Peter & Angelina Carberry: Memories from the Holla

PETER & ANGELINA CARBERRY: MEMORIES FROM THE HOLLA

Peter Carberry: accordion

Angelina Carberry: banjo

Peter Carberry: uilleann pipes

Liz Kane: fiddle

John Blake: guitar, piano

Laoise Kelly: harp

A wonderful first recording by Longford-born musician Peter Carberry and his daughter Angelina, with John Blake accompanying on guitar and piano, and contributions by Peter Carberry (Peter's 75 year-old uncle) on uilleann pipes, as well as Liz Kane and Laoise Kelly. Although an accordion- banjo duet album may sound like someone's idea of a bad joke, this is actually one of the best albums in recent years. Peter Carberry plays the B/C box using C#/D fingering, which means that many of the tunes are a step lower than their usual pitch--for those who might think of picking up some new material here. More importantly, it gives the music an unusually rich and resonant sound, contributing with the easy pace of the performances to the distinctive mood of the album. Angelina's banjo playing is impressive without being flashy, complementing her father's music perfectly. Uncle Peter's simple yet effective piping and Liz Kane's lovely fiddle playing enrich the whole further by adding variety to the texture and sound.

Rating: ****

Price: $19.99 Recommended