childhood memories and family background in Co Tyrone. Arranged beautifully to include the instruments of the tradition, and enhancing percussion.
Joined on the album by guest musicians; Arty McGlynn on guitars, Adrian Mantu on cello, Paul Johnson on bass, Bruno Staehelin on percussion and Carol Campbell on backing vocals. Island Eddy will be touring Ireland during the early part of 2008
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James Carty – Upon my Soul
One of the positive aspects of emigration to London for me in the late 1970’s was the introduction to a whole community of traditional musicians of extraordinary talent living there. Often, it was within family groups that the music was at its strongest, and their commitment to it under conditions that were not always that favourable seemed to me remarkable.
James Carty comes from such a family, and the distillation of generations of flute playing from the Connaught region is clearly evident in this recording. I was privileged to become a personal friend of James’s family: his father John P, his mother Margaret, brother John, his sister Angela. Their collective contribution to Irish music over a long period has been outstanding.
This is James’s first solo recording, and I think its significance lies in its difference, its change of direction for contemporary flute playing. I love the shorter phrasing, so typical of the older flute playing of Connaught, and now so rare in flute recordings of today. That is not to say that this is archive music, or an attempt to recreate an old style; for it is obvious that there is much that is creative in his treatment of the old favourites, such as the Boys of the Lough or the compositions of Josie McDermott. To breathe new life into old music is certainly a gift – a gift that James has in abundance.
As ever, the accompaniment of musicians Alec Finn, Francis Gaffney and John Blake is very much in keeping with the spirit of this music. Tried and tested on many a recording, the contributions of these brilliant musicians to Irish music generally speaks for itself. Finally, I would like to draw attention to the bodhran playing of Boyle man, Joe Kennedy. Especially suited to the flute, the sound of the hand-struck bodhran, in itself something of a rarity these days, gives an authentic ring to this recording, especially in the hands of a player such as Joe. Beware of imitations. Gregory Daly Kesh July 2006
James Carty was born in London in 1969 into an extremely musical family:-. John P, his father plays mainly the flute but can also turn his hand to the fiddle, banjo and other instruments, his; mother, Margaret Folan, herself came from a family steeped in Irish traditional music and his older brother is the renown fiddle and banjo player, John Carty. With such a pedigree behind him it was inevitable James would become a musician himself.
The flute is his chosen instrument and he plays with a very distinctive almost ancient style that belies his years. James has become one of the mainstays of the session scene in London and his session in the Auld Triangle is the first port of call to many visiting musicians. James’ animated and vivacious playing demeanour is guaranteed to set any musical scene alive and he is a most welcome visitor at any sessions he visits, particularly in his father’s home county of Roscommon
This is James’ first solo recording although he has featured on many recordings to date including playing a flute and fiddle duet with brother, John on John’s album At It Again, and he also appears with fellow London residents Liam Farrell and Joe Whelan on They Sailed, Away From Dublin Bay.
James is also a founding member of the All-Britain senior champions: The Auld Triangle Ceili Band,
James is also featured on They Sailed Away from Dublin Bay alongside Liam Farrell and Joe Whelan
Press Reviews
James Carty is an excellent flute player whose skills rival that of his better-known brother, banjo and fiddle player John Carty. Another side of James’ music which immediately reminded me of his brother’s playing is his seemingly off-the-cuff, completely relaxed, yet extraordinarily creative approach to traditional tunes. Although this is James’ very first solo recording, we are definitely listening to a mature player, with a great sense for balancing creative expression with traditional style in a naturally tasteful manner. This is very much flute music, encompassing some of the great titles of the Sligo-Roscommon tradition, along with a few judiciously picked newer tunes, like the Josie McDermott compositions or Jean Duval’s “Caucus” reel. On one lovely track of reels, James is joined by his father John P, and his brother John, both on flute as well, demonstrating the strong connection between musical heritage and family ties. Sparse accompaniments, including Joe Kennedy’s hand-struck bodhran, enhance the music just so. This will be at the top of the list of “must-haves” for lovers of Irish flute music for years to come. (3/2007) Rating: ****
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John Wynne – Like the Wind
NEW JOHN WYNNE CD BRINGS SOLO TRADITIONAL FLUTE BACK INTO FOCUS
Following his critically-acclaimed duet album with fiddler John McEvoy on the Clo lar-Chonnachta label in 2007, Roscommon flute-player John Wynne releases a new album which brings his solo playing back into focus.
Ar Nós na nGaoithe/Like the Wind is an absorbing collection of fourteen virtuosic tracks, played with precision, discernment and breathtaking control. Nine years after his debut solo album, With Every Breath, John Wynne was compelled to make this second album, sensing his playing had turned a corner and that he had something new to offer. The album features popular session tunes which John learned from musicians over the years, as well as new compositions from fiddle players Tommy Peoples, Ed Reavy, Martin McGinley and Liz Knowles.
As flute-player Conal Ó Grada writes on the sleevenotes, ‘In flute playing, the elemental link between music and breath creates a dynamic tension of its own… John moves air through a flute with aplomb. In turns powerful and commanding… be prepared to be blown away!’
Also featuring John Wynne
John Wynne: With Every Breath
CICD 165 John Wynne & John McEvoy: Pride of the West
Providence.
Providence: A Fig For A Kiss
The Flute Players of Roscommon Vol 2
Press Reviews
Rock’n’Reel Mar/Apr 2010
Arriving a full nine years after his debut outing, With Every Breadth – now selling for upwards of £70 on eBay John Wynne’s second solo album has been a long time coming.
Ar Nos Na Gaoithe (Like The Wind) serves up more of the lightly-worn virtuosity heard there in a wide-ranging collection of popular session favourites interspersed with new pieces by fiddle players Tommy Peoples and Ed Reavy (a brace of characterful jigs seamlessly paired), Martin McGinley’s light-as-air ‘The Bunglas Lass’ nimbly folding into the familiar and quietly feisty ‘Belfast Hornpipe’, and the hauntingly evocative air ‘The Gift Of Falling’ by American, Liz Knowles.
Recent collaborations with fiddler John McEvoy and the curating of a CD of flute players from his native Roscommon have clearly deepened Wynne’s understanding of the instrument and its multi-faceted heritage. With strong support from Paddy McEvoy and Paul Gurney on keyboards, guitarists Arty McGlynn and Jacinta McEvoy, John Moloney on bodhran and Paul Doyle on bouzouki, this is a typically thoughtful offering, one in which Wynne’s impeccable sense of style seems to sculpt sound out of the very air itself. Michael Quinn****
Irish Music Magazine 9.09
John Wynne is known for his great technique and his grand ear for the tunes. He’s been taking Roscommon flute music very seriously since his excellent solo debut, With Every Breath, but here he lets rip in flamboyant style. The opening set of reels is a joy, starting with a virtuoso version of The Gladstone and working through variations and elaborations on Farewell to Mi/town Malbay and The Humours ofWestport. John throws caution to the wind, leaping registers like a Roscommon mountain goat, and sets a cracking pace. His customary control resurfaces on The Orphan, but the mood remains playful as John teases the rhythms and eases into Winnie Hayes’ Jig.
John Wynne’s playing is exciting enough for even the most firebrand folkies, but the accompaniment on this CD may seem a little staid to some. While the flute takes flight, there’s some surprisingly restrained drumming from John Moloney and old-style piano vamping from Paddy McEvoy and Paul Gurney. Personally, I think this suits the heavyweight tunes John has chosen: Farewell to Erin, The Belfast Hornpipe, and Tommy People’s splendid jig, The Wishing Well, for instance. There’s some lively guitar and bouzouki from Arty McGlynn, Jacinta McEvoy and Paul Doyle, and a lovely gentle touch on the two slow airs here. Liz Knowles’ air, The Gift of Falling, even gets a wash of synthesiser, but it’s never overdone. John throws in a few unusual polkas too, before finishing with a big set of reels and a reel/jig medley: The Ships are Sailing and The Hunter’s Purse, from the heart of the Roscommon flute tradition.
Without a doubt, Like the Wind (or Ar No Us na Gaoithe as it’s styled in Irish) is among the best solo flute recordings of recent years. Here is a master musician, at the top of his form, playing for pure pleasure – and it’s a pleasure to hear him. Full marks to the accompanists too, all in the best possible taste! Not to be missed, this recording underlines John Wynne’s reputation as one of Roscommon’s finest fluters. Alex Monaghan
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John Wynne and John McEvoy – Pride of the West
The combination of flute and fiddle has pride of place in traditional Irish music and many famous duos have used that classic combination — Peter Horan and Fred Finn, Josie Hayes and Junior Crehan, and Matt Molloy and Tommy Peoples, among others. Pride of the West draws on the immense flute and fiddle tradition of north Connacht and on the musicians’ strong Roscommon connections, and communicates the excitement, tension and tranquillity inherent in the combination of these two great instruments. The tunes on the album are mainly from the Sligo — Roscommon repertoire and include unusual local versions of tunes as well as some new compositions. Accompaniment is ably and subtly provided by Paddy McEvoy, John McEvoy’s son, on piano and Arty McGlynn on guitar.
Both Wynne and McEvoy are excellent exponents of the north Connacht style of playing and are established musicians in their own right. John Wynne is from Roscommon and has a strong interest in the music of Sligo, Roscommon and Leitrim. He was a member of the band Providence and recorded two albums with them, Providence and A Fig for a Kiss. He also released a critically-acclaimed solo album, With Every Breath, in 2000 and he produced and played on the recent CD The Flute Players of Roscommon, Volume 1. John McEvoy was brought up in Birmingham of Roscommon parents. He recorded the album Bakerswell with the group of the same name in the late eighties. His solo CD, Returning, was released in 1998, and he recorded The Kilmore Fancy with his sister, flute-player Catherine McEvoy, in 2004.
The album includes a CD booklet containing comprehensive background notes on the tunes. The album will be officially launched on 15 June in Spell’s Bar in Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon and on 8 July at the Willie Clancy Summer School, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare. The musicians will be playing several gigs over the summer to publicize the CD, including a performance at the Cavan Fleadh Cheoil on Sunday 3 June, a concert at the South Sligo Summer School on Tuesday 17 July and a concert at the Joe Mooney Summer School, Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim on Sunday 22 July
Press Reviews
The Irish Examiner
Roscommon man Wynne’s forceful flute-playing coalesces with McEvoy’s bright and nimble fiddling on a sweet collection of tunes, sourced mainly from the Sligo/Leitrim/Roscommon region.
The combination of fiddle and flute is enhanced but never over-shadowed by Arty McGlynn’s guitar and Paddy McEvoy’s (John’s son) piano.
Echoes of the classic duet by Fred Finn and Peter Horan, from the same region, are discernible yet this superb disc stands on its own as a celebration of impeccable taste and tight unison playing. Judicious tune selection combined with impressively uncluttered delivery means a joyous and festive spirit is projected from every one of the 14 tracks.
A pair of locally-sourced polkas, My Love is But a Lassie/The Lakes of Sligo, display a radiance and spirit that epitomises spontaneity, gaiety and deep-rooted tradition in equal measures. Pride of the West is indeed a gem. Gerry Quinn
The Living Tradition
John Wynne – a great technique and a grand ear for the tunes – has been a leading light in Roscommon flute music since his solo recording
With Every Breath . John McEvoy, another Roscommon man many years in exile, is a fine fiddler who’s well used to playing with fluters as his sister Catherine is one of the best. The combination is powerful indeed, and continues the proud tradition of Roscommon flute and fiddle duets.
Pride of the West opens with the title jig, followed by John McEvoy’s composition Kilglass Lakes, two gentle tunes which flow very sweetly here. The pumping jigs The Wandering Minstrel and I Will If I Can are much punchier, more like the rushing style for dancing. The nicely relaxed Fairy Reel starts slow and shifts up to a medium-paced swagger, then up again to full speed for Larry MacDonagh’s. In between there are some big tunes: The Strayaway Child in umpteen parts, The Maid of Mount Cisco, The Crib of Perches as a fiddle solo and the answering flute air Edward on Lough Erne’s Shore, and of course a classic set of reels starting with The Cedars of Lebanon by fiddler Sean Ryan. There are also some surprises here. A strong Scottish influence brings two marches, including the current favourite Auchdon House, and a polka version of My Love is but a Lassie. The set dance or hornpipe An Suisin Ban is a blast from Ireland’s past, and The Tooth Fairy is a charming jig by Mrs Wynne AKA Orla McAtavie. The rest of this recording is pretty much reels, stylish duets and occasional solos, at a collected canter with just a few brief gallops.
Great playing, fine tunes, good sleevenotes and plenty of length at fifty minutes, Pride of the West combines quality with quantity. One thing to beware of if you’re thinking of playing along with the Johns: they base their music around Eb, so the fiddle is tuned up a semitone and the flute is a tad shorter than is usual these days. They do the same in sessions – so don’t be caught out. Not too much of a problem for whistles or accordions, and the drummers won’t even notice, but it must drive the pipers and concertina players mad. Alex Monaghan
The Folk Diary
This is an album of straightforward Irish traditional music; no frills; no extras, but the playing has such skill, verve and understanding of the
form that the album is a complete delight from beginning to end. The music is mainly from the Roscommon/Sligo area where the flute is the dominant
instrument and where so many traditional masters of that instrument come from.
John Wynne is clearly one of this worthy heritage. He is clearly a master of the instrument and shows good empathy with the other John, a fiddler. Their playing has great clarity even when played at speed; the sets of reels produce excitement even though the players sound relaxed and
are playing within themselves and are well- chosen to contrast one another.
Two very fine accompanists are sparingly used; Arty McGlynn on guitar and Paddy McEvoy on piano and even where they are used, they are well back in the overall mix, allowing the glory of the tunes to come through. Vic Smith
www.liveireland.com
There are certain labels where you know. You just know. Anything that comes out on them will be fab. Clo-Iar-Chonnachta is one of them. Now comes, “Pride of the West” featuring the flute of John Wynne and fiddler, John McEvoy. It is in the north Clare style. That is not important. What IS important is that if you like trad, this one is a must-have. Accompanied by the legendary Arty McGlynn on guitar and Paddy McEvoy on piano, this is a delight. Tons of tunes, perfectly played. Perfectly. Great lift and ambience. There are 14 sets of tunes. We wanted 14 more. Many are rarely, if ever, heard. We adore this album. Rating: Highly Recommended. Bill Margeson
Irish Music Magazine Aug 07
Another excellent collection from CIC and we wouldn’t expect less which brings out a beautiful blend of flute and fiddle. It could hardly be otherwise when John McEvoy is brother to Catherine, who already has a notable flute CD of her own. The opening tracks are fine examples of musical understanding, with two instruments and two players totally together.
The reels like The Cedars of Lebanon/ John Egan’s are taken at a fair lick: so also are jigs like Happy to meet, Sorry to part. But there is no sense of anything rushed or forced. It’s delightful precision playing and very often the two instruments sound as so much as one that the only way you can tell there’s a pair is when you hear the breathing on the flute.
The best track? A near-run thing, but The Stray-Away Child is a great jig that will repay repeated listening. Listen out, though, for The Crib of Perches. It’s a fine reel, and understandably a favourite. There’s strong and sinewy playing in the set of two polkas. For learners there’s a special value in having well-known tunes like The Mountain Top and The Maids of Mount Cisco, and showing how they can be shared. For a solo showing the characteristic vibrato of the Connacht style, John Wynne’s playing of the air Edward on Lough Erne’s shore is a model of lyrical restraint.
The accompaniment is also thoroughly musical: you often have to listen for it, but it’s there doing a fine job even if unnoticed first time out. One lesson from this CD is that the music is about people. The fine bi-lingual liner notes normally trace the lineage of the tunes, even back a hundred years and more.
Thus John Wynne has a couple of Scottish tunes, which come from his wife, Orla McAtavie, who comes from Ballybay in Co Monaghan. The primrose and blue may not be doing too well on football pitches these days, but there can be real pride in Roscommon for having produced music of this quality. John Brophy
The Irish Times
Regional accents are alive and thriving on this collection of north Connaught tunes. Roscommon flute player John Wynne and Birmingham-born fiddler John McEvoy make sprightly, uncluttered music: filigree playing that stitches the two instruments together seamlessly. Anyone whose flute and fiddle appetite was awakened by Peter Horan and Gerry Harrington’s sublime Fortune Favours The Merry will savour the local blas of the polka set, My Love Is But A Lassie and the wistfulness of the reel set, The Mountain Top. Although Arty McGlynn’s pristine guitar accompaniment never overwhelms, at times it veers too close to oblivion, buried too deep in the mix. John’s son Paddy lends equally subtle piano accompaniment, though: a perfect suitor for such refined musicians. SIOBHÁN LONG
The Irish Echo 13.6.07
North Connacht Clout from John Wynne and John McEvoy: “Pride of the West” Pairing Impressive
CEOL COLUMN
Several years ago a prominent Irish record company owner, who shall remain nameless here, surprised me by saying, “We don’t need any more albums of nicely played tunes.” In that owner’s mind, there were too many recordings by Irish traditional instrumentalists whose playing ranged from competent to good.
So, are trad-heads really holding their breath for further pleasant iterations of such familiar tunes as “The Maid of Mount Kisco,” “Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part,” “The Mountain Top,” and “The Strayaway Child”? Haven’t they been done to death?
All four of those tunes are on the brand-new “Pride of the West” album by flutist John Wynne, who’s from Roscommon, and fiddler John McEvoy, who was born in Birmingham, England, to Roscommon parents. It is one of the best albums of Irish traditional music I’ve heard this year and will certainly crack my top 10 list at the end of it.
What distinguishes this “tunes” album is, at heart, a paradox. The liner note written by the two musicians claims that “the commitment to compromise, in blending one’s own individuality towards the achievement of something greater, is foremost” on the CD. In short, rein in virtuosity to better serve a more coveted, higher equilibrium. But in that “blending,” Wynne and McEvoy have given us both individual virtuosity and ideal balance. Tight flourishes and nimble nips of improvisation seep from the marrow of their bone-strong tandem playing. Reach and grasp are equal here, creating an Irish traditional performance all the more impressive because it doesn’t strive to impress.
Twelve of the album’s 14 tracks are duets, all drawing on this rare ability to match temperament and talent without the slightest tapering off in separate originality. The jigs “The Wandering Minstrel/Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part/I Will If I Can” begin with unaccompanied flute and fiddle, each supporting and nudging the other, and soon Arty McGlynn gently introduces an acoustic guitar rhythm underneath the two melody players. Nuance, piquancy, drive, and non-showoff embellishment swell the fluidity of Wynne and McEvoy’s joint playing.
Unaccompanied flute and fiddle start another medley, “The Mountain Top/Ciaran’s Reel,” where again the playing features spare, spot-on ornamentation wholly within the flow created by the two. This time, the able backing eventually comes from Paddy McEvoy, John’s son, on piano.
Flute and guitar lead off the march, highland, and reel medley of “The Balmoral Highlander/Thistle and Shamrock/Thistle and Shamrock.” Wynne’s flute work is inventive and intricate, and McEvoy’s imaginative fiddling glides in beneath a flute sustain of a single note and assumes melodic responsibility. Then fiddle and flute join, gaining in pace as McGlynn complements on guitar. It is a superbly conceived and executed arrangement.
A reel sometimes attributed to Sligo fiddler Paddy Killoran that cites a town in Westchester County, N.Y., “The Maid of Mount Kisco” is a session staple performed with distinctive verve and touch by Wynne and McEvoy, accompanied by Paddy McEvoy on piano.
Paired with the album-titled trad jig “Pride of the West” is “Kilglass Lakes,” a jig composed by McEvoy as a nod to his ancestral turf of Kilglass and Kilmore in North Roscommon. Flute, fiddle, guitar, and piano blend stirringly in this track. (Finishing third in the Irish Echo’s top ten trad albums of 2004, “The Kilmore Fancy” also acknowledged the area and featured another exceptional fiddle-flute duo, John McEvoy and his sister Catherine, with Bronx-born Felix Dolan on piano.)
The sole album track without any accompaniment is “The Strayaway Child,” a jig credited to Sligo fiddler Michael Gorman that the Bothy Band memorably covered on their “Out of the Wind Into the Sun” album in 1977. Wynne and McEvoy invest this jig with a litheness and buoyancy that set into relief the separate strengths of each musician. The same performance traits surface in “The Fairy Reel/Larry MacDonagh’s Reel,” which skillfully wends its way from flute, fiddle, and guitar, to just flute and guitar, to flute, fiddle, and guitar again, and finally to flute, fiddle, guitar, and piano.
In an album chock-full of highlights, “The Cedars of Lebanon/John Egan’s/Doonagore” and “The Piper’s Despair/The Mullingar Lea” reels, as well as “My Love Is but a Lassie/The Lakes of Sligo” polkas (the second polka stems from a 1950s recording that included Joe Derrane), also stand out for flute-fiddle playing.
In addition, Wynne and McEvoy take a solo track apiece. Backed by his son on piano, John McEvoy steps out on “The Crib of Perches/The Tinker’s Stick/Come Up to the Room, I Want Ye” reels, where his bowing is nothing short of mesmerizing. For his solo, John Wynne movingly plays an air, “Edward on Lough Erne’s Shore,” followed by “The Tooth Fairy,” a jig composed by his wife, Orla McAtavie, and the traditional “Fraher’s Jig.” McGlynn’s guitar provides light, rhythmic undergirding for those jigs.
Recorded during Dec. 2006 and Jan. 2007 in Kinvara, Galway’s Open Ear Studios and in Ballaghadereen, Roscommon’s Spells Pub, “Pride of the West” avoids any trace of roteness by relying on near-telepathic communication between Wynne and McEvoy. Their fresh settings or regional variations of familiar tunes reinvigorate them, and their respect for the vaunted flute-fiddle tradition of North Roscommon-South Sligo informs every melody they play.
“Flute music is all verb, and Matt Molloy conjugates it joyfully in all its moods and tenses,” poet Seamus Heaney noted on “Stony Steps,” a 1987 solo recording by Molloy, who hails from Roscommon. Heaney’s words also fit the flute and fiddle music on “Pride of the West.” In every sense, this is a win-Wynne-McEvoy situation. Earle Hitchner
[Published on June 13, 2007, in the IRISH ECHO newspaper, New York City. Copyright (c) Earle Hitchner. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of author.]
£14.99
