John Carty: I Will If I Can

JOHN CARTY: I WILL IF I CAN

John Carty: banjo, tenor guitar, fiddle

Alec Finn: bouzouki, tenor guitar, guitar

Brian McGrath: piano, tenor guitar

Johnny McDonagh: bodhran

In contrast with Carty's fiddle recordings from previous years, this new CD, on which he plays mostly banjo and tenor guitar and only adds a fiddle to the last track, is remarkable for its mellowness. On the very first track, to the familiar sound of Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh's bodhran, Carty opens at a moderate pace with the well-known piping reel "The Steam Packet," inserting only one triplet towards the end of the turn, then proceeds to expand his interpretation of the tune while playing it another four times. But who's counting, what's fascinating about Carty's playing is precisely this uncanny ability for a seemingly endless spinning out of subtle variations. Alec Finn contributes his trademark contrapuntal lines on bouzouki and tenor guitar, while Brian McGrath adds expert piano accompaniments. This is yet another spectacular production, if in a different vein, for Carty. Well done. (11/2005)

Rating: ****

Price: $24.99