Paddy O'Brien, Jamie Gans, Daithi Sproule: Snug in the Blanket

PADDY O'BRIEN, JAMIE GANS, DAITHI SPROULE: SNUG IN THE BLANKET

Paddy O'Brien: accordion

Jamie Gans: fiddle

Daithi Sproule: guitar

A brand new album with an unusual story, as O'Brien and Gans recorded the original accordion-fiddle duets back in 1993, to which Daithi Sproule added his expert guitar accompaniments only last fall. Originally from Co. Offaly and now residing in Minneapolis, accordion player Paddy O'Brien is well-known for the seminal LP recordings he made with Sproule and fiddle player James Kelly and for the large store of traditional tunes and unusual versions of tunes he has accumulated over the years. There are plenty of them included in the 14 tracks here, all of which are thoroughly documented in the notes, and the balance consists of tunes composed by O'Brien himself. Those familiar with O'Brien's exacting standards of performance will not be surprised to hear that Gans' fiddle follows the accordion note-for-note, in a way which allows the listener to fully appreciate and reflect on the quirky twists and turns of O'Brien's music.

Rating: *** 1/2

Price: $16.99