Some very unfortunate news to lead with this week: Reidin O’Flynn, who for the last several years was the director and guiding light of the Catskills Irish Arts Week, has died. From Ballyhea, Co. Cork, O’Flynn was a singer and writer who came from a family of musicians and writers. A resident of East Durham, she brought her love of Irish music and culture to everything she did. Her tireless work at CIAW through thick and thin – and particularly during the pandemic – elevated the week in myriad ways. Thanks to Reidin for all her efforts over the years to preserve and advance Irish music and culture, she will not be soon forgotten. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis. Best wishes to her family and friends in this hard time.
In the media player this week is “At Our Leisure” by John Carty and Michael McGoldrick. Carty and McGoldrick are two of the top players out there, and while they’re credited with playing a variety of instruments here (Carty, banjo, fiddle flute; McGoldrick, uilleann pipes, flute, bodhrán, low whistle), this is very much a banjo/pipes record and it is one that is truly outstanding – top notch tunes and captivating playing. This is an album that will please the hardcore traditional music lovers out there because everything’s “right” about how it’s done, but the chemistry Carty and McGoldrick share is easy and reflected in the music, which makes this album an easy listener that’ll attract new initiates as well. Top shelf stuff, for sure.
For those who need reminding, Carty is one of the great banjo and fiddle players in Irish music. His solo albums are uniformly excellent, his band At The Racket is superb, and his work with greats like Matt Molloy & Brian Rooney spectacular. (Incidentally, this album was released through Carty’s own “Racket Records” label, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The moment’s been commemorated by a sampler CD, which I will write more about in the coming weeks.) Not many banjo players out there who are as good, and I’ve said nothing about his fiddle playing, which is equally accomplished.
McGoldrick is a younger musician who is very much Carty’s peer. He co-founded Flook, was an early member of Lúnasa, plays with Capercaillie, has toured with Mark Knopfler, and (like Carty) is one of those top-shelf musicians with a rich upbringing whose playing is without reproach. Just outstanding. The two came together for the first time at a concert to celebrate Irish President Michael D. Higgins’s state visit to London at the Royal Albert Hall in 2014 and the common ground they found they shared is what led to this album.
“At Our Leisure” is a very impressive album. As I listen, I’m reminded of other pipes/banjo combinations I’ve enjoyed, including Paddy & John Keenan, Mick Moloney & Joe McKenna, Seamus Egan & Jerry O’Sullivan, and others, but also of how much I myself have enjoyed banjo driving alongside pipers over the years. I’ve always found that the two instruments relate well, so it’s great to hear Carty and McGoldrick – two of today’s real greats – explore and elevate the combination
And there are lots of great tracks to discover here. I love “Kelly's Grove / Lilt Of The Landscape,” a couple of reels; it, and the track that follows, “Chief O'Neil's / Plains Of Boyle / Humours Of Westport,” a hornpipe and a couple of reels, are both played at a lovely, relaxed pace full of rhythm and they just sing from the speakers. The jig and reel combo “Gold Ring / Star Of Munster” has a bit of bounce and a nice arrangement that is boosted by Jonas Fromseier’s lovely backing, and “5th Legion March” a beautiful tune of a more recent vintage, stands out as well.
I’m also drawn to the duo’s take on “Ned of the Hill,” which is full of expression and very nicely done. McGoldrick’s playing really shines here – great nuance and control in his playing. Further, their version of “Lord Galway’s Lamentation,” a tune that goes back to Carolan, features some lovely banjo and reminds me of the fantastic touch Carty brought to “Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine / …” on Leonard Barry’s 2013 album “The New Road.” McGoldrick’s open sound here is a perfect compliment to Carty’s playing, while Matt Griffin’s guitar work here adds a fabulous dimension and brings the track together.
Then there’s the “Gypsy Princess,” which is a bit of a welcome outlier. Its rhythm, tune and arrangement, which features flute (before the pipes come in) remind me a bit of country blues singer Henry Thomas’s music. (Some readers might know Thomas’s sound via Canned Heat’s recording of Thomas’s "Going Up the Country.”) Carty and McGoldrick own the arrangement (as one might imagine) and the variety it brings to the album overall enriches the whole.
“At Our Leisure” is a new favorite of mine. Carty and McGoldrick are class players and it’s great to hear them bring their not-always-appreciated-together instruments to the table in such a relaxed, inviting way. The musicianship is top notch and the music breathes, with the musicians taking the “leisure” part of the title to heart. Best album of the year? You be the judge. Certainly one to pick up if traditional music is your thing. Highly recommended. To learn more/purchase, visit racketrecords.bandcamp.com.
