WILL WOODSON, CAITLIN FINLEY, CHRIS STEVENS - The Glory Reel
Private Label
The eastern seaboard certainly seems to be the place for Irish American music these days, and this trio has it covered from Boston to Philadelphia via New York. Their music is reminiscent of the 1930s Irish dance bands - quick, driving, full of energy. Will Woodson plays flute in the rhythmic rushing style I associate with Kevin Henry, as well as uilleann pipes with a wild open sound that reminds me of Joey Abarta. Caitlin Finley's fiddle draws on the old 78s of Coleman and even earlier wax cylinders; although not heavily ornamented, her playing pushes the rhythms and tempos so important for dancers. Chris Stevens provides piano accompaniment and pumps a mean melodeon on a set of three old reels from Killoran and friends. Jigs and reels are the staples of this album - mostly reels - with a couple of highlands and marches thrown in, but nothing slower than a brisk trot.
Up Sligo and The Tenpenny Bit, Drag Her Round The Road and The Maid I Never Forgot, The Repeal Of The Union and The Scotsman Over The Border - these are grand old tunes played with spirit, and with a bit of step-dancing by Jackie O'Riley. The title track is one of a handful on unaccompanied flute and fiddle, before Will adds piccolo to a pair of Ulster marches. Two highlands associated with Mick Carr keep us up north, and in fact there are a couple more Donegal tunes mixed in with James Morrison reels. Paddy On The Turnpike and Jackson's Reel give Caitlin a chance to shine on solo fiddle. Will's flute pulses through Lady Ramsay's Highland and a swung version of Trim The Velvet with solid tone. More highlands and slip jigs taken at a gentle pace tee up the final two reels, pipes and fiddle tearing into The Jolly Tinker before the piano cuts in and the melody switches to The Wind That Shakes The Barley. There's no shortage of tunes or quality on The Glory Reel, and I look forward to hearing more from these three versatile musicians.
www.thegloryreel.com
Alex Monaghan
This review appeared in Issue 130 of The Living Tradition magazine