Barefield Céilí Band
Between the Sets
Tíg na Coille
TNC002; 36 minutes; 2003
The most important
principles of traditional music – the whole idea of variation, the whole idea
of the personal utterance – are abandoned. Instead, everyone takes hold of a
tune and belts away at it without stopping. The result is a rhythmic but
meaningless noise with as much relation to music as the buzzing of a bluebottle
in an upturned jam jar.[1]
Attitudes to céilí bands
continue to be strongly divided between those who adore them and those who
abhor them. Many in the latter camp even go so far as to assert that Seán Ó
Riada’s notorious bluebottle analogy quoted above understated the degree of
antipathy which these musical malformations should ought to evoke. In contrast,
those supporting the bands argue that they played a major role in maintaining
Irish musical traditions during the lean times and, moreover, ensured the
continued popularity of set dancing in some areas. 
There were, to be sure,
some pretty diabolical céilí bands in the past and, if you scour any charity
shop in the UK, you’ll almost certainly encounter some charmless recorded example
of their work. Times have changed, however, and there’s no question that the
expertise of the leading bands’ musical arrangers has increased so dramatically
that céilí band releases have almost become “listening” albums.
The astute will have
noticed the word “almost” in the last sentence above because, now matter how
good a céilí band album is, whether any bears up to repeated listening is very
questionable. That being said, this album by the Barefield CB is very good
indeed. Their mentor and creator is the fiddler Denis Liddy who
taught his then eight-year old pupils to play the whistle so they could perform
at the Barefield National School’s Christmas party. The band took off from that
point, winning the All-Ireland under-12s championship in 1998 and progressing
to the extent that it gained the Senior title along the way, and playing in
Toronto, Connecticut and Spain.
Their first CD, Iolar,
was released in 1998, followed by Flowers of the Burren four years
later. So, despite all still being in their mid-teens, the members of the
Barefield CB could all be said to be hardy professionals when it comes to the
recording studio. Equally, their obvious enthusiasm has been thoroughly
channelled into the overall feel of Between the Sets and the tunes have
an often infectious ebb and flow. The album is divided into two halves, the
first consisting of the Caledonian Set and the second formed by the Plain Set.
Each contains very familiar tunes, but neither suffers as a result. It’s also
pleasing to note that the 20-strong band includes two uilleann pipers and no
less than four concertina players, the latter offering an especial Clare
flavour to the brew.
This is an
original review by Geoff Wallis.
For more information about the Barefield Céilí Band
visit www.barefieldns.com.