Melodeon
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Caladh Nua – Happy Days
Caladh is an old Irish word meaning “Harbour” or “Shelter place”. Caladh Nua means a “New Harbour” or “New Shelter place”. Caladh Nua could also refer to a new comfortable place where music and song sets a warm lovely atmosphere. With all this in mind, this is “Caladh Nua”, the traditional Irish band. This very unique band was founded in early 2009. Like many of the great Irish traditional bands Caladh Nua simply formed as a result of great musicians crossing paths, realising a special connection and then wanting to share it with the world audience. The ensemble comprises of five qualified musicians from three beautiful regions in Ireland, counties Carlow, Waterford and Kilkenny. The tasteful musical arrangements of Caladh Nua include traditional Irish dance music, traditional songs alongside some more recently composed pieces. Caladh Nua has a perfect balance between innovation and preservation of Irelands wonderful music and song tradition, the bands special repertoire and energy is guaranteed to capture an audience of any generation
Press Reviews
Net Rhythms.com
Caladh is an old Irish word meaning “harbour” or “place of shelter”; thus the band name signifies a state whereby they’ve found a new comfortable place to showcase their musical talents in a warm and convivial atmosphere. And that turns out an apt description of the genially energetic music on offer from this fairly new young five-piece band who hail variously from Counties Waterford, Carlow and Kilkenny.
Although there’s no shortage of musicianship, the band members don’t force the issue, preferring instead to concentrate on letting the music speak for itself. Theirs is an easygoing style, as demonstrated on this collection that readily intersperses tune-sets and songs in sensibly varied and clean, uncluttered arrangements that let the individual musicians have their say without fear of being drowned out or interrupted mid-flow. And yet, considering that the lineup sports two fiddlers (Paddy Tutty and Lisa Butler), the overall texture isn’t always as rich as you might expect — but this isn’t ever a problem when the playing is so deliciously pointed and the arrangements kept so simple. The lineup’s completed by Eoin O’Meachir (banjo, whistle, mandolin), Derek Morrissey (button accordion) and Colm O’Caoimh (guitar, bouzouki), who together provide a fortuitous balance of timbres that’s impeccably judged, with melody line and harmony support well proportioned at all times.
The opening set of reels is a good illustration of the band’s flair for balance between sensitivity of internal dynamics and outright energy, although there are instances on later sets where one feels that a little more capital might have been made out of the tunes (for example The Jolly Beggarman, which flits by in just under three minutes) and that a touch more loosening-up might have helped in dispelling the hint of “by rote” that just occasionally creeps into the rhythm of the ensemble. Interestingly though, one of the most appealing of the instrumental tracks is a swinging ragtime-cum-vaudeville-flavoured piece By Heck (which originates from the playing of the Flanagan Brothers, who emigrated to America in the early 1900s).
The rest of the tune-sets contain a nice mixture of jigs, reels and hornpipes and barndances, and the chosen pace is well managed but never too frantic even in the concluding head-of-steam stages of a set. Colm gives us a delightful solo performance too, the Gort Na Mona set (comprising a jig and a hornpipe): light and lyrical guitar picking at its finest (and, like his rendition of The Humours Of Ballyloughlin on the disc’s final medley, inspired by the duetting of Paul Brady and Arty McGlynn). As far as the songs are concerned, Lisa takes the vocals for three out of the four, and she has a pleasing, warm, generous tone with a good sense of line without resorting to over-use of ornamentation; I particularly enjoyed her rendition of Cad É Sin Don Té Sin, a Donegal song dealing with the issue of personal freedom and individuality, although her treatment of Banks Of The Lee is a little too much on one level to rise above the standard. The fourth of the songs is the odd-one-out in two respects: it’s the only contemporary composition – Richard Thompson’s Beeswing – and it’s sung (albeit rather attractively too) by Colm, but it ends a little abruptly and in the end doesn’t add anything to the song’s already massive discography.
Overall, then, Happy Days is a pretty impressive debut, for these musicians are undeniably talented and have already learnt some key lessons in the successful presentation of Irish traditional music. And even though I’m left with a feeling of being ever so slightly shortchanged, it proves an enjoyable listen. David Kidman October 2010
www.LiveIreland.com
Caladh Nua is another young group out with a stunner, Happy Days. What a quintet! Fab songs meet wonderful, wonderful tunes
£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 -
Garry Walsh – Uncovered
Press Reviews
Folk World Web Site
Of Cork and Louth parentage, fluter Garry Walsh learnt his music from the Irish exiles around Manchester. He’s now returned to Ireland with a store of tunes which have been forgotten by the auld sod. Names such as Narrow West Street and Under the Tholsel refer to Drogheda landmarks, while Back to Skibbereen and Around Lough Ine are from the other end of the country. All the material here is played in a fine style which manages to be both fluid and rhythmic.
Among the jigs and reels, Garry has slid in a couple of hornpipes and an enchanting slow air. There are also three Walsh family compositions here. Garry’s grandfather wrote Eileen Fahy’s Reel, a lovely flowing tune. Garry himself wrote The Travelling Lamp, and his daughter wrote Ciara’s Reel. There are so many new tunes here that it’s hard to absorb them all, but my current favourites are Casey’s Jig, deep and meaningful on the Bb flute, and Robbie’s Welcome on the high whistle.
Garry’s flutes and whistles are joined by Dave Hennessy on button box, Clare Fitzpatrick on fiddle, Johnny Neville on guitars, Colm Murphy on bodhrán, and Ilsa De Ziah on cello. The overall sound is rich and varied, complementing the powerful earthy tones and high floating sweetness from Garry. Uncovered may be a little short on quantity, but its quality is never in doubt. An excellent debut, with more to come I’d say.
Alex Monaghan
TAPLAS, The Welsh Folk Magazine Aug / Sept.05 Adolygiadau / Reviews.
THIS interesting, if rather brief, album of tunes from Co. Cork and Co. Louth is well worth a listen. The unfamiliar material is the main source of interest as, excepting three (one by Walsh’s maternal grandfather, one by himself and one by his daughter), all the tunes are traditional and have been handed down from both sides of his family, seemingly preserved because of the family’s emigration to Manchester, as they appear not to have survived in their region of origin! They certainly deserve to survive and Walsh’s persuasive renditions of them will assure this.
Brought up in Manchester, but now living in Cork, Walsh is a fine player of flutes and whistles. His playing is assertive, without being strident or flashy, and his approach is well-judged; brisk and rhythmic enough for drive and excitement. But it’s unhurried and retains a sense of leisure and pleasure in the melodies, particularly in the jigs.
He is ably, and tastefully, supported by Clare Fitzpatrick on fiddle and Dave Hennessy on melodeon and restrained use of bodhran and cello, in addition to solid guitar backing from John Neville.
My sole reservation about this album is its short duration. Otherwise, highly recommended. Jem Hammond
www.netrhythms.com.07.05
Perhaps the biggest clue to the principal intended selling-point of this release lies in its title – the uncovering of a number of tunes which have either never been recorded before or are rare or almost forgotten (many previously existing only within the confines of Garry’s own family). The “old music from Counties Cork and Louth”, learnt from Garry’s parents over the years, indeed. The only exceptions to this are three individual tunes composed by family members, including one by Garry himself. But then again, Garry himself is only just being “uncovered” – ie discovered – as a musician, for this is his debut release.
Manchester-born but with strong family roots in Counties Louth and Cork, Garry plays flute – and superbly too. But as well as the D flute, he also plays the B-flat and E-flat instruments which are less often heard in the tune repertoire. His playing style is at once fluid and highly rhythmic, and sometimes possesses a wonderful quality of lonesomeness in tone that is often remarked as associated with parts of Counties Clare and Galway.
Garry’s excellent playing is complemented on this release by some equally excellent musicianship courtesy of Clare Fitzpatrick (fiddle), Dave Hennessy (melodeon), former De Dannan-ite Colm Murphy (bodhrán) and Johnny Neville (guitar). These extra musicians are used variously and sparingly, and each track has a different instrumental complement, making for a stimulating variety of texture and atmosphere.
Highlights for me were the set of reels (track 8) which team Garry’s D-whistle with Colm’s bodhrán, the hornpipes (track 7) on which Garry’s accompanied by Clare and Dave, and the sets on which Garry plays the B-flat flute (notably the jigs on track 11), where the eerie deep quality of the flute itself is given a beautifully mellow counterpoint by Ilsa De Ziah’s guest cello contribution.
The final set brings the whole ensemble together on stage for a relaxed pair of reels. It’s great to be able to hear so many new tunes on an album for a change. My only criticism of this fine CD is its criminally short playing time (37 minutes); why oh why?
£14.99 -
Johnny Connolly – An Mileoidean Scaoilte
Press Reviews
“This CD should be in everybody’s collection of traditional music”. Joe Mullarkey The Irish Post
“Johnny Connolly is an acknowledged master: possibly the greatest Irish melodeon player ever, certainly the best of his generation”.
The Living Tradition
“An instant classic . . . a memorable recording of Irish dance music”, Alex Monaghan/ The Living Tradition.
“This thoroughly wonderful CD is available from Copperplate Distribution”, Rod Stradling, editor, Musical Traditions web site
The Stillwater Times Reviews Star Rating: ****
“Johnny Connolly is an acknowledged master: possibly the greatest Irish melodeon player ever, certainly the best of his generation..
” The Living Tradition
£14.99
