Paul Brock and Enda Scahill
Humdinger
Compass
Records 7 44552; 49 minutes; 2007
As
that well known student and practitioner of Irish-American music writes in his typically
eloquent introduction to this equally articulate album Messrs Brock and Scahill,
in cahoots with the Tyrone pianist Ryan Molloy and percussionist Tommy Hayes, have
not only delivered a recording thoroughly evoking the ‘atmosphere and artistry’
of early twentieth century recordings ‘in dazzling fashion’ but have also released
‘the first ever CD of Irish traditional music on the melodeon and tenor banjo’.
Now, for any English folkies out there, let me just stress that the melodeon in question is one of the ten-button single-row variety, and a very pleasant sounding Castagnari model to boot whose bright timbre Paul Brock exploits to the full. However, like all basic instruments, it takes a master musician to explore its full potential and the aforementioned first adjective reminded me of P.J. Curtis’s splendid summation of Paul Brock’s music in his oft-overlooked book Notes from the Heart:
Throughout all his recorded and live work, Paul
Brock’s total love for, commitment to and mastery of, the music he plays with
generosity of spirit, soulful subtlety, grace and depth of feeling is
abundantly evident at all times. These are qualities which lie at the heart of
traditional music at its very best.
Paul is now edging towards his mid-sixties, though you’d never guess so from the cover picture, while his banjo-picking partner, Enda Scahill, is almost forty years his junior. However, while age has no mercy, the difference here provides no stumbling block for a pairing which might have sprung together simultaneously from the cradle, instruments firmly in hand.
The album’s selection of tracks will not provide any shocks to anyone immersed in the recordings emanating from the USA in the first few decades of the twentieth century, with some notable exceptions. Among these is an almost rhapsodic melodeon version of I’ll Tell Me Ma, learnt by Paul from the French-Canadian accordionist Philippe Burneau, a plangent rendition of the polka Teelin, associated with Danny O’Donnell, and a dandling tune learnt from Paul’s mother.
However, while playing many a familiar
tune, the melodeon-banjo pairing offers a seemingly symbiotic flourish and
pumps new blood into tired veins. As an example, check Enda’s playing on The
Rocky Road to Dublin (and it takes a brave man
to step into Barney McKenna’s shoes so ably) or the joyful resonance of the
opening jig Erin go Bragh.
Finally, mention must be made of Ryan Molloy’s both dextrous and grounding piano accompaniment – the best keyboard work heard by these jaded ears in many a year!
Geoff Wallis
19th July, 2007
For more information about the musicians visit www.brockscahill.com. The label’s website is www.compassrecords.com.