John McSherry, Dónal O’Connor
Tripswitch
Vertical
Records VERTCD076; 41 minutes; 2006
Belfast is renowned for
its traditional music sessions and now two of its most able sons (albeit one by
adoption) have released an album featuring sparkling musical interplay,
imaginative arrangements and, above all, the joie de vivre which lies at
the core of the land’s music. Those two scions are the uilleann piper
and whistler, John McSherry (from one of the city’s most illustrious musical
clans, erstwhile member of Tamalin, Lúnasa and Dónal Lunny’s Coolfin and
long-time collaborator with Mike McGoldrick) and fiddler/keyboards player Dónal
O’Connor (Louth-born son of fiddler Gerry O’Connor and the late singer Eithne
Ní Uallacháin, and a long-time Belfast resident). This pairing is enhanced by a
clutch of able accompanists in the shape of guitarists Tony Byrne, Gilles le Bigot,
Ruben Boda (who also provides bouzouki) and John’s brother Paul, plus Francis
McIlduff on bodhrán. 
John McSherry has probably
never played better in his life than on Tripswitch and for evidence turn
to both the opening track, kick-started by the sonorous march, ‘Rose in the
Gap’, and the wünderkind set of reels ‘Seán Maguire’s’. It’s not just
the precision of his playing, but its sheer invigoration which confirms
McSherry as one of Ireland’s foremost pipers and Dónal’s in there too, matching
the piper note-for-note via some captivating fiddlework.
And, boy, can these two
pick some tunes! Alongside some of Ireland’s most pulsating jigs and reels,
you’ll find two gorgeous 5/8 tempo Castilian dances, a driving Asturian jig and
several delightful self-compositions, including the dazzling slow air ‘Both
Ghé’.
Add to all the above
crystal clear production and informative liner notes and if there’s a better
Irish album released in 2006 I’ll willingly dance naked in Trafalgar Square
with a ferret on my head, but only if Tripswitch is playing in the
background.
This review by Geoff Wallis originally appeared in Songlines magazine – www.songlines.co.uk.
For more information about John and Dónal visit www.atfirstlight.net.