When I was in Ireland a couple weeks back, I met with the great Oliver O’Connell. He was in outstanding form and among other things, wanted to make sure I could share news of an upcoming concert that will take place on May 27 at Cois na Habhna in Ennis, Co. Clare, to honor the legacy of box player Martin Connolly.
Connolly was a superb musician and maker of the very highly regarded “Kincora” line of button accordion. He was thoroughly loved and respected here in New York City, and those who may not have known him directly certainly knew him through his wife Maureen Glynn, the legendary musician who was part of a teaching dynasty here in the City from the 60s to the 80s. She taught hundreds of young people, many of whom still play, and the “Fort of Kincora” album the she and Connolly made together, is a serious classic.
The tribute concert will feature a star studded lineup that includes PJ Hernon, John Bowe, Eileen O’Brien, Geraldine Cotter, and Bobby Gardiner. Others scheduled to perform include Rita Gallagher, Ritche Dwyer, Elaine Hogan, Blackie O’Connell, Clive Earley, Shane Hayes, Carmel Doohan, Aisling Hunt, Caoimhe Millar. Joseph Queally, Daire Mulhern, Micheal O’Rourke, Caoimhe Millar, Karlyn Doohan, Deirdre Mulhern, Clare Doohan, Ivan Earley, Aishling Mulhern, and Matt Mancuso.
Martin’s son Damien Connolly will also be on hand to perform, which will make the tribute extra special. Incidentally, I saw Damien perform at the New York Irish Center on Friday with his group Flagstone and they were terrific. Connolly and the rest of the group, which includes Katie Murray (fiddle), Joe Gerhard (bouzouki & fiddle), and Jon Warner (uilleann pipes & flute), with bodhrán player Mark Demchak sitting in as the evening’s special guest, were impressive. Great tunes (many that Damien composed), lovely chemistry and a fine sense of humor on stage drew in the crowd. Take advantage if you get a chance to see them, you’ll enjoy it.
If you can’t make it to Clare for the Martin Connolly tribute show, fret not as Radio na Gaeltachta will broadcast the event. (And if you’ve not seen it, O’Connell’s DVD “Always a Journey, Never a Destination: A Clare Footprint,” which I wrote about you’re missing out – it’s fantastic!) To learn more, visit https://coisnahabhna.ie/.
On the play deck this week is the “25th Anniversary Album” from the London Lasses. The Lasses are a wonderful group and longtime readers will remember seeing them featured here before. It’s fabulous that they’re celebrating 25 years together – congrats to them all. And rife with great tracks, this anniversary album is a collection traditional music fans out there should know about and enjoy.
“In 1997, fiddle players Karen Ryan and Elaine Conwell, together with banjo player Pauline Conneely, took a trip to the U.S. where they played a number of concerts from New York to San Francisco,” the liner notes begin. We learn that upon their return Sharon Whelton (flute) joined the band and, that later still, Bernie Conneely replaced Pauline on banjo and in 1999, the group recorded its debut CD. On it, they were joined by Pete Quinn (piano), Sue Cullen (vocals), and Grace Kelly (whistle).
Over the next 20 years, they recorded four additional albums. The band’s membership turned over with some regularity, with the likes of Dee Havlin (flute, whistle), Maureen Linane Hankins (accordion), Kathleen O’Sullivan (vocal), Elma McElligott (flute, whistle, sax), Bróna McVittie (vocal, harp), Brogan McAuliffe (concertina) and Chris O’Malley (piano) all finding roles. All of these folks appear on this album, as do others from the LL fold, including Teresa Connolly (fiddle), Annie Quinn (uilleann pipes, banjo), Katie Quinn (accordion, fiddle), Rachel Isherwood (fiddle), James and Orla Earnshaw (fiddles). It’s a formidable assortment of musicians.
The album features both instrumental and vocal cuts. Some of the standout instrumentals include “Caves of Kiltannon / The New Home / The Clare Shout,” a gorgeous set of jigs that puts tasteful tune selection together with some outstanding playing in an engrossing arrangement. I also love “Jamesy Gannon’s / Triumphal March.” It’s a lively and well-articulated set of marches, something that seems a bit unusual these days in general. My favorite track might be “Peach Blossoms / The Sunny Banks,” a pair of fabulous saxophone-forward barn dances done in a style reminiscent of James Morrison’s work in the 1930s or more recently of At The Racket. It has a very “vintage” feel that’s done extremely well.
The album features four songs led by Bróna McVittie, “Rathfriland on the Hill,” “Bánchnoic Éireann Ó (The Fair Hills of Ireland),” “The Blackbird of Mullaghmore,” and “Sweet Portaferry.” McVittie has a sterling voice and shines on each track, but to my ears, the standouts are “Rathfriland on the Hill” and “The Blackbird of Mullaghmore,” the former being an excellent showcase for McVittie’s voice and the latter a lovely song that McVittie breathes great life into.
The London Lasses’s “25th Anniversary Album” is a brilliant bit of music. The musicianship is off the charts good and each track is put together with the sort of sophistication that comes with the experience of longstanding practice. If you love traditional music with strong vision, give this one a close listen – it’ll be time very well spent. Visit their website for more information.
