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Brian Conway: First Through the Gate |
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(Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, SFW CD 40481, There are a lot of albums being released these days, and though many of them are quite good, even very good, few could be said to be over-due. This one is. Brian Conway is a rock solid player in the New York Irish scene, inheritor of the Sligo-influenced tradition in New York through the tutelage of players such as Martin Wynne and Andy McGann, and a talented teacher. Knowing those things I expected the album to be solid, technically advanced, and influenced by the 78 recordings of Coleman and Morrison. It is all those things, but is also suffused with a sweetness and clarity of tone that took me, pleasantly, by surprise. The opening of the album, The Liffey Banks, is light and sweet and altogether wonderful, and Conway keeps that tone throughout. His playing is not flashy though his tecnique is superb; technical prowess and variation are always in service to the needs of the music, rather than strutting their own stuff. In many ways. Conway’s playing—and this recording—should be taken up as a model by younger players. The supporting cast is an impressive crew; the ubiquitous John Doyle on guitar and also Mark Simos, whose intricate accompaniment style is a perfect foil; Felix Dolan on piano, Myron Bretholz on bodhran and Pat Kilbride on cittern. And there are a few gems with Andy McGann (one of Conway’s teachers) and Pat Mangan (his star pupil) playing fiddle along with him; to hear The Blackberry Blossom with these three playing in unison is a treat indeed. It is an album that was long in gestation, taking five years to come to fruit. The result is a balanced, thought out recording that is making a splash in the traditional Irish community. Very recommended. |
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© Brendan Taaffe, 2005. All Rights Reserved. |
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