Amergin
The Gypsy Princess
Green Note GN4; 34
minutes; 2001
Intentions are like ATM
receipts – no matter how long you keep them they never can replace the money
withdrawn from your account. So, inspired by another little piece of work which
reminded me of this excellent CD’s existence, here’s a brief review.
Amergin are based in the Kerry town of Kenmare,
nowadays a rather upmarket place with restaurant and accommodation prices to
match, but there are still plenty of decent bars and a pretty vibrant local
musical community. The band’s five members on this recording are the fiddler
and banjo player Joe Thoma, Dave O’Sullivan on accordion and also banjo, Andy
O’Sullivan on harmonica and whistles, plus the bouzouki player Nick Urwin and
singer Anita Heffernan (who also supplies bodhrán). Guests include the renowned
former Boys of the Lough pianist John Coakley, Francis Thoma on bones, and
T.J.M. Tutty on bass guitar.
It has to be said that,
in these days of albums of Gargantuan length, The Gypsy Princess is
remarkably short, rolling in at just under 34 minutes (which was even regarded
as rather truncated in the days when most LPs lasted for at least 36!).
However, within that framework, there’s some delightful playing on offer, with
a notable Sliabh Luachra influence. The most obvious evidence of the Rushy
Mountain comes in the form of the opening track, Murphy’s Polkas, whose
three tunes derive both from Billy Clifford (flute-playing son of Julia
Clifford, Denis Murphy’s sister) and another noted influence, especially on the
harmonica playing of Andy O’Sullivan, the Murphy family of Bannow, County
Wexford. Another set, kicked off by Rathawaun,
features three slides (two previously recorded by Denis) while Trip
to Cullenstown reprises another Murphys’ classic, albeit with a Sliabh
Luachra flavour. Then there’s the title track itself, learnt from accordionist
Jackie Daly, providing another SL connection.
If the album has a weakness
(and, unfortunately, it’s one that bedevils many independent releases), it lies
in the featured songs and their arrangement. Anita has three songs on
the album. The opener, Ho Ro My Johnny, was originally recorded by Oisín
and is fine enough, but there’ve been simply too many recordings of Cyril
Tawney’s Grey Funnel Line and the rather ethereal production does not
improve upon them. The last song is Fare Thee Well My Own True Love
which really does fall into the sub-Mary Black genre.
Nevertheless, the
instrumental playing on this album (and not least Andy O’Sullivan’s splendid
rendition of The Knocknagree Polka) is more than sufficient to justify
more withdrawals from the cash machine (though why the producer had to slide
the fader on this just beggars belief!).
This is an
original review by Geoff Wallis.
To purchase
this CD contact www.amerginmusic.com.