Lunasa - Kinnitty Sessions

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Music reviews of Kinnitty Sessions

Music Review: Another classy offering
Rating: 4 Stars

Kevin Crawford took over from Mike McGoldrick a long time ago and his very fine musicianship is again on display here. Uilleann pipes are played by Cillian Vallely, a deft and deeply sensitive player if there ever was one, as evidenced by his solo "The Wounded Hussar". Fiddler Sean Smyth is as sprightly as ever and solid support as always comes from guitarist Donagh Hennessy (x-Sharon Shannon Band) who provides the underlying drive and bassist Trevor Hutchinson (x-Sharon Shannon Band, x-Waterboys) who adds an exquisite finishing touch.

This recording was made in Kinnitty Castle in County Offaly, Ireland live in front of a small audience, a quiet one at that. All applause has been removed, but the performances are as you would hear them on stage, although the live feel of a concert can never be fully realised in a recording. And they are fantastic on stage!

The excitement though is certainly tangible and the virtuosity a joy to behold, witness for example Kevin's classy whistling on "Island Paddy" against an unusually funky guitar backdrop. The dance medleys are sometimes unusually mixed - "The Stolen Purse" for example jumps abruptly from jig to reel in midstream, while "Sean in the Fog" changes from air to jig. Tempos also vary enough from track to track so there's good variety in the pacing and intensity. The tunes are mostly traditional, the rest being either original or from the pens of Charlie Lennon, Kevin Burke and J.M. Rankin among others.

Overall, perhaps not a stand-out album in a high-class discography, but certainly another immaculate and hugely enjoyable one.

Description of Kinnitty Sessions

Country CDs

• Music > Styles
• Folk
• World Music
• Pop