fR321 PAGES 44-63 (13 pgs)_Layout 1 30/01/2010 00:20 Page 12
61 f
intensity to this majestic song. Eilean An Aigh/ with a sympathetic orchestral backing and thumbs a few times, but by 1965 he has it all
Island Of Happiness is Blair Douglas’s memo- The Lark In The Morning. Dermot Crehan’s there and is confident enough to lead off with
rable song of gratitude to Prince Edward fiddling is suitably fiery and impassioned and a much longer instrumental version. The tune
Island, Canada for receiving the emigrants Luke Daniels’ accordeon adds some extra featured in his banjo book, and the main driv-
from Skye. Uptempo, but with a poignant musical colour to the proceedings. While it er behind the records, the book and the con-
twist to the melody, it is rousingly sung by aims to cross two stylistic bridges, Toss The certs was to inspire others to play and sing.
Fiona and by young Darren Maclean who Feathers is one of the more rootsier of the
Seeger’s take on American Favorite Bal-
joins her on this track: Darren has a superb traditional/ classical crossovers that retains
lads translated to Britain’s first skiffle songs
voice and a great future in music-making. some ethnic colour while looking beyond the
with songs like Stewball, Alabama Bound,
Congratulations to all involved in mak-
spectrum for influences and ideas.
Putting On The Style, Midnight Special and
ing this one of the most satisfying Gaelic www.tossthefeathersalbum.com others crossing the Atlantic, whilst others pro-
releases in recent years. www.greentrax.com
The Mulcahy Family from Abbeyfeale, Co.
vided musical inspiration at home: Rye
www.fionamackenzie.org Limerick, comprised of Mick Mulcahy a box
Whiskey provided the tune to Farewell Angeli-
na, Golden Vanity was recorded as often as
Paul Matheson
player of Kerry origin and his daughters Louise
and Michelle, are among Ireland’s premier
any other song in the folk revival whilst a mil-
familial ensembles. Their third album togeth-
lion banjo players struggled with John Henry.
THE GREEN FIELDS
er, Reelin In Tradition, does just that, highlight- Seeger’s early Folkways recordings sold
ing their collective tightness and sensitive extremely well and provided a core reper-
OF AMERICA approach to the music, while also showing toire for the urban folk revival and even 50
The Green Fields Of America Compass 7
their individual accomplishments. Louise and years on the recordings still add up to a schol-
4495 2
Michelle are both extraordinarily talented arly and entertaining body of work. Seeger
instrumentalists, between them covering uil- never tried to disconnect his music from his
DERMOT CREHAN &
leann pipes, flute, harp, concertina and piano political beliefs and it is well to be reminded
in varous combinations. Musically this is lively, just how powerful a performer he was.
PAUL HONEY
full-bodied and essentially purely traditional
Smithsonian Folkways is UK-distributed
Toss The Feathers Tess Records TR0901
material executed with flair, style and collec-
by Discovery: www.discovery-records.com
tive ability. Mick O’Connors is beautifully
www.appleseedmusic.com
MICK, LOUISE &
underscored with Cyril O’Donoghue’s bouzou-
John Atkins
MICHELLE MULCAHY
ki while Tommy Hayes adds bodhran to Mun-
ster Buttermilk. Mick himself adds melodeon
Reelin’ In Tradition Cló Iar-Chonnachta
to his armoury, the clear cadences of Kitty Lie
CICD 18O
Over benefiting from its crisp musical roll. The WARBLEFLY
diet is strictly reels, jigs and the odd hornpipe
The Green Fields Of America, formed in the and slow air emerging, so the stylistic input is
Tenerife To Dover Warblefly WARB03CD
late ‘70s by ex-Johnstons member and multi- squarely in the tradition as the title befits. The
Here they come again, the drinking, shout-
instrumentalist Dr Mick Moloney, has been an performances here are 100% committed and
ing, jig ‘n’ reel crew, whose last effort caused
institution on the Irish American musical find a family in love with music and its making.
much cheer and merriment with boozy, good
map. Retired for nearly two decades, the If it’s pure drop you want, Reelin In Tradition
time, up-for-the-audience rowdiness. So, this
band has now re-formed and, possessed of a will prove irresistible. www.cic.ie
one got lifted from the envelope first,
creative second wind, has released its first
new recording since 1989. Stalwart Robbie O
John O’Regan
slapped in the machine smartly, appetite
already whetted.
Connell joins Moloney but the others are new
or newish members, including John Doyle,
The press release accompanying was
Billy McComiskey and Athena Tergis. What
PETE SEEGER
blunt and to the point, this is a collection on
has not diminished is the zest for the music
which they’ve girded their loins, pushed a
American Favorite Ballads Vols. 1-5
and the passion with which it is delivered and
new line-up and written 14 songs that play to
Smithsonian Folkways SFW CD 40155
annotated. Green Fields was always a travel-
their strengths and various inspirations.
ling roadshow that tipped the iceberg of Live In ‘65 Appleseed APR CD 1118
Count amongst the latter, heavy metal, beer,
both native US talent and Irish names and
ska, beer and beer and Frank Zappa! Cue
played music that was full-bodied and rock
Pete Seeger and Folkways Records are both more roaring, lots of dancing, witty lyrics, yet
solid. Thankfully this is the case here and
institutions. No one but Folkways, or to be fair a clutch of material that in many ways nods
while Moloney and O Connell may be elder
Topic in the UK, would have provided the plat- to traditional songs: form, setting, theme, all
statesmen of this enterprise, their contribu-
form for Seeger to record this influential set of carry a line that, straight or meandering,
tions are powerfully valid. Moloney’s distinc-
recordings made between 1957 and 1962 and leads back to folk. So, cue songs that tell you
tive banjo work shines in the instrumental
issued on five LPs reproduced here with addi- to be an individual by relating tales of daring
sets like Jackie Riordans and vocally his Ram-
tional tracks, improved sound quality, and dos, daring don’ts, wild nights and how the
bling Irishman is a high point. Robbie O Con-
notes. Interestingly the original 5 LPs would world is changing not always for the better.
nell’s songwriting has now instilled itself with
have weighed in at 17 kilos, since Folkways You could call it protest or finger-pointing
traditional nuances to the point where The
records came not only in a thick card sleeve, material if it wasn’t for the lusty clatter and
Islanders Lament is his most indigenous self-
but also had another card inside to separate general rock ‘n’ reel; this is social conscience
penned effort to date. Guest musicians,
the record from the booklet of notes. The fighting for its right to party.
including concertina player Tim Collins, add
lightweight version has 139 songs and almost
extra musical fire to sets like Jim O’Keefe’s,
six hours of music with Seeger on banjo, guitar
Pete Seeger
while new guitarist John Doyle’s rhythmic
and voice as he works his way, with remark-
zest keeps the engines running. While The
ably clear diction, through the well known,
Green Fields Of America may have been silent
the composed, the traditional and often the
for two decades, their collective roar has not
corny, all performed in his engaging style.
dimmed, neither has their musical flair and Perhaps a better starting point to explain
expertise. That is good news. the Seeger legend is the live concert from
www.compassrecords.com
Carnegie Music Hall Pittsburg from February
Fiddler Dermot Crehan comes from ster-
1965 but now issued for the very first time.
ling Irish musical stock, his family hailing
Seeger involves and engages the audience like
from West Clare originally. While domiciled
no other. He is not up there saying ‘admire me’
in London for nearly three decades, his musi-
but passing on songs, with wonderful enthusi-
cal fortunes had seen him spend periods with
asm, telling stories behind the songs and, as
Dolores Keane and John Faulkner’s Reel
always, encouraging the audience to sing with
Union among others. Now comes Toss The
him as he shares the music with them. Seeger’s
Feathers. This is an imaginative collection of
other great gift was his musicianship. He was
traditional tunes scored for native instru-
by no means a virtuoso, but a superb accompa-
ments and symphony orchestra. Thankfully
nist to his own voice in a way that inspired
the arrangements by Crehan and accomplice
many others to emulate him. No surprise that
Paul Honey are sympathetic to the source
his banjo tuition book, first published in 1948
tunes and also crossover into Virgin Classics
and still in print today, is the book that even
and BBC Radio 4 domains. Here some of the
the virtuosi cite as their starting point.
tunes are supplemented by string and Old Joe Clark, on both live and studio set
orchestral arrangements which add a sound- illustrates the point, as Seeger first plays the
scape but never threaten to take over. The tune frailing style on banjo before launching
slew isnt entirely instrumental as Mick Sands into singing the little-heard verses. The 1954
adds two vocal tracks: Lough Ernes Shore studio version finds Pete falling over his
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84