Catherine
McEvoy & John McEvoy
The Kilmore Fancy
Lagore 001; 45 minutes; 2004
One of Irish music’s most loved albums has long been
Catherine McEvoy’s Traditional Flute Music in the Sligo-Roscommon Style which
the Birmingham-born (England, not Alabama) flute player recorded with the US
pianist Felix Dolan for Cló Iar-Chonnachta back in 1996. That album cemented
Catherine’s reputation as one of Ireland’s foremost musicians, but her
recording output remains sparse. Indeed, apart from the two Macalla albums, her
only appearances have been on compilations such as Lámh
ar Lámh (with her husband Tom McGorman).
The
Kilmore Fancy is
again a family affair, but this time it is Catherine’s brother John who joins
her on fiddle with the trusty Dolan returning for pianoforte duties. According
to the detailed liner notes this album was actually recorded in Dublin back in
August 2001. If this is not a misprint, one wonders why such an excellent album
has taken so long to release!
The
album takes its title from a hornpipe penned by John for it is from near
Kilmore in North Roscommon that the McEvoy family originates. John, in fact, is
quite a composer as both his jig, The Spotted Dog, and the closing
tracks, his No. 1 and No. 2 reels, amply demonstrate. If the
latter seem familiar, it is because they appear (also as the closing track) as Rileanna
John McEvoy on Macalla 2.
Like
that other recent high quality album of duets, The
Thing Itself, The Kilmore Fancy has a remarkably relaxed feel
and is equally restful on the ears. Though it has the Connacht spring in its
step it offers the sensation of two skilled musicians enjoying their music
without a care in the world. In some ways too it draws parallels with that
other superb album, Music of Sligo by Peter Horan and Fred Finn (when
will CCÉ reissue that as a CD?).
There’s
a gentle touch to The Kilmore Fancy too, reinforced by the subtleties of
Felix’s piano accompaniment and apparent from the very opening bars of the
first track (Dan Breen’s/The Flowers of the Mill/The Pretty
Girls of Mayo), three reels which date back to the musicians’ days in The
Birmingham Céilí Band. Then follows one of the bounciest tunes imaginable, the
jig Darby the Driver which segues into the aforementioned The Spotted
Dog (which takes its name from a Birmingham pub).
It’s
that easy mix of the subtle and the bouncy which firmly characterizes The
Kilmore Fancy and the McEvoys have tapped some of the most illustrious
sources for their tunes too. Henchey’s Delight comes from a Seán McGuire
recording from the 1950s, The Maid I Ne’er Forgot derives from Michael
Gorman, while an untitled reel was learnt by John from the playing of John
Kelly Snr. whose son John and Paddy ‘Offaly’ O’Brien provided Humours of
Kilkelly. Then there are tunes from Paddy Fahy, Ed Reavy, Martin Mulvihill,
Willie Clancy and Seáns Ryan and Keane. Such detail, of course, is drawn from
the comprehensive liner booklet which not only provides these sources but
information such as the fact that the version of Mama’s Pet, which
Michael Coleman recorded, is not the Sligo favourite, but a variation
associated with the Ballinakill area of East Galway.
Finally,
one really must remark on the wonderful tone of both musicians’ instruments.
John’s stylish fiddling is exemplified by his solo rendition of The Maid I
Ne’er Forgot/The Jug of Punch which also includes one of this
reviewer’s favourite changes. Catherine’s solo is The Highest Hill in Sligo/Mama’s
Pet and has a notably woody resonance reminiscent of Séamus Tansey at his
very best.
The
Kilmore Fancy is
hugely enjoyable throughout and one which will merit repeated playing for years
to come.
Geoff
Wallis
13th
October, 2004
The album is
distributed in the UK by Copperplate.