Celtic Music Reviews

By CATHOLINE BUTLER

The Irish Descendants

Across the Water

Close your eyes, sleep in my arms
Dream me back where I belong
In my mind I’ve never gone
Across the Water...

The Irish Descendants are no strangers to touring Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. In fact, they were in Vancouver over last St. Patrick’s Day celebrations at the Commodore Ballroom where their legions of fans waited patiently on the dance floor in anticipation of a good old East Coast kitchen party – and they weren’t disappointed.

Newfoundland’s Irish Descendants have recently signed with the New York-based Kells Label which will open up the lucrative United States market for the band. In January, Kells released a new compilation album We Are The Irish Descendants and Across the Water, a brand new 15-song CD.

The Irish Descendants’ music ranges from the most sensitive and touching ballads to high energy, toe-tapping reels. This talent, along with their heartwarming and humourous live performances, has earned them a loyal fan base. They also arrange and have written some of their own material. On their Christmas album The Gift, Con O’Brien wrote a beautiful song about being at home in Newfoundland for Christmas, entitled Heading Home For Christmas.

Track 15 on the CD, Plastic Paddy, was written by band member Paul Boomer Stamp, and it answers that age old question of “where do all those plastic Paddy’s, or wannabe Paddy’s come from around St. Patrick’s Day?” It’s hilariously funny and true. For all those Irish Descendants fans and those soon-to-be-fans, Across the Water is one of their greatest albums and definitely belongs in your collection.

The Irish Descendants are: Con O’Brien on lead vocals and guitar; Bob Pike on bass guitar; Mike Hanrahan on banjo, bouzouki, mandolin and vocals; Paul “Boomer” Stamp on drums and vocals; Graham Wells on accordion, tin whistle and vocals; and Glenn Hiscock on fiddle, mandolin, banjo and vocals.

Tracks on the CD are Acadian Saturday Night; Bridget Flynn; The Foxy Devil; The Hills of Isle Au Haut; Across the Water; I Know My Name; Take Me Back To Ireland; Never Say No To A Jar; Leaving London; Eileen Og; Providence Reel/Castle Kelly/The Humours of Tulla; The Court of King Caractacus; River Lady (a Little Goodbye); Leaving on the Evening Tide and Plastic Paddy.

For up-to-date news on the band, visit: www.irishdescendants.com. To purchase their CD’s, visit: www.kellsmusic.net. For a colour catalogue, call 1-800-854-ERIN

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Eddi Reader

Sings the Songs of Robert Burns

The songs may be over 200 years old but when Eddi Reader sings the lyrics that were penned so long ago by Scotland’s, greatest poet and bard, Robbie Burns, they are fresh, upbeat, poignant and sexy. I think Robbie Burns would approve.

Eddie Reader has congregated some of the best known traditional musicians to accompany her and if that’s not enough, she also has the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) to back her. This album was premiered at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall as part of the Celtic Connections Festival in January 2003.

The well-known Celtic musician, John McCusker said, “When Eddie first told me about her idea of doing a concert and a record of her singing Robert Burns songs with an orchestra, I was a wee bit worried, ‘cos my first thought was that it was going to be dead posh!

“But when we started talking about it, I got really excited because we both wanted to make it sound really earthy. Mixing a folk group sound and the beautiful sound of the RSNO with Eddi singing these great songs from the heart, make them sound more like a Tom Waits record than anything high-brow. I knew we had to get musicians who had a great love of songs, but wouldn’t be afraid to be a bit cheeky with them when required.”

Musicians on the album are: Eddi Reader on vocals and acoustic guitar; Ian Carr on acoustic guitar and piano; Phil Cunningham on accordion, piano and whistles; Roy Dodds on percussion; Christine Hanson on cello; Boo Hewerdine on acoustic guitar; John McCusker on violin, cittern and whistles; Colin Reid on acoustic guitar and Ewen Vernal on double bass.

Tracks: Jamie Come Try Me, My Love Is Like A Red Red Rose; Willie Stewart/Molly Rankin; Ae Fond Kiss; Brose And Butter; Ye Jacobites; Wild Mountainside; Charlie Is My Darling; John Anderson My Jo; Winter It Is Past; Auld Lang Syne. Recorded on the Compass Records label. For more information, visit: www.compassrecords.com.

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Sean O'driscoll And Larry Egan

The Kitchen Recordings

The Kitchen Recordings is a new album of traditional Irish music by Sean O'Driscoll and Larry Egan which has just been released on the Clo Iar-Chonnachta label. This is an album of tunes that comes straight from the very cradle of traditional music in Ireland.

The album was recorded in Sean O’Driscoll’s kitchen and it is an example of the essence of the tradition; no fuss, no gimmicks....just very good music. It includes reels, hornpipes, jigs and flings, as well as a beautiful slow air written by Sean called An Goban Saor. Two more of his compositions are also included on the album: the fling Nettles in the Soup and the jig The Muskerry Tram.

Sean O’Driscoll is from Blarney, County Cork. He plays the banjo and bouzouki and has been playing music since his teens. He toured America with the great Offaly accordion player, Paddy O’Brien. He has performed with many of the best traditional musicians, including Daithi Sproule, James Keane, Liz Carroll and Martin Hayes.

Larry Egan is from Parkbridge, County Wicklow. He plays the two-row button accordion and first started playing music at the age of 10, and has four all-Ireland solo-titles to his name. Larry has performed with such artists as Terry Corcoran, Johnny Connolly and the late great Tony Crehan. He regularly teaches at workshops and festivals.

The liner notes are in both English and Irish and contain a wealth of information about traditional musicians. If you like traditional music...you will never get any closer to it than with this traditional Kitchen Recording. For more information on where to purchase the CD, e-mail: cic@iol.ie, or visit: www.cic.ie.

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