The Best of Aly & Phil

by Aly Bain

Overview

As a duo, Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham have developed a remarkable empathy over the years, and the ability to come up with some remarkable melodies, the best of which, like the beautiful "Sarah's Song," are included here. Their Scots-based music usually has a lovely lilt, based around the ceilidh, as on "The Jig Runrig." While most of these pieces will be familiar to those who own their albums, there are some lovely early pieces, like a couple of tracks from a 1988 television show. Both the headliners get to showcase their talents, but even on a glorious slow air like "Violet Tulloch Queen of Lerwick" they never forget that their music is for dancing. They cover the full range of Scotland, from the Shetlands even down across the border into Northumbria, with a small detour to French Canada for a set of tunes and America for "Waiting for the Federals" (one of the new recordings, along with a take on Robert Burns' "A Man's a Man for A' That"). They're well grounded, as comfortable with traditional material as their own compositions. It's a testament to their musicality that the melodies shine through so brightly on everything and that there's such a loving beauty to it all. ~ Chris Nickson

Product Details

Release Date:	03/15/2005
Label:	COMPASS RECORDS
UPC:	0766397440323

Tracks

1. Donald MacLean's Farewell to Oban/The Sands of Burness/Miller's Reel
2. Sarah's Song
3. Waltz of the Little Girls
4. The Jig Runrig/The Swedish Jig
5. Violet Tulloch Queen of Lerwick
6. Humours of Tulla/Fox Hunter's Reel/St. Anne's Reel
7. Sophie's Lullaby
8. Michael Coleman's Jig/Gingerhog's No. 2/Give Me a Drink of Water/Jiggy
9. My Lily/The Sweetness of Mary/Hughie Jim Paul's Reel
10. La Ronfleuse Gobel/La Grande Chaine/Gallope de Malbaie
11. The Pearl
12. Megan's Wedding/Da Herra Boys/The Barrowburn Reel
13. Spring the Summer Long
14. Waiting for the Federals
15. Colours of Cape Breton
16. Charlie Hunter's Jig/The Mouse in the Cupboard/The Rosewood
17. Flett from Flotta/Sabhal Iain ig Uisdean/The Drampire
18. A Man's a Man for A' That
19. The Auld Fiddler/Earl Mitten's Breakdown

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Aly Bain   Primary Artist,Fiddle
Mairtin O'Connor   Accordion
Violet Tulloch   Piano
Willie Connell Johnson   Guitar

Technical Credits

Phil Cunningham   Composer
Robin Gillanders   Cover Photo
Bobby MacLeod   Composer
Aly Bain   Arranger,Composer
Traditional   Composer
Finlay M. MacRae   Composer
Freeland Barbour   Composer
Arthur Darley   Composer
Addie Harper Sr.   Composer
Robert Burns   Composer
Brian McNeill   Engineer,Remastering
Tom Anderson   Composer
Fergie MacDonald   Composer