REVIEW FROM www.livingtradition.co.uk

YVONNE BOLTON & ALAN JORDAN - Silver Threads
Private Label

This Irish duo has gathered together and recorded a stunning collection of tunes, mostly with just concertina and guitar accompaniment, with Alan Jordan singing on the traditional Black Waterside and his own New Road.

Bolton is an outstanding box player and nails some of the hardest challenges out there – her lead on The Waltz Of The Birds is a particular delight. Alan Jordan, a past (and indeed founder) member of The Outside Track, is a perfect foil for Yvonne Bolton, with his measured guitar accompaniment, and he is also a fine tunesmith, as evidenced by The Dreamer which is delightful and on which the pair are ably augmented by Matteo Cullen on piano and Joe O Dubhghaill on cello. The set of Mazurkas is another highlight and the final tune set rounds off the album nicely with a flourish. If I had to plump for a track which sums up the chemistry between this pair though, I’d have to go for the opener, The Snake Charmer/Dance Of The Mermaid, both Alan Jordan tunes, executed by the pair with confidence.

The album is also well packaged with extensive notes. It’s definitely worth a pop in my book. It’s been a cracking year for Irish albums. Keep ‘em coming as far as I’m concerned.

Grem Devlin