MIKE & MARY RAFFERTY: THE OLD FIRESIDE MUSIC
Mike Rafferty: flute
Mary Rafferty, accordion, tinwhistle
Paddy Rafferty: lilting
Kathleen Glynn: vocals
Donal Clancy: guitar
Gabriel Donohue: bass, percussion
Flute player Mike Rafferty from Ballinakil, East Co. Galway, now living in New York, and his daughter Mary, an accordion and whistle player who is currently a member of the goup Cherish the Ladies, have produced another lovely album of traditional music. The music of East Galway is typically unhurried, "nice and easy with lots of feeling," writes Mary. There are old and new tunes--one by Joanie Madden and one by Mary Rafferty in particular--but all are played with that unmistakable quality. Among the old tunes, some are played in unusual East Galway settings. Also featured on the record are the lilting of Mike's brother Paddy and the singing of his sister Kathleen Glynn, who sings "May Morning Dew" over an accompaniment of pipe drones and flute. The accompaniments by Donal Clancy and Gabriel Donohue, although generally not overwhelmingly so, are sometimes a bit intrusive--in particular Gabriel Donohue's djembe drumming on the reels "Tip Toe Home/Eddie Maloney's" doesn't seem to match the general flavor of the music. On the other hand, his touch of acoustic bass on "Mike Flynn's" does complement the music nicely. Overall, an excellent album.
Rating: ****
Price: $16.99
