Michelle O'Brien, Aogan Lynch, & Gavin Ralston

MICHELLE O'BRIEN, AOGAN LYNCH & GAVIN RALSTON

Michelle O'Brien: fiddle, viola

Aogan Lynch: concertina

Gavin Ralston: guitar

Caitlin Ni Bheaglaoich: vocals

Geoff Woods: Hammond Organ

Recorded back in 1999 and only released this month, this CD brings together three of the leading young musicians on today's Dublin session scene: fiddle player Michelle O'Brien, originally from Co. Clare and a former student of Tommy Peoples, concertina player Aogan Lynch, a Young Musician of the Year award recipient and more recently associated with the band Slide, and guitarist Gavin Ralston, a sought after studio musician and now a member of Beginish. As one might expect, this is a pretty high-power affair. The Peoples influence on O'Brien's fiddle playing is easily (eerily at times) heard in her crisp ornaments and bow triplets, and Lynch is one of the new generation of Irish concertina players who have pushed the technical limits up a few notches. But the two lead players don't let their technical wizardry get in the way of good music and the rapport is evident. As an additional treat, Lynch's mother Caitlin Begley, of the famous Begleys of Kerry, makes a guest appearance to sing the classic sean-nos song "Binsin Luachra."

Rating: ****

Price: $19.99