GERALDINE COTTER: PIANO +
Geraldine Cotter: piano, tinwhistle
Eamonn Cotter: flute
Peadar O'Loughlin: flute, fiddle
Maeve Donnelly: fiddle, viola
Adele O'Dwyer: cello
Steve Cooney: guitar
John Boyd: guitar
Benny O'Connor: drums
Micheal O'Siochru: recitation
From Ennis, Co. Clare, Geraldine Cotter is well known as a whistle and piano player and instructor, partly on the strength of tutors she has produced for both instruments. On this CD, she gets a chance to showcase her skills, which are considerable, both as a lead player (on whistle as well as piano) and as an accompanist. She does this in great company too, as her musical partners on this recording include no less than Peadar O'Loughlin (flute, fiddle), Maeve Donnelly (fiddle, viola), Geraldine's brother and gifted flute player Eamon Cotter, the excellent cellist Adele O'Dwyer, Steve Cooney (guitar), Shaskeen drummer Benny O'Connor, and a few more. This allows for a nice variety of arrangements and instrumental combinations. The ensemble tracks, with O'Loughlin doubling with Maeve or Eamon on fiddle or flute, have great appeal. Cotter and her friends play material from diverse sources, in particular some seldom heard tunes which she found in some of the old collections. Very well played and recorded, a lovely, understated album.
Rating: ****
Price: $19.99
Contents:
1. Buck Dance & Reel: Matinee/ Rolling in the Ryegrass
2. Air: The Pleasant Rock
3. Reels: The Heather Breeze/ Paddy Taylor's/The Reynabrone Reel
4. Air: Urchnoic Chein Mhic Cainte
5. Hornpipes: Captain John's/ The Queen of May
6. Reels: The Merry Harriers/The Tailor's Thimble/The Merry Harriers
7. Jigs: Walls of Liscarroll/An tAthair Jack Walsh
8. Air: Cois Taoibh An Chuain
9. Reels: The Bush in Bloom/ The Munster Reel/Captain Kelly's
10. Set Dance & Reel: Poll Hal'penny/ An Peata Beag is Mhathair
11. Air & Recitation: Do Chuirfinnse Fein Mo Leanbh a Chodladh
12. Jigs: Sean Bui/Kit O'Mahoney's
13. Isaac's Jig/A Straight Jig
