Piano
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Paddy O’Brien – Mixing the Punch
MIXING THE PUNCH features Paddy O’Brien playing his old 1947 Paolo Soprani button accordion (an instrument that once belonged to legendary Dublin musician Sonny Brogan). The new CD offers a wide mixture of jigs, reels, and hornpipes, one slow air, and one selection of polkas, which are Paddy’s own compositions. The tunes included are particular versions from Counties Clare and Donegal, or settings from players Paddy has known over the years, and filtered through his own taste and musical expression.
Paddy is accompanied on MIXING THE PUNCH by Teresa Baker, a wonderful piano player who hails from Portland, Oregon. Fellow Offalyman, Felim Egan from Cloghan, plays a selection of jigs on solo accordion as a guest artist.
PADDY O’BRIEN
A product of County Offaly in the midlands of Ireland, Paddy O’Brien is regarded by serious players and collectors of Irish traditional music as one of the tradition’s most important repositories. In a career that spans the last half-century, Paddy has earned a reputation as a walking encyclopedia of Irish traditional music; according to conservative estimates, he carries in his head more than 3,000 Irish melodies – jigs, reels, hornpipes, airs, and marches, including many rare and unusual tunes. His mastery of the two-row button accordion was also acknowledged through prestigious awards: he was named Direachtas champion four times, and All-Ireland senior accordion champion in 1975.
Paddy’s particular skill is in remembering not just melodies, but particular individual and regional settings learned from older players who are now gone. He has made his mark on Irish traditional music in many different ways: through live performances with some of Ireland’s best-loved traditional bands, through classic recordings in the tradition; and, not least of all, through his work on The Paddy O’Brien Tune Collection: A Personal Treasury of Irish Traditional Music, a monumental undertaking that documents 1,000 melodies from his repertoire.
Paddy is also known for putting his own distinct stamp on the music of the groups he has founded: Bowhand, Hill 16, Chulrua, The Doon Ceili Band, and O’Rourke’s Feast. He has worked to create a distinct sound with each group, in the process earning major accolades in the world of Irish traditional music.
In Ireland, Paddy played and recorded with the famed Castle Ceili Band and Ceoltoiri Laighean. In 1978, he began playing regularly in the United States, in Washington DC, Saint Louis, Saint Paul, San Francisco, Boston, New York, and many places between. He has been featured on six recordings with Shanachie Records since 1978, including two with fiddler James Kelly and guitarist/singer Daithf Sproule, which are now considered iconic examples of Irish traditional music all around the world. In 1988 Paddy released his first solo album, Stranger at the Gate, on the Green Linnet label (and recently re-released by Compass Records). His most recent recordings include The Sailor’s Cravat, with fiddler Tom Schaefer, bouzouki player Paul Wehling, and singer Erin Hart (who happens to be his wife); and a new solo CD, Mixing the Punch. Both of these recent recordings are available from Copperplate.
Paddy has taught at the Willie Clancy Summer School held in Milltown Malbay, County Clare, Goderich Celtic College, The Swannanoa Gathering, and the Catskills Irish Arts Week, and served several times as a master artist in the Minnesota State Arts Board Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program. Since 1994, he has received a number of prestigious fellowships and grants tc support his work with traditional musicians, and The Paddy O’Brien Tune Collection.
“In its recalling of past masters, in its thoughtful and well-crafted performances, this recording is at once a wakeup call and a reminder of the things that matter in Irish traditional music.” — Irish Music Magazine
“The music. Button box wizard Paddy O’Brien gets it. Really gets it. ‘What I like inra musician now,’ states Paddy, “is the one who plays the nicest tune, even more than the technical musicianship.” In that one sentence the legendary Offaly born button box player encapsulates a life spent in the center and soul of Irish music. And that center is the music itself. Not the current fashion. Not the current ‘hot’ group. Not ‘the buzz.’The music. Period. Full stop.”— Irish Music Magazine
TERESA BAKER
A native of Missouri, now resident in Portland, Oregon, Teresa Baker has been playing Irish traditional music on the tin whistle and piano for many years. She will sing if provoked. Teresa has performed at the Alaska Folk Festival, Portland’s “Art in the Pearl” Kell’s Irish Pub Festivals, and countless dances, weddings and parties.
FELIM EGAN
Button accordion virtuoso Felim Egan hails from Cloghan in County Offaly. Born into an accomplished musical family, Felim began playing at the age of four. Tutored first by his father and then later by the legendary Irish fiddler Dan Cleary, Felim spent his youth in Ireland competing in numerous competitions on button accordion and bodhran (Irish hand drum).
Also by Paddy O’Brien: The Sailor’s Cravat
Press Reviews
The Living Tradition
Paddy O’Brien, originally from County Offaly, is, by any standard you care to mention, one of the outstanding players of the two-row button accordion, with a string of awards to his name. He is also a prodigious collector of tunes, with an ability to retain regional variations and styles, as well as recalling the individual techniques of players who have now left us. He is quoted as saying that he likes musicians who play the nicest tunes even more than those who have technical musicianship — surely the sort of thing that can only be said by someone whose own technical musicianship is an absolute given.
Paddy’s technical playing gives some of the cleanest, clearest playing that you could hope for, but never at the expense of the heart and soul of the tunes. Each set here involves the listener straight away, and you just know that there’s been a lot of thought put into what you’re hearing, so that everything sounds just right. There is a lightness of touch here that is extraordinary and a passion for the music that is evident.
The tune sets take us on a tour all round Ireland, with Paddy’s playing reflecting the regional styles perfectly. Mostly jigs and reels, as you might expect, with hornpipes, polkas and slow airs thrown in for good balance, this selection really is a showcase to treasure.
Teresa Baker provides piano accompaniment, and her non-obtrusive, complementary style should be a lesson to any who aspire to the genre. There’s a guest appearance from fellow-Offaly man Felim Egan as well, to add some extras to this really splendid production. Class this as ‘essential listening’. Gordon Potter
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Peter Horan & Gerry Harrington – The Merry Love to Play
Peter Horan is a legendary flute player from Killavil, Co. Sligo and this is the second album that he has recorded with Gerry Harrington, a talented fiddler from Kenmare, Co. Kerry.
Their first album, Fortune Favours the Merry, was released in 2005 to critical acclaim and The Merry Love to Play will do much to confirm their excellence as a duet. The new album is completely unaccompanied, a very rare occurrence in commercial music, allowing the listener to focus entirely on the two melody instruments and also maximizing the opportunity to hear Peter Horan’s unique flute playing. The musicians’ distinct styles complement each other superbly, with Gerry’s delicate and airy playing providing the perfect counterbalance to Peter’s rhythm-driven style. For Peter Horan to undertake an unaccompanied album at the age of 81 was no mean feat; however both musicians felt strongly that an unaccompanied recording was the best choice for the new album. They wanted to go back to the roots of the music, to a simpler sound that would showcase the instruments and best reflect the way that music has traditionally been played. The Merry Love to Play does just that, and provides listeners with a rare example of traditional Irish music in its purest state.
Gerry Harrington has provided meticulous notes in the booklet on the sources for the tunes. The Merry Love to Play will be launched on Monday 16 July in Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo as part of a tribute concert to Peter Horan during the South Sligo Summer School.
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.
Also available from Copperplate Distribution
CICD158: Peter Horan & Gerry Harrington: Fortune Favours The Merry
CICD142: Gerry Harrington & Charlie Piggott: The New Road
Press Reviews
Irish Music Magazine
One of the great things about our music is that it’s meant for sharing among friends. No finer example could be found than this collection. It’s a follow-up to the first CD, Fortune favours the merry. It is also a powerful argument for having at least some tunes played unaccompanied, especially when the players have such good rhythm and understanding. And the solos are very fine. Listen to Peter Horan at the age of 81, giving a masterly account of the “High Level” hornpipe, not an easy tune at any age. And he also has a lovely waltz, the “Killavil Waltz”, that came from his own mother.
There’s sometimes a complaint that traditional players don’t achieve great tone. Gerry’s playing on the slow air “Her Mantle So Green” will easily give the lie to that. Full praise to CIC for the detailed bi-lingual notes, including background on each tune. Listen to the instinctively good playing on an old war-horse like “The old grey goose”. Gerry shows his Kerry roots with a couple of fine polkas, including the showpiece “Primrose”, once made famous by Jimmy Shand.
Above all, this is happy and contented music, no shapes to throw, nothing to prove, except that when you love the music as much as this, the sharing is wonderful. John Brophy
www.liveireland.com
For the pure trad lover comes a “must have”. “The Merry Love To Play”. Out of the West comes 81 year old Peter Horan on wooden flute (of course!) and Gerry Harrington on fiddle. This is a follow up to their highly regarded and loved, “Fortune Favours The Merry” of a few years ago. This is unaccompanied. A daunting challenge today, both in artistic and commercial areas. This takes musicians of quality and real substance. This is not easy to pull off. These two do it gloriously. Again, this is for the real, true, down to the bone trad fanatic. Others of a more commercial bent may want to stay away. But, if the real deal is your deal, this is for you. This is brilliant. Horan’s solo version of “The Coolin” is worth the price of admission, alone! Rating: Highly Recommended For The True Trad Purist! Bill Margeson
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Peter McAlinden – Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part
In last year’s festival Peter gave an exciting performance on tin whistle as a guest of Karen Tweed and he returns this year to launch his debut album on tin whistle, accompanied by Pete Quinn on piano. He is dedicating this recording to the memory of his parents Jim and Kitty McAlinden and Kathleen Murray.
Peter McAlinden won the Senior All-Ireland title on the tin whistle in Buncrana, County Donegal, in 1979. Thirty-one years on, having just passed the milestone of fifty, he has made this recording using a favourite old “generation” whistle in the key of D.
Deeply touched last year by the loss of two enormously influential figures in his life – his mother Kitty McAlinden and his musical mentor and friend Kathleen Murray – he has found himself on a journey back to his musical soul and roots, the result of which is this solo recording.
Peter McAlinden is one of a rare breed of people whose way of being reminds me every day why I play music. Peter is, amongst my generation, a well loved and highly respected musician – his technique, phrasing and choice of tunes is second to none… but it’s how he thinks about music, people and life that transcends everything and, in turn, makes his music so great. His tin whistle playing and superb humour were, and still remain, one of my greatest and earliest influences. I was overjoyed when Peter told me of his plans to make this album and touched by his wish to dedicate it to the people that meant so much to him. Lovers of traditional Irish music can now enjoy this long awaited debut recording that showcases Peter’s virtuosity on the tin whistle. Karen Tweed August 2010
‘Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part’
To say that this debut album from Peter McAlinden is long awaited could be considered understatement of the year. Since winning the senior All-Ireland tin whistle competition in 1979, Peter has been a highly regarded figure on the London Irish music scene both as a whistle and piano player. Dedication to his teaching career robbed him from us for too many years, but I’m delighted to say that he has recently returned to the scene with a bang. Many musicians and listeners are discovering him for the first time, and it’s hugely enjoyable to watch their positive reactions to his music. His enthusiasm for the music, as well as his ‘joie de vivre’, is completely infectious – he’s a great man to have around.
This album captures all that is great about Peter’s tin whistle playing – beautifully executed rolls, cuts and trebles with amazing fingerwork throughout (and a few sneaky staccato trebles thrown in), breath control which defies the laws of physiology, and gorgeous variations without ever losing sense of the tune.
It is apparent that a lot of thought has gone into this album. The tune playing is immaculate and the chordal accompaniment is perfectly tailored to each piece. The dance tune tracks are full of uplifting and crisp changes from the two Petes, and yet the album also manages to capture the spontaneity of two great musicians just bouncing off each other’s playing, making for some very exciting music.
Tunes featured on the album include Peter’s own fresh interpretations of the classics (see track ? in particular to make you fall in love with the Salamanca all over again) and some obscure gems. Peter is unashamedly fond of Reels, but the album has a healthy dose of other types of tunes and the final track (Star of the County Down) is testament to his mastery and absolute feel for a traditional tune no matter what the time signature.
For any young (or old) players looking for inspiration in their whistle playing – look no further. In fact, for any traditional Irish music enthusiast this album is a must for the collection. Karen Ryan, Return to Camden Festival Director.
New Friday night session starts at Keenan’s on Fri 4 February with Paddy Egan (concertina), Peter McAlinden (keyboard/whistle/flute) and friends
Keenan’s Bar, 87, Colney Hatch Lane, Muswell Hill, London NW10 1LR tel 0208 883 7174
Press Reviews
Musical Traditions web site
London born Peter McAlinden is one of five children of Irish immigrants. His early interest in Irish traditional music was encouraged by a neighbour Kathleen Murray who taught Peter his first tunes and introduced him to many of the musicians associated with the heyday of Irish music in London, such as Danny Meehan, Bobby Casey, John and Julia Clifford and Raymond Roland. Peter drifted away from the music in the early 1990s and has only recently returned to playing. On this CD he plays a selection of old and new tunes on the tin whistle accompanied by Pete Quinn on piano.
From the opening bars of the Concert reel it’s obvious that Peter McAlinden is a confident and tasteful whistle player. The pace is steady, the rolls are crisp and there are nice subtle melodic variations. Peter also shows he has studied the classic recordings and adds his acknowledgement of the legacy of the greats in his tasty interpretation of The Boys of the Lough and The Woman of the House, both following Coleman’s variations while putting his own slant on the tunes. He does the same later with The Salamanca, although the treatment of Dr Gilbert in the same set somehow fails to raise the excitement of the Coleman original. Maybe too many rolls smooth out the spikiness of the reel or it just doesn’t translate well from fiddle to whistle.
There are three slow airs on the record. The stand out track is a lovely version of Anach Cuan learned from Seamus Tansey. There’s a lot of reverb of this track but it doesn’t distract too much. Peter follows the air with a Sligo jig, The Killavil but then makes an awkward change into a reel. This reviewer isn’t keen on mixing time signatures, a lesson learnt long ago from Julia Clifford, and while it’s a nice effect to follow an air with a dance tune, adding a reel seems a bit contrived. The last track, played in tribute to Peter’s mother gives the Star of the County Down a similar treatment as hornpipe, jig, and reel follow the original air. Peter’s playing of the Coolin, while faithful to the ancient setting just sounds a bit too syrupy for today’s audience.
Generally, Peter plays an interesting mix of jigs and reels through the record with one set of hornpipes and one of slip jigs. The Sligo roots of his teacher come through in the selections but there’s enough borrowings from Clare and Galway to show a wide repertoire and eclectic taste. The jig called Tom McElvogue’s and credited as Tom’s composition is very popular with the younger set of musicians as it offers scope for a lot of syncopation. Peter’s version is clearly the regular setting and dates back to his days with St Colmcille’s Ceili Band. The young bucks should take note!
The whistle does not always sound in tune with itself and it’s the same Generation whistle played throughout. An hour of whistle playing could get a bit tedious but here Pete Quinn’s piano accompaniment successfully creates varied moods and feelings on each track, with the odd tune played one time through before he comes in.
The accompanying booklet has a bit a family history and background and short notes about each selection of tunes. It’s not unusual for musicians to be stuck for a name for many of the tunes they play but it’s a pity Peter didn’t have anybody to check tune titles with, as many of the selections are named after Peter’s source but some have more familiar names. Josie McDermott’s is usually known as Devanny’s Goat and Conway’s is Old Joe’s jig. This record would be a great source for somebody learning Irish music to get some good solid settings and having the right names is helpful.
Overall this is a well produced record that deserves a wide audience. Currently available through Copperplate, it’s a worthy tribute to Peter’s parents and his mentor. Ken Ricketts and Marya Parker
R2 Rock’n’Reel
It’s a simple question: do you like Irish whistle playing? If the answer’s no, just move on nothing to see here. If, on the other hand, you’re a devotee of that high, soaring beauty, here’s an album that will very delicately blow your socks off.
With sympathetic, rhythmic piano by Pete Quinn (London Lasses) the only accompaniment, there is a decidedly ‘old-fashioned’ feel to the performance, which makes this selection as charming as it is dazzling, as McAlinden shows just what the humble tin whistle is capable of.
Breath control and fingering are masterful throughout, whether on the dizzying ‘Limestone Rock’/’JosieMcDermott’s’or the eloquently plaintive ‘An Coolin’. But the real mastery here is that it’s all unobtrusive, with nothing about McAlinden’s playing that’s just showy for its own sake.
No, this is an album that’s all about the tunes; and what tunes they are, polished up like a newly painted wagon heading off down the lane on a bright summer morning. Happy to meet, indeed, but I think I’ll pass on the parting and just jump on for the ride. Oz Hardwick ****
www.liveIreland.com
Happy To Meet and Sad To Part is the new album from master whistle player, Peter McAlinden from Ireland. The tin whistle can either be a lovely thing altogether, or a curse from God. Depends, like everything, on the player. When Copperplate and Alan O’Leary tell us someone is great our ears perk up. Again, he is right. This guy is a lovely, lovely whistle player with great taste and phrasing. A big selection of some of the great trad tunes here. You might just sort past another whistle album in your Irish music hunt. That would be a mistake with this album. Wow, can this guy play! Peter McAlinden is going to get a LOT of fans with this one. Count us as one of them! Mary Bergin, watch out!! Bill Margeson
Taplas, The Welsh Folk Mag. Feb/March 11
London Irishman Peter McAlinden was an All Ireland champion on whistle in 1979 and is a stalwart of the city’s session scene. Rather sentimentally presented in the liner notes as a tribute to his late parents and a musical mentor, the album is a kind retrospective tour through an extensive traditional repertory, endearingly all played on a favourite old Generation D whistle (in the process illustrating both the strengths and weaknesses of that instrument – sweet, mellow sound, clarity of response to fingering, but occasionally distractingly dodgy intonation!).
Pete Quinn’s keyboard accompaniment is unobtrusively supportive but, with such restricted forces, the album is a trifle monochrome for uninterrupted listening, despite Peter’s musical and technical dexterity. It would be a fine resource for tune learners and would-be whistlers, with many well known tunes executed in a clear and exemplary fashion. Jem Hammond
Irish Music Magazine
This CD has subconsciously become my travel companion. It is instinctively reached for when a musical interlude is needed. It’s easy listening at its very best and all instigated through the scratchy meanderings of a well-worn Generation whistle. Peter McAlinden is a former All-Ireland Champion of the whistle (1979) and, like so many, chose a teaching path rather than pursuing a career in music. Thankfully, over thirty years later, after a stint with Karen Tweed at the Return to Camden festival and the poignant passing of his mother and mentor, a decision to share his undoubted talent was made and the result is Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part.
I’m straight away drawn to a haunting lament on track four entitled Anach Cuan which echoes evocatively then settles smoothly into the Killavil jig. The supplementary key stirrings of the piano are ably administered by Pete Quinn of London Lassies fame and as he jauntily steers the chords into The Morning Dew, McAlinden picks up pace and implements the notes with stylish ease. Touch me if you Dare ambles into Peter’s self penned tune Ambie’s Favourite named for Galway fiddle player Ambie Whyms and these invigorate and charm. The grand finale of Star of the County Down flows through an amalgam of timing as it’s played as an air into a march, a jig, a reel then back to an air and fading until only a whisper of audible contentment is left.
There are eighteen tracks to peruse which are packed with tune renditions that define familiarity. This CD will be a welcome addition to any collection as, it’s evident from listening, that there’s a character in that whistle and the man who plays it. Eileen McCabe
www.netrhythms.com
Before comparatively recently, Peter’s name may not have sparked recognition in anyone, even those involved in the wider Irish music scene, except perhaps for those with long memories. His early introduction to the London Irish music scene (in the milieu of which he grew up) culminated in 1979 by his winning (while still in his late teens) the Senior All-Ireland title on the tin-whistle, then proceeded to devote his life to teaching, becoming “lost to academia” for the best part of the ensuing 30 years.
However, last year the death of two enormously influential figures in his life – his mother Kitty and his musical mentor and neighbour Kathleen Murray – coincided with an invitation from Karen Tweed to perform at the Camden Town Irish music festival, and Peter’s dormant musical muse was rekindled; spurred on by the success of that concert and pleading from fellow-musicians, Peter has now recorded this CD with the help of that London-based doyen of the capital’s Irish music scene Pete Quinn. This redoubtable gentleman, best known hereabouts for his work with the London Lasses, brings the benefit of his keyboard expertise to accompanying Peter’s tin-whistle on a generous collection of 18 sparkling tracks that breathe abundant life into assorted tune-sets that pair reels, jigs or hornpipes with each other, interspersed with the occasional air or set-dance.
As Peter says in his booklet notes, these traditional tunes have, it appears, been around for ever, but they sure retain their charm in his confident yet affectionate and committed renditions that retain that essential twinkle in the eye. His playing is admirably fluent and never seems breathless, thoroughly musical at whatever pace he adopts – which to his eternal credit is not at any time showily over-fast! Measured in the most delightful and lively way, while taking inspiration from many of the classic interpreters of the tradition (I rather liked his way with the Michael Coleman tunes on track 3 for instance). Peter’s playing is always tasteful, and often quite masterly. And Pete’s keyboard work is complementary in its subtlety, in its own right conveying both sympathy with the inflections and phrasings of the tin-whistle and its player, and a feeling for the contours of the music itself that allows for sensitive nuances alongside of the main instrumental focus or principal melodic input.
I’d be the first to admit that the restricted palette of the two musicians might seem a touch unvaried – this would be unavoidable whatever the calibre of the musicians involved – but the balance is always ideally judged, the recording given an intimate presence (the whistle doesn’t pierce your orifices!), and then playing contains sufficient intrinsic contrast to satisfy within the sequence of tunes presented. For the slow airs, Mr Quinn departs from the “pure” piano and instead provides understated keyboard chordings and embellishments: no more is needed. I do feel the keyboard tone encourages a touch of over-sweetness in intonation on Peter’s part at times, though. There’s a touch of low-key doubletracking of keyboard parts here and there, but nothing at all obtrusive.
Economy is a watchword in the performances generally, for no individual track lasts longer than three-and-a-quarter minutes, and the vast majority clock in at well under three minutes – with one exception, a 4:56 rendition of The Star Of The County Down which Peter presents in the form of a fantasia that metamorphoses from slow air through jig and hornpipe to fleet-footed reel and then back to lament in its thematic treatments; this latter track forms a poignant tribute to Peter’s parents, and a fitting close to the album.
I’m not always convinced by the juxtapositions of different rhythms within a given set – some instances where reel follows jig (such as The Morning Dew on track 4) seem a touch forced – but on the whole the groupings are sensibly coordinated by the two musicians. But there’ll be no argument that the music on this disc is still beautifully played and impeccably registered, and the two musicians are evidently completely in tune with one another and their craft; thus it proves impossible to find fault with that aspect of the disc (I’ll pass that task over to the hard-core specialists in this genre, but I suspect it will be a tough challenge). Peter’s own booklet notes are friendly and companionable, and provide some delightful personal-historical anecdotes amidst the informativeness, although some of his choices of tune namings may puzzle the aficionado. David Kidman January 2011
Earle Hitchner’s Top 30 of 2010 in The Irish Echo 20.1.11
“Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part” by Peter McAlinden (self-issued): All-Ireland senior tin whistle champion of 1979, McAlinden steps out of his long-term role in London academia to fashion this stirring debut.
The LivingTradition
A very handy whistle-player in the Irish style, Peter McAlinden was a stalwart of the London session scene many years ago, and has come back to the music in his forties. He puts his heart and soul into this album, recorded and accompanied by Pete Quinn. I’ve played in a few sessions with Peter, and heard his solos in a couple of concerts: he has a very nice touch, without the pyrotechnics of younger players. His music deserves to be recorded and widely heard, and here he trots out a fine selection of old reels and jigs with the occasional slower number.
There are two remarkable things about this CD. One is that Peter sticks to the old brass Generation whistle throughout – so much so that Pete Quiinn’s grand piano had to be retuned for the recording to the slightly sharp pitch of this humble instrument. Peter copes skilfully with the shortcomings of the Generation, compensating for its inconsistent tuning and getting the best from its limited dynamics, to give a very good account of this whistle’s potential – as a result, his debut album has a very seventies feel, early Chieftains or Mary Bergin perhaps, emphasised by the choice of material.
The material is hardcore traditional Irish. There isn’t a tune here I didn’t recognise instantly, many from classic seventies and eighties recordings, with the exception of Peter’s own reel Ambie’s Favourite. Reels and jigs are in the ascendant: The Concert Reel, Molloy’s Jig, Woman of the House, The Killavil Jig and The Morning Dew all feature on the first four sets of this eighteen-track disc. Many of the pieces here are challenging for any whistle-player – Lucky in Love, Sweet Biddy Daly, Dr Gilbert’s and others, but Peter McAlinden makes them his own without apparent difficulty. I can’t say this CD is technically perfect, but the occasional wobble or overblow is more than made up by the warmth and joy in Peter’s playing, and his breath control in particular is exemplary.
The second remarkable thing about Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part is the minimal accompaniment. Pete Quinn does a great job on piano and keyboards, but his discreet chords and runs are all the backing the whistle gets – or needs, for McAlinden’s music holds the ear throughout. The slower pieces are perhaps the test case: Anach Cuan and the great slow air The Coolin are beautifully played, and the set dance Piper in the Meadow Straying vies with a pair of old hornpipes for the most evocative track here. Peter ends this impressive CD with a virtuoso version of Star of the County Down – played as an air, a march, a jig and a reel. The notes are also excellent, informative with many personal touches. I’d recommend this release to any whistle-player, and I’m hoping to hear a lot more of Peter McAlinden in the near future.
Alex Monaghan
The Irish Post 25.12.10 Joe Giltrap reviews the best of folk and roots CDs
I must confess that I had not come across tin whistle virtuoso Peter McAlinden before I heard this CD – his first release but hopefully not his last. I have long been in awe of people who can produce such fantastic music on this humble instrument because I have tried and failed miserably. Anybody who has ambitions to play the tin whistle should get inspiration from this recording. It is indeed magical.
Peter is a former senior All-Ireland whistle champion (1979) but a teaching career then took priority and his musical talent went on the shelf. However, the loss of two of the most influential people in his life, his mother and his musical mentor Kathleen Murray, was the catalyst for his return to his musical roots and this CD is the result. Peter is joined on the album by his special guest Pete Quinn on piano and keyboards, signed on loan from The London Lasses, who provides a perfect complementary backing.
Picking out favourites from an album like this is always difficult but if forced to do so then the two tracks I would have to select are An Coolin and The Star Of The County Down. The latter is a great arrangement that starts off like a slow air, showing just what a beautiful melody it is in the hands of an expert, before gradually picking up a gentle lilt and then into jig time and reel time ‘ before fading out as a slow air – simply masterful. A great album from a great musician. Joe Giltrap
FolkWords man
Album Reviews
Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part
(December 01, 2010)
Just occasionally you hear an album that grows on you from the first until you find it’s one you fall back on whatever your mood, ‘Happy to Meet’, Sorry to Part’ is one of those albums. This gem from Happy to MeetPeter McAlinden is dedicated as his tribute to his parents, Jim & Kathy McAlinden and Kathleen Murray. It’s a tribute that engages, enthrals and captivates – what more need to say?
As well as the superb talents of Peter on tin whistle, Pete Quinn joins in on piano and keyboard. And if at that point anyone thinks that this is a simple collection of music, think again. In Peter’s hands the tin whistle takes on giant stature and delivers a depth and power beyond all expectation.
There are 18 tracks on the album and each one stands proud and strong as it takes its turn. The understanding and skill on display here is awe-inspiring as the tunes leap and swirl from reel to jig through air to dance. ‘Anach Cuan, Killavil Jig and the Morning Dew’ opens with the haunting air Anach Cuan, followed by the jaunty Killavil jig and then the Morning Dew – these tunes have never blended so well. There are some fine collections of reels on this album but ‘Limestone Rock and Josie McDermotts’ is pure pleasure to hear, as is ‘Touch Me if You Dare and Ambie’s Favourite’ – pairing the first with one of Peter’s own tunes. Alternatively, if jigs are your medicine then ‘Happy to Meet and Sorry to Part and Paddy Taylor’s’ will both raise your spirits and add a tear to your eye, while ‘Jim Donoghue’s and Eddie Moloney’s’ skip and leap its way into your soul.
This album is a masterpiece of tin whistle. It will without doubt become the standard by which any other tin whistle-driven album will be judged. And that’s only right too. It’s also a personal journey that we are privileged to share. It’s released on 13 December — you should buy it … go to www.copperplatemailorder.com
£14.99 -
Sean Casey – The Porthole of the Kelp
1. The Musical Priest / Jenny’s Chickens
2. The Humours of Lissadel / The Queen of May
3. Tommy Coen’s / The Reel of Mullinavat
4. The Templehouse / Toss The Feathers
5. The Pipe on the Hob / Brendan Tonra’s Jig
6. Farewell to Miltown / The Star of Munster
7. Pol Ha’penny
8. Colonel Fraser
9. The Bank of Ireland / The Woman of the House
The Drunken Gauger
Banish Misfortune / The Cliffs of Moher
Lucy Campbell
Paddy Ryan’s Dream / Over the Moor to Maggie
Rakish Paddy / The Green Fields of Rossbeigh
The Tempest / The West Wind
The Porthole of the Kelp / The Hare’s Paw
Press Reviews
Irish Music Magazine 1/2003
Bow Hand is the baby of Dermot Kearney, banjo-player and erstwhile sparring partner of the fiddler Jimmy Power when the latter led the sessions on The Victoria in London’s Holloway Road in the 1980s. The label’s first release was ‘Navvy on the Shore’ by the larger than life and twice as frisky, Donegal fidddler, Danny Meehan, and now comes an equally valuable recording from another key figure on the London Irish music scene.
Sean Casey is, of course, the son of the late Bobby Casey, from the Crosses of Annagh in Co Clare, whom many reckon to be one of the greatest fiddlers of the latter half of the last century and, sadly also one of the most under-recorded. Brought up in London’s Camden Town in a house where Willie Clancy was the lodger, oddly enough Sean was never taught by his father, but acquired early tuition from the concertina player and piper, Tommy McCarthy, also learning fiddle technique from Tony Linnane, and Brendan Mulkere. Yet it was on the mandolin that Sean first made his name, later also acquiring skills on the mandola and banjo, on the last of which he would often be requested to play a solo at The Victoria. Ill-health forced Jimmy Power to retire from the pub’s sessions and Dermot Kearney latched upon Sean as his replacement, much to the latter’s surprise, on the fiddle and he’s never looked back since.
Porthole of the Kelp is his debut solo album, and was recorded in the Cricklewood living room of Paddy Gallagher, who accompanies on guitar and bouzouki, with Pete Quinn dropping in for the odd tune on the keyboard. Those who’ve heard Sean play at a session will instantly recognise the wit, sensitivity and effortless vigour which characterizes his playing, ever willing to let the melody do the work, but keen to explore its possibilities. There were, of course, essential facets of his father’s music and there are many echoes of the great man here, not least in two swooping jigs, The Pipe on the Hob and Brendan Tonra’s.
Admittedly, the sound quality (direct to DAT) is not the best, though the accompaniment is always spot on whether it’s Paddy’s stylish tracking of Casey’s every move, or the resonant chordal landscape painted by Pete’s keyboard. As on the reel, ‘Colonel Fraser’, the letter seems to inspire Sean to broaden his canvas even further, offering a rich concoction of technical agility married to essential soulfulness.
Sean never plays a tune the same way twice, so this is very much a one-off recording, but, hopefully not the last that those outside London will hear of him. Geoff Wallis
Musical Traditions Web Site
One of the younger musicians referred to by Reg in his aforementioned liner notes is the fiddler Seán Casey who was born some thirty-five or so years ago in North London. His father was, of course, Bobby Casey whose own father was Scully Casey which is some lineage to live up to. The Porthole is simply one hell of a fiddle player doing precisely what comes naturally! (It is suggested, however, that those of a nervous disposition do not look too closely at the CD itself which, thanks to the position of its central hole, appears to show Seán shot through the head.) Geoff Wallis
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The London Lasses & Pete Quinn
Press Reviews
‘One of the most remarkable releases of 2000,’ The Rough Guide to Irish Music
‘There is a genuine sense of personality and a magnetic attraction to the music that enables them to produce performances laced with skill, sincerity and a lack of pretension,’ John O’Regan, fRoots
‘a sheer delight, a beauty of a collection
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The London Lasses & Pete Quinn – By Night and By Day
And now their fourth album, By Night & By Day (2010), in Brian Rooney’s opinion, ‘their best yet’ pays tribute to their 10-year anniversary with the addition of Elma McElligott (Flute player) and Brona McVittie (Vocalist, harper), who joined Karen Ryan and Elaine Conwell (Fiddlers), Maureen Linane (Accordion player) and Pete Quinn (Pianist) two years ago at the 10th Return to Camden Town Festival. The band is now very pleased that for the first time in its history all members are London-based.
The London Lasses and Pete Quinn have toured Germany with the St Patrick’s Day Celebration Festival, performed the first ever ceilidh in the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms, and played at Ireland’s longest running folk festival, Ballyshannon. They have brought their unique sound to some of the world’s most prestigious festivals and concert halls including Cambridge Folk Festival, the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Glastonbury, Philadelphia Irish Festival and Sidmouth International Festival.
In addition to featuring on the 3-CD box set Beginner’s Guide to Ireland (Nascente, 2005), the band has appeared on UK and Irish TV including Backstage (BBC Choice), Ardán and Geantraí (TG4), plus a memorable turn on EastEnders (BBC1).
Described by Irish Music Magazine as ‘one of the best bands on the scene today’, The London Lasses and Pete Quinn have released three critically acclaimed albums:
* Enchanted Lady (2007) :: ‘a well-balanced helping of first-class Irish music’ Irish Music Magazine Available from Copperplate, click here
* Track Across the Deep (2003) ‘The London Lasses and Pete Quinn’s emergence is vitally important, acknowledging a forgotten voice in Irish music and rebirthing it magnificently’ fRoots. Available from Copperplate, click here
* The London Lasses and Pete Quinn (2000) ‘One of the most remarkable releases of 2000
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The London Lasses & Pete Quinn – Enchanted Lady
“The London Lasses are back in bouncing form with even more excitement, enthusiasm and energy than ever before-if that is possible. Their latest offering presents well chosen material which juxtaposes old with new, slow with racy, song with dance tunes from dreamy to overdrive.
The blend of instruments (and there are many) is a delight to the ear creating an authentic traditional sound with a freshness that attracts and holds the attention of the listener. A tasty use of backing as a strong support to musician and singer completes the sumptuous meal.
For those who follow the group this latest CD will be a welcome addition to their collection. To the newcomer
I simply say buy it now, taste it and discover just how good it is”. Charlie Lennon
The pride of London return with their finest to date. Another rousing set of tunes finely played and a careful selection of songs all delivered with the usual panash and polish. Music to rouse the dullest of hearts!
Copperplate is very proud to have this title on our roster
Also available from Copperplate Mail Order:
LoLa001 London Lasses & Pete Quinn
LoLa 002 London Lasses & Pete Quinn: LoLa002 Track Across The Deep
LoLa003 Kathleen Sullivan: LoLa003: Born On St Patrick’s Day
Further details on their own web site http://www.londonlasses.net/index.html
Press Reviews
provides a well-balanced helping of first-class Irish music’ Alex Monaghan, Irish Music Magazine
‘The sort of album to make anyone fall in love with Irish music’ David Thorpe, The Irish Post
‘They play with much finesse without missing the trick of generating the informality and excitement of pub sessions’ Colin Randall, Daily Telegraph
‘There’s a grace and subtlety in their playing that few bands could match’ Sarah McQuaid, Hotpress (Ireland)
‘guaranteed to keep you riveted for the entire 55mins’ www.irelandxposed.com
‘Kathleen O’Sullivan provides the lovely, warm vocals on all four songs…whilst the beautiful instrumental backings support the vocals well’ Dave Beeby, The Living Tradition
‘Third album from the Irish six-piece who play traditional music beautifully, unadulterated by global influence or genre crossover’
BBC Radio 2, Folk & Acoustic website
‘They bring fresh life and assured musicianship to the immortal Irish tradition’ New Classics website
‘Enchanted ladies and gentlemen you will be, once this album reaches your weary little ears’ Shelley Marsden, The Irish World
The Living Tradition
You have to be careful if you do a Google search for London Lasses, so I was glad for both the promotional material provided (always helpful to a reviewer) and the search has a filter on it. London Lasses and Pete Quinn are back with their third album (I think) of basically good quality Irish Traditional music mixing the old with newer material most arranged by the band themselves. It is these almost spontaneous-but carefully worked out- arrangements, which brings the Enchanted Lady to life, and gives a freshness to the sound.
Let’s deal with the songs first. Kathleen O’Sullivan provides the lovely, warm vocals on all four songs, telling the story clearly, allowing the meaning to come out, whilst the beautiful instrumental backings support the vocals well. Excellent sleeve notes provide the listener with that extra bit of information as well as the words. Incidentally this is an issue, which will have to be addressed before downloading becomes popular with this reviewer as I like to know the sort of info provided in this good quality CD booklet. But back to the Enchanted Lady.
I think Maid from Maraclune shows the group’s talents off at their best, and you can tell Kathleen enjoys singing this, which is, interestingly, in waltz time. My Ballingarry Lady is also a waltz written by John Whelan for his mother and is again handled well by the band but my favourite tune is the slow air Rocking the Cradle – it really does work as I felt myself drifting away before being brought back to earth by the set of reels which follow. Fiddles mix with accordion, banjo takes over from flute and behind it all is the keyboards-never obtrusive though- of Pete Quinn.
Good clear production, engineering and recording also help to make this an enjoyable album. They will be launching the CD at this year’s Ceiliuradh an Earraigh in Gurteen, Co Sligo in May. There seems to be no immediate tour- it’s not on the website – so if you want to hear The London Lasses and Pete Quinn then this CD might be your only chance at the moment, unless they are on Eastenders again. I recommend you take your chance.
Dave Beeby
The Irish World
You might already be big fans of The London Lasses. You may even have seen Karen Ryan and company letting their hair down at The Return to Camden festival, or witnessed their rip-roaring set at Glastonbury.
If so, you won’t need any convincing about the musical prowess of their third album, ‘Enchanted Lady’. If you’ve been living in Outer Mongolia for the past six years and don’t know of them, then you’ll have to trust me on this one.
One of the most talented, vital traditional groups to come out of the London-Irish music revival, The London Lasses are what they say they are, five women from London, all with Irish roots. Pete Quinn is the sole male in the lineup, providing sturdy and versatile piano backing. As their latest offering confirms, The London Lasses still offer their straight-down-the-line traditional music, no messing around.
But they stand out from the crowd because they play it with a modern touch.
Their vibrancy of arrangement and the pure sonic energy of twin fiddles, flute and accordion bring old tunes back to life, set off beautifully by the graceful, restrained vocals of Kathleen O’Sullivan (hear Cailin Rua). Enchanted ladies and gentlemen you will be, once this album reaches your weary little ears. Shelley Marsden
The Telegraph
When need or ambition inspired the Irish to find new worlds, they took their music with them. As a consequence, wherever folk music is played and sung in the English-speaking world, recent emigrants or descendants of old ones are to be found holding the fiddles, singing the maudlin ballads and belting out the choruses.
The five-strong London Lasses, all but one of Irish background but not birth, belong to this tradition. Like the best of the transatlantic variety, exemplified by the exceptional Cherish the Ladies, they have built a reputation for standards of musicianship that sit nobly alongside those of the homespun bands.
With a token male, Pete Quinn, of Liverpool Irish stock, on piano, keyboards and the ubiquitous goatskin drum or bodhrán, they play with much finesse without missing the trick of generating the informality and excitement of pub sessions.
Dotted among the reels, hornpipes and jigs are songs by Kathleen O’Sullivan with a texture that occasionally recalls the Bothy Band’s Triona Ni Dhomhnaill. Irish music in London has moved on some way from the impassioned but raw, scratchy days of Paddy in the Smoke. Colin Randall
Irish Music Magazine, July 07
Officially, this album is the third album by The London Lasses And Pete Quinn: maybe they needed a token man, or they couldn’t find a female keyboards player, but either way this group of five Irish emigrées is backed by a boy who’s among the best in the business. Now we’ve sorted that out, I’ll just call them the London Lasses. In four songs and eight instrumentals, Enchanted Lady provides a well-balanced helping of first-class Irish music. Lyrical reels like The Barr Road and Green Grow the Rushes (from the Burns song), cracking jigs like The Coming of Spring and Peadar Ó Ríada’s Spóirt, together with a sprinkling of slower tunes: all are delivered with depth and feeling. The gutsy flute of Dee Havlin lashes into The Humours of Castlefin, Maureen Linane’s button box bleeds and sighs for My Ballingarry Lady and Rocking the Cradle, and twin fiddling strikes sparks from The Walls of Liscarroll as Karen Ryan and Elaine Conwell ply their bows. A touch of banjo, a touch of whistle, and that man on the ivories supplies the foundation for a fabulous sound.
Kathleen O’Sullivan kicks her heels for eight tracks, but gives us a good mix of songs in her four solo spots. Cailín Rua is an old chestnut tastily roasted here. The Green Fields of Canada is also well known, and gets a mammoth six-minute arrangement from The London Lasses. The Mickey Dam and The Maid from Maraclune are less familiar, but Kathleen’s renditions make them memorable. Her voice is full of fighting passion on The Mickey Dam, and there’s a full showband arrangement to back it up. The air from The Rocks of Bawn visits Maraclune for the usual sad story of untrue love, from which Kathleen wrings every ounce of pathos. The title track is not a song, nor another reference to Pete Quinn as I first thought, but a striking brash and bubbly reel which nicely sums up this album. Alex Monaghan
New Classics
Since the release of their debut album in 2000, this acclaimed Irish six-piece have appeared at some of the world’s most prestigious festivals and concert halls (Cambridge Folk Festival, Glastonbury, Philadelphia Irish Festival). Widely regarded as one of the finest acts on the traditional Irish/folk scene, the group plays a mostly traditional repertoire that is reflected in this new album. Enchanted Lady features a host of lively reels, bursting with life, along with intricately arranged jigs and captivating songs. Highlights include Cailín Rua (beautifully sung by Kathleen O’Sullivan), the plaintive Green Fields Of Canada, the irresistible Hornpipe And Reels (Lad O’beirne’s Hornpipe; Joe Madden’s; Mick O’connor’s Choice), and the wistful Slow Air: Rocking The Cradle (featuring Maureen Linane). The London Lasses are five London-based women of Irish heritage: Karen Ryan (fiddle, whistle, mandola, banjo), Elaine Conwell (fiddle), Dee Havlin (flute, whistle), Maureen Linane (accordion), Kathleen O’Sullivan (vocal). Together with pianist Pete Quinn they bring fresh life and assured musicianship to the immortal Irish tradition. Look out too for the group’s previous albums: LONDON LASSES & PETE QUINN (LL001) and TRACK ACROSS THE DEEP (LL002).
The Folk Diary
Here is another very fine collection from this very fine bunch of second generation London Irish. They offer great variety amongst their seven sets
of tunes and four songs. The tunes are played in a fine ensemble manner with the fiddle of Elaine Conwell and the punchy box playing of Maureen Linane to the fore and a nice sense of pace in whatever rhythm they chose – and the firm adventurous piano accompaniments from Pete are a great asset here. There is a waltz, there are hornpipes, jigs and reels and a polka to round off one of the songs which brings us to the inspiring voice of Kathleen O’Sullivan. Her four songs also show versatility as she switches from the light and humorous “Mickey Dam” to one of the most demanding of Irish songs in English, “The Green Fields of Canada”. Her singing is fine and balanced with excellent diction and the emotional range to do justice to these very different pieces. Vic Smith
Ireland Exposed
The London Lasses are presisely as their name suggests, five women of Irish heritage living in London. The group, Karen Ryan (fiddle, whistle), Elaine Conwell (fiddle), Dee Havlin (flute, whistle), Maureen Linane (accordion), Kathleen OíSullivan (vocal) and Pete Quinn (piano) have compiled this traditional album. Thankfullythough it does not consist of the same tunes you so often hear on the majority of trad albums.
Their sound will not appeal to everyone but nomatter who you are you will appreciate the extraordinary energy and vitality of the album. There is an incrediblearray of sounds from the reel, to a slow air and on to a gig. Its variety is guaranteed to keep you rivetted for the entire 55mins.
Each member of the group gets a chance to shine and shine they do. This will leave you indeed enchanted! It is thoroughly entertaining and a fresh approachto an old fashioned style of music.
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