Absolutely Irish

by Absolutely Irish / Various

Overview

It does exactly what it says on the tin. The soundtrack of the PBS show is a live affair, using some of the very best Irish and Irish-American singers, musicians, and dancers to offer a showcase of the country. A lot of the instrumental work is stunning (listen to "Before the Storm" where the flute enters and it moves into an impossible double time, for instance), and some of the songs, like "Fair London Town" are moving. But some things might have been better left off the disc, like "Kitty O'Neill's Champion Jig," featuring step dancing. Wonderful as that may be onscreen, it simply doesn't translate properly to audio-only. "McNally's Row of Flats" is a commentary about living conditions for immigrants in New York, but the delivery is without anger, heading more toward the comic, nullifying its effect. That said, there's plenty of love here, like the gorgeous "Planxty Miss Maxwell" or "Fiddle Extravaganza" with some extraordinary violin work from some of the best. And it's inevitable that it would all end with an emigrant song, so "The Leaving of Liverpool," where the poignancy never becomes maudlin, makes for a strong closer. Ultimately, at least as a disc, this actually achieves nothing that's not already available on hundreds of Irish compilations. But for those who want a souvenir of the night, it's worth the money. ~ Chris Nickson

Product Details

Release Date:	08/12/2008
Label:	COMPASS RECORDS
UPC:	0766397448022

Tracks

1. The House in the Glen/The Bohola Jig/Josie McDermott's/Free and Easy [Jigs/  -  Carr  -  Collins  - John Doyle  - Billy McComiskey  - Josie McDermott  - Mick Moloney  - Jerry O'Sullivan  -  OLeary  - Athena Tergis  -  Traditional
2. The King's Shilling  - Karan Casey  - John Doyle  - Seamus Egan  - Ian Sinclair
3. Before the Storm/The Black Rogue/The Lass of Ballintra/The (Other) High  - Liz Carroll  - John Doyle  - Joanie Madden  -  Traditional
4. McNally's Row of Flats  -  Collins  - John Doyle  - Billy McComiskey  - Mick Moloney  - Robbie O'Connell  - Athena Tergis
5. The Green Hills of Tyrol/The Fermony Lassies/The Pinch of Snuff  - John Doyle  - Seamus Egan  - Eileen Ivers  -  Traditional
6. Jim O'Keefe's/The Clog/The Star Above the Garter/The Hare in the Corn [  - Liz Carroll  -  Collins  - Brendan Dolan  - John Doyle  - Eileen Ivers  - Joanie Madden  - Jerry O'Sullivan  - Athena Tergis  -  Traditional
7. June Apple  - Mac Benford  - Rhys Jones  -  Traditional
8. The Flower of Kilkenny  - John Doyle  - Billy McComiskey  - Mick Moloney  - Robbie O'Connell  - Jerry O'Sullivan  - Athena Tergis  -  Traditional
9. Planxty Miss Maxwell  - Liz Carroll  -  Collins  - Brendan Dolan  - John Doyle  - Eileen Ivers  - Joanie Madden  - Jerry O'Sullivan  - Athena Tergis  -  Traditional
10. Lark in the Morning/Cannabhan Ban/Humours of Ballyloughlin  - Liz Carroll  -  Collins  - John Doyle  - Seamus Egan  - Eileen Ivers  - Joanie Madden  - Billy McComiskey  - Jerry O'Sullivan  -  Traditional
11. Fair London Town  -  Collins  - John Doyle  - Seamus Egan  - Rhys Jones  - Susan McKeown  - Athena Tergis  -  Traditional
12. Kitty O'Neill's Champion Jig  -  OLeary  - Athena Tergis  -  Traditional
13. The Trip to Parliament/The Torn Jacket  - Brendan Dolan  - Billy McComiskey  -  Mike  - Mike Rafferty  -  Traditional
14. Fiddle Extravaganza: Never Was Piping So Gay/The Chandelier/Paddy Fahey  - Liz Carroll  - John Doyle  - Eileen Ivers  - Ed Reavy  - Athena Tergis
15. The Leaving of Liverpool  -  Traditional

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Robbie O'Connell   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Mac Benford   Primary Artist,Vocals,5-string Banjo
Jerry O'Sullivan   Primary Artist,Low Whistle,Uillean Pipes
Seamus Egan   Primary Artist
Niall O'Leary   Primary Artist
Darrah Carr   Primary Artist
Rhys Jones   Primary Artist
Tim Collins   Primary Artist
John Doyle   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Bouzouki
Mick Moloney   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Mandolin,Tenor Banjo
Mike Rafferty   Primary Artist,Flute
Athena Tergis   Primary Artist,Fiddle
Billy McComiskey   Primary Artist,Button Accordion
Joanie Madden   Primary Artist,Flute,Tin Whistle
Karan Casey   Primary Artist,Vocals
Mike   Primary Artist
Brendan Dolan   Primary Artist,Piano
Susan McKeown   Primary Artist,Vocals
Eileen Ivers   Primary Artist,Fiddle
Liz Carroll   Primary Artist,Fiddle

Technical Credits

Robbie O'Connell   Composer
Josie McDermott   Composer
Liz Carroll   Composer
Ian Sinclair   Composer
Niall O'Leary   Step Dancing
Mick Moloney   Producer
Erick Jaskowiak   Mixing
Glenn Barratt   Engineer
Dave Schonauer   Assistant Engineer
Randy LeRoy   Mastering
Ed Reavy   Composer
Traditional   Composer