SONGLINES REVIEWER LEFT REELING

John McSherry & Donal O'Connor
Tripswitch
Vetical Records

Belfast is renowned for its traditional music sessions, and now two of its most able sons (albeit one by adoption) have released an album of sparkling musical interplay, imaginative arrangements and, above all, the joie de vivre that lies at the core of the land’s music. John McSherry is an uilleann piper and whistler from one of the city’s most illustrious musical clans – he’s an erstwhile member of Tamalin, Lúnasa and Dónal Lunny’s Coolfin, and a long-time collaborator with Mike McGoldrick. Violinist/keyboards player Dónal O’Connor is the Louth-born son of fiddler Gerry O’Connor and the late singer Eithne Ní Uallacháin, and is a long-time Belfast resident. A clutch of able accompanists includes guitarists Tony Byrne, Gilles LeBigot, Ruben Boda and Paul McSherry (John’s brother), plus Francis McIlduff on bodhrán.
John McSherry has probably never played better in his life. For evidence, turn to the opening track, kick-started by the sonorous march ‘Rose in the Gap’, and to the wünderkind set of reels ‘Seán Maguire’s’. It’s not just the precision of his playing, but its powers of sheer invigoration which confirms McSherry as one of Ireland’s foremost pipers. And Dónal matches the piper note-for-note, via some captivating fiddle work. Alongside some of Ireland’s most pulsating jigs and reels, you’ll find two gorgeous 5/8 signature Castilian dances, a driving Asturian jig and several delightful self-compositions, including the dazzling slow air ‘Both Ghé’. With its crystal clear production, if there’s a better Irish album released in 2006 I’ll willingly dance naked in Trafalgar Square with a ferret on my head. But only if Tripswitch is playing in the background.

Geoff Wallis

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