Kitty Hayes & Peter Laban: They'll Be Good Yet

KITTY HAYES & PETER LABAN: THEY'LL BE GOOD YET

Kitty Hayes: concertina

Peter Laban: uilleann pipes

For many of us, the release a few years ago of concertina player Kitty Hayes's CD "A Touch of Clare" was a revelation, and the news of a new recording featuring this treasure of Clare traditional music is cause for celebration. Here, Hayes is joined by transplanted Dutch piper Peter Laban. Other recordings before this one, particularly that of Tommy Keane and Jacqueline McCarthy, have shown that the marriage of pipes and concertina can be most successful musically, and the present CD is another proof of it. But its main interest is the understated approach to music-making shared by the two musicians, which makes it feel so comfortable and genuine. Some would call it "kitchen music," to convey the the intimate character of the experience--indeed, the album was recorded in Hayes' own kitchen, and one can almost feel the warmth from the stove and hear the kettle boiling. May Kitty Hayes keep recording such beautiful albums. (08/2006)

Rating: ****

Price: $19.99