JOE DERRANE & FRANKIE GAVIN: IRELAND'S HARVEST
Joe Derrane: button accordion
Frankie Gavin: fiddle
Brian McGrath: piano

A musical meeting of two giants is not automatically a recipe for success, but this one delivers, and then some. Joe is playing better than ever, and Frankie does all that he does so well, in a way that creates a powerful whole. The affinity of both players for the music of the Golden Age is reflected in their choice of tunes from classic recordings of the 78 era, including the famous "Tarbolton" medley from Coleman, and "The Union Reel" in the version Joe adapted from Kimmel's playing and recorded as a solo in 1949. Among the more unusual material, an opening track of marches and the Irish national anthem, both played with gusto. A comparison with  the "Tribute to Joe Cooley" album which Frankie recorded with Paul Brock seems unavoidable. In fact, the musicians have found a very similar groove, and while Brian McGrath's piano playing is a bit heavier than Charlie Lennon's, it is always spot on--all the more remarkable since the album was basically recorded in one day. The recording was done at a Maryland all-analog studio which specializes in jazz and doesn't not resort to any kind of filtering, compression, or overdubbing. The result is a magnificent "live" sound. And with 18 tracks in all, there's a lot of music to enjoy. My only criticism would be that the booklet could have used some closer editing, as misspellings abound. But from a musical point of view, it doesn't get much better than this. .

Rating ****1/2

Price: $15.99                     Recommended


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Contents:
1. Marches: The Minstrel Boy/God Save Ireland/The Mountains Of Pomeroy
2. Reels: Andy McGann's/George White's Favorite
3. Reels: Tarbolton/The Longford Collector/The Sailor's Bonnet
4. Jigs: Happy To Meet And Sorry To Part/Contentment is Wealth/The Butcher's March
5. Reels: Sean Sa Ceo/Ah Surely
6. Hornpipes: The Tailor's Twist/The Dublin Hornpipe/Thomond Bridge
7. Reel: The Union Reel
8. Reels: The Merry Blacksmith/The Limestone Rock
9. Reel: The Bucks Of Oranmore
10. Hornpipes: Cloonloughlin Lady (Derrane)/The Mathematician
11. Reels: McGovern's Favorite/The Mullingar Races
12. Jigs: Off She Goes/Cooley's Jig
13. Reels: Spey In Spate/The Man Of The House
14. Hornpipes: The Friendly Visit/The Stack Of Wheat/The Gypsy Hornpipe
15. Reels: Boys Of The Lough/Music In The Glen
16. Air & Reels: Inissheer (Thomas Walsh)/Gan Ainm/Kevin Mahon's
17. The Irish National Anthem [Soldier's Song]
18. Reels: Peter Feeney's Dream (Derrane)/The Flower Of The Flock
See also:
       Frankie Gavin & Paul Brock: Tribute to Joe Cooley
       Frankie Gavin: Fierce Traditional