This album starts off with a bang, featuring high speed reels
dominated by multiple fiddles. The second cut features a set of
traditional Shetland tunes, led off by a calming piano intro,
followed by other instruments gradually coming in, building in
intensity, leading to a section with swing style accompaniment,
and finally, the fiddles reach dance speed.
The 3rd cut is a slower set which illustrates the beautiful melodies
inherent in Shetland tunes. The fourth set reminds me of a Scottish
country dance orchestra, although charged up with Shetland style
swing accompaniment in a way that one could almost jitterbug to.
The 5th set features an original tune by Catriona written for
her parents 25th wedding anniversary, with flowing Scottish harp
accompanied by fiddles playing chordal backup in harmony. After
a bit the harp emerges as a solo instrument producing a playful
melody with touches of minor scales and little dissonances which
resolve into joyous celebration.
The 6th set opens with acoustic guitar fingerpicking, and then
segues into some fast and furious Irish reels. The CD liner notes
name this set as "The African Set," which I believe
is a little inside humor, since a recent trend in contemporary
instrumental Irish music is to incorporate African rhythms. Unaccompanied
harp opens the 7th set with tunes learned at the O'Carolan festival
in Keadu, Ireland. The set ends with fiddles playing melody on
a beautiful tune called Inisheer.
One of my favorite tunes is a mazurka written by a former fiddler
in the band who died from a terminal illness at 21 years of age.
Its a piece which makes good use of a violin string section playing
in harmony. It switches back and forth from minor to major key
in a catchy way.
There's lots of other good tunes on this CD also, including pieces
learned from Scottish Fiddler Alisdair Fraser and others. Musicians
include the four fiddlers: Christopher Stout; Andrew Gifford;
Maurice Henderson; Kevin Henderson; Catriona McKay on harp and
piano, Steve Yarrington on guitar, and David Coles on bass guitar.