In the player this week is “The Dancer at the Fair,” the new album from John Wynne (Flute) and John McEvoy (Fiddle). Wynne and McEvoy are revered musicians and this album, a follow-up to their acclaimed and well-loved 2007 album “Pride of the West,” is one that fans of traditional music played will absolutely love and consider a “must-have.” The music is elegant and refined and simply delightful to listen to.
Wynne hails from Roscommon and has a great background. In the early 2000s, he was a member of the band Providence (with Mícheál Ó Raghallaigh, Joan McDermott, Paul Doyle, Clodagh Boylan, Méabh O’Hare and Liz Kane) and around that time made “With Every Breath” (2000), the first of a pair of solo albums, with his “Ar Nós na Gaoithe / Like the Wind” releasing in 2009.
McEvoy was born in Birmingham, England, with parents from Roscommon and like Wynne grew up with music. Among his outstanding work are a pair of albums, “Returning” with his wife Jacinta McEvoy (harp) in 1998 and “The Kilmore Fancy,” which he recorded in 2004, with his sister Catherine (flute) and Felix Dolan (piano).
In addition to this work, Wynne and McEvoy are actively involved in teaching and each appeared independent of one another on “In The Footsteps Of Coleman,” a 2005 album issued by the Coleman Traditional Society.
Joining the duo in support here are John Doyle (guitar and mandola), Mike McCague (bouzouki and guitar), Brian McGrath (keyboards), and Pádraic Keane (bodhrán), each of whom enhances the elegance of Wynne & McEvoy’s music with very, very fine playing.
This is an album that has strength in every track, so I’ll pick three to mention. First is the album’s opener, “The Masters Return / The Dog among the Bushes / Johnny McGreevys No.1.” This track provides a standard for the way reels should be played and is sort of a blueprint for what the album offers. Everything here – tempo, lift, tunes, settings, backing – it’s all exquisite. The way these two musicians articulate with one another is a joy to listen to and it provides an auspicious opening for what is a truly excellent album.
“Ask my Father / Boys of Mayo / Eddie Moloney’s Favourite” is similarly gorgeous. McEvoy starts here with a fabulous tune that sets a mellow tone that intensifies with the change in flavor of the second tune which is, again, a lovely, memorable, and well-matched. With it, the tempo picks up, lifting the rest of the track in a way that is thoroughly enjoyable.
The last I will mention is “The Kilkenny Jig / Ballinafad Fancy / Mulhaire’s.” This excellent track opens with McEvoy’s solo fiddle over a bouzouki backing. When Wynne enters later in the first tune, it adds an attractive weight to the arrangement. The switch to the Ballinafad Fancy, a reel that appeared on McEvoy’s 2000 solo album, changes the track’s rhythm & direction in a way that’s carried forth when the piano enters on the third tune. Great arranging over great playing here – again, superb playing and vision.
The rest of the album reaches the high standard of the tracks I’ve called here. I think specifically of tracks like “The Dancer at the Fair / …” and ”The Battle of Cremona / …” as two additional standouts, but really every track here is brilliant – what’s “best” for one person simply comes down to personal preference.
“The Dancer at the Fair” is a killer album. The press package includes a note from Wynne that reads “we felt there was another one in us and we’re excited about bringing our music to audiences and touring in support of the new album.” I’m glad they found a way to bring this album together as it’s just outstanding and we’re all the better for having it. Hopefully, they might find a way to bring their performance to audiences on this side of the Atlantic as it would be a thrill to hear them live. Until that happens, though, we have this magnificent album to listen to. Highly recommended for all, available wherever you buy traditional music and also on streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music.
