A couple things to let readers know about this week. I’ll start with the Irish Music Traditional Archive’s just-launched hour-long video interview of the great button accordionist James Keane. Shot at Queally’s Pub in Miltown Malbay, the interview is led by Keane’s close friend and old Castle Céilí Band-mate Mick O’Connor. O’Connor does a superb job featuring Keane’s bracing personality, sharp memory, and fondness for the stories of his youth all of which make this a memorable exploration of traditional music in the 1960s and a brilliant profile of a top musician who was not only uniquely positioned as a young man in Ireland, but who became a major figure in New York City’s traditional music world. Readers of this column will want to check this one out – highly recommended! For more information, visit https://www.itma.ie/.
Speaking of great accordion players, this week I’ve been listening to Diarmuid Ó Meachair’s newest release, “Diarmuid Ó Meachair.” Last year, I wrote about a pair of his then-recent albums, “Siúl na Slí” and “Melodeon Medleys,” both of which I thought were truly outstanding and this new one picks up where the earlier two left off, showcasing his masterful playing, limber style and great good taste. If the button accordion is your thing, this new release is a must-have.
I know I covered it in earlier columns, but some review: Ó Meachair is from Cúil Aodha in West Cork. He plays both the B/C and C/#D boxes, the 10 key melodeon, and is a sean-nós singer and while initial influences were Jackie Daly and Joe Cooley, he also cites the music of Finbarr Dwyer, Joe Derrane, Paddy O’Brien and Peter Conlon as having had a strong effect on his playing. In 2022, he was named TG4 Gradal Ceoil’s Young Musician of the Year and he’s not only in-demand player but a widely respected teacher as well. I had the opportunity to meet Ó Meachair at the Catskills Irish Arts Week this summer and found him a brilliant player with a curious intellect and an expansive knowledge about music. It was a good hang.
This new album sees Ó Meachair alongside a stellar supporting cast, including Brian McGrath, piano; Garry O’Briain, mandocello; Michael McCague, guitar; and Colm Murphy, bodhrán. While McGrath does most of the heavy lifting here and is terrific as usual, everyone involved contributes admirably.
Ó Meachair’s playing is superb throughout the entire album. It opens with “The Auld Blackthorn,” which shows of the real fire and virtuosity that characterizes Ó Meachair’s music as a whole. This carries into “The Geese in the Bog,” which to my ears has an approach that is more “old time” in style, particularly in the way he phrases. Compare this with tracks like “The Frieze Breeches” or “The Friendly Robin,” which feature Ó Meachair handling tunes in different but no less interesting ways and you get a sense of his stylistic diversity.
Three tracks in tribute to the famous McNulty Family, one of reels, one of flings and one of jigs, are particularly well done. The McNultys, who first released their music through 155 78rpm sides in the 1930s and ‘40s, before shifting to 45rpm records, extended play 45 rpm records, and LPs in the 50s and 60s, were a mainstay of New York City entertainment for well over 30 years. It’s nice to see their music remembered and to see their memory honored so well in Ó Meachair’s playing. Of the three McNulty tracks, I think I favor the jigs as Ó Meachair’s approaches them with especially strong drive, with Murphy’s playing providing a very fine complement. This being said, though, Ó Meachair brings some serious style to the reels that is also very satisfying.
“Diarmuid Ó Meachair” is another outstanding album from someone who can rightly be hailed as one of today’s finest musicians. It should come as no surprise to learn that over the past few months Ó Meachair’s been gigging around with Frankie Gavin and De Dannan – he’s that level of player. If you love expertly done traditional music in the hands of a young, thoroughly intelligent musician with terrific style, look no further, this album is for you. Learn more about Ó Meachair and purchase this and his other albums through his website here.
