The Magnificent Carol (yes that’s an official title now. you must all use it from now on) has generously sent me this cd.
To start with: it’s quite good overall, but like bloomfield said, it is a bit predictable in the choice of tunes and it does seem like he’s holding back quite a bit. I think the next one could be a lot better. Not that this one isn’t good, I’ve been listening to it all day since I got it in the mail this morning. The only really annoying thing on the record is that I don’t think I’ve ever heard Carolan’s Concerto played quite that slow, and for good reason (makes it tres tres boring).I give it an A-. I do expect great things from this character in the near future though.
As mentioned earlier, I bought this CD and like others here, really like it. I just wanted to mention what a nice guy James is…we have been corresponding regularly since I purchased the CD (although he doesn’t know me from a hole in the wall) and he has helped me tremendously with tips on playing the harmonica…I love givers…
First off, it’s the best $87.50 I’ve ever spent on an import CD.
What an enjoyable listen! Great musicianship. The one thing that kept occurring to me while listening was . . . wow, and we think the whistle’s hard. That’s good playing!
Just a quick word to bump this thread back among the living.
Stuart
PS: The first track should have been An Phis Fhliuch.
[ This Message was edited by: sturob on 2003-01-06 22:23 ]
The CD - very nice, very happy-sounding. I like it, and that’s saying a lot because it’s kind of traditional, and I’m more a Lunasa-Solas-Flook-Donal Lunny type person. I like modern chords, percussive/rock rhythms on the guitar/chordal instrument.
This CD had mainly simple arrangements and accompaniment(or none at all in the solo tracks), AND IT WORKED. It just swings. Great playing.
James Conway - what a nice obliging man! I emailed him asking him for advice on what harmonica (model, keys, chromatic or diatonic) to buy my father for Christmas, if my father (who used to play the chromatic C in his youth in a Chinese folksong/classical music context) wanted to learn to play irish trad tunes.
He replied promptly, and said he’d also post me some material on the harmonica/irish trad. Not only did he send the material, he also sent my father a copy of his CD with a nice note from himself. What a wonderful surprise for Christmas!
Note: the good review of his CD is not influenced by his kindness, because I’d already listened to some mp3 clips from his website (looking for his email address) and had been really impressed. The full CD just reinforced my first impression.
Just received this CD today and have been listening to it this afternoon - it really is great! I like that many of the tunes are familiar - these are the tunes I’ve learned over the past year and am starting to play in our sessions and I found myself saying, “Oh, I know that one!” and playing along. I was afraid the harmonica might be a little “jarring” in Irish music, but it’s not at all. It seems to be a natural. Very good CD that will get lots of play at my house.
Susan
