Charlie Lennon & Johnny Og Connolly: Dusk Till Dawn

CHARLIE LENNON & JOHNNY OG CONNOLLY: DUSK TILL DAWN

Charlie Lennon: fiddle, viola, piano

Johnny Og Connolly: accordion

Gary O'Briain: mandocello, guitar

Leitrim-born fiddle and piano player Charlie Lennon now lives on the Connemara shore of Galway Bay, and has been playing lately with accordion player Johnny Og Connolly, son of a well-known local box player, and himself having recording an excellent CD called "Dreaming Up the Tunes." This lovely recording is the result of their partnership. While Lennon is considered one of the best piano accompanists in Ireland as well as a great composer of tunes in the traditional idiom, his fiddle playing can sound a bit rough, but Connolly's fluid accordion helps smoothing things out. The selection of tunes is typical, featuring many revered classics learned from the recordings of the great Sligo players of the 1920s, as well as some of Lennon's own compositions. One track that stands out, although not an Irish traditional tune, is Connolly's brilliant solo arrangement of a Bach Prelude from one the solo violin Partitas.

Rating: *** 1/2

Price: $17.99