Grainne Hambly: The Thorn Tree

GRAINNE HAMBLY: THE THORN TREE

Grainne Hambly: nylon-strung harp

Along with Michael Rooney, Paul Dooley, and Michelle Mulcahy, Grainne Hambly has to be among my favorite harp players in Ireland today, and this new album, her third, confirms my impression of her as a tasteful player and a great interpreter of both the old harp repertoire and the traditional dance music of Ireland. Like on her previous two releases, Hambly's solo performance conveys her confidence in the strength of her playing and material. Her playing on traditional tunes, even near-hackneyed ones like the "Stack of Barley," and newly or recently composed ones, including her own slip jig after which the album is named, is kept light and vivacious thanks to simple yet effective arrangements. Hambly can also conjure a more solemn, "classical" sound on some of the older harp tunes, even at times an ethereal, supernatural quality which befits airs like "Port na bPucai." This is, in its minimalist way, an uncommonly rich recording.

Rating: ****

Price: $16.99