Charlie Lennon "Flight From The Hungry Land"

World Music, WOM CD 102 (58 mins)

Dial a track code 1531

Commissioned by The George Moore Society to commemorate the "Famine centenary year, this suite for traditional ensemble and orchestra was composed by Charlie Lennon, traditional musician "den chead scoth". Programmatic in structure, it is divided into three parts, roughly to coincide with the before, during and after of one couple's experience of the Famine. As such it is resolutely upbeat from the jaunty outset of march, reel, band polkas, around which the rhythms of pre Famine life are drawn, to the concluding themes of renewal in America. Even the middle section partly because it makes such good use of dance measures is not quite equal to the horrors which it attempts to evoke musically. This being said, Lennon brings his exceptional talent as a writer of tunes to bear on the work, most memorably on the group pieces involving the traditional players Eilis Lennon, Laoise Kelly, Jim Higgins, Michael O'Brien and Brian Lennon. The Harvest Fair polkas and The Wishbone real played straight and then developed in the Searching passage shows both Len non and his musicians off to best advantage.

Joe Derrane with Carl Hession.

"Return to Inis Mor"

Green Linnet, GLCD1163 (59 mins) Dial a track code 1641

The outcome of a journey 19 Ireland which, culminated in a visit to, his father's birthplace of Inis Mor, this his second album in as many years celebrates Joe Derrane's reunion not only with his ancestral homeland but also with his instrument, the button accordion. Playing a new box, custom made to suet his characteristic attacking style, this album bears all the now familiar Derrane hallmarks virtuosity and a remarkable output of energy, plus an infectious involvement with the music itself. Typically he is still acquiring tunes like the horn pipe The Bridge Of Athlone, set off to sparkling effect by Carl Hesion's sympathetic string arrangement. A resource dear to him is the Good Book of O'Neill, and the reel All Hands Around of that Provenance is coupled with a simple and restrained rendering of Jimmy Picking Cockles. The slow air An Irish Widows Lament sits uncomfortably, however, with the register and, tone of Derrane's instrument, which is never so happy as on sets like The Tar Road To Sligo/The Humours Of Ennistymon, dashing off triplets in dizzying succession.

Eamonn Cotter "Traditional Irish Music From County Clare"

Eamonn Cotter CD, EC 001 (42 mins) Dial a track code 1751

Eamon Cotter will be known to, many as a member of Shaskeen, and shows himself here to be a solo flute player of high order. Clare born, bred's and based, his repertoire and style looks to that generation of master, players such as Matt Molloy, Seamus Tansey, Roger Sherlock, etc, and to fellow countrymen such as Peter O'Loughlin. One of Cotter's many talents is to sensitively exploit the mood of a particular tune, memorably on the reels Lady Gordon's/Lord Gordon's and on two very different airs Easter Snow, mellow and impeccably phrased, and Bruach na Carraige Baine, reedy and plaintive.

Aoife Ni Fhearraigh "Aoife"

Gael Linn, CFFCD 172. (45 mins)

Dial a track code 1861

Good to see the skeletal ranks of women producers swelled by Maire Brennan who also performs with her sister Bridin on this album by Aoife Ni Fhearraigh, a singer from north west Donegal, who is the latest in a line of women singers, stretching back to Roise Bean Mhic Grianna of Arranmore. Entirely contemporary as far as arrangements go, i.e. guitar and keyboard based with vocal overdubs typical of the Brennan house style the songs are rooted in the tradition of Gaoth Dobhair and environs. Proving that this song tradition can embrace both this singer and those,"ar an sean nos" with equanimity, Caitlin Triall is radio friendly in the widest sense and local to the core, while religious songs like, Seacht Suailci na Maighine Muire deserve universal application to the vernacular liturgy. First division players like Mel Mercier Martin O'Connor, Nollaig Ni Chathasaigh et al make for instrumental backing of singular finesse.