CATHAL McCONNELL
Long Expectant Comes At Last (Compass)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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There were a handful of new Irish CDs on my desk this St. Pat's Day, but Cathal McConnell's first solo album in over twenty years walked away with the green ribbon. McConnell has been busy all that time, of course, with his duties as a founding member of the seminal Celtic band The Boys Of The Lough, but this disc is an opportunity for his flute, whistle and vocal work to take a bit more prominence, and it's prominence well deserved.

The jigs, reels and songs offered combine the best of tradition and today, and McConnell is accompanied by an all star cast from both sides of the Atlantic, but the arrangements are generally spare, allowing the subtleties of his chosen instruments to carry the tunes. This one was over three years in the making, and it's good enough to justify every day. Let's just hope we don't have to wait two more decades for some more of the same from this distinctive Irish talent.

Track List:

The Banks Of Strathdon * Crowley's & O'Rourke's (reels) * Scotland-Ireland, The Hangover & The Fermanagh Curves (jigs) * The Bloomin' Bright Star Of Bellisle * The Derry Hornpipe * The Gypsies * The Flower Of Finae & Kathleen Marie (reels) * Edward Boyle * The Bonnie Wee Lass O' The Glen * Big John's Hard Jig & Mama's Pet (jigs) * Leaving Kintall * Long Expectant Comes At Last * The Humours Of Scarriff & The Yellow Tinker (reels) * Lough Erne * The Yorkshire Lasses * There's The Day * The Coctail & Johnny Wilmot's (reels)

© 2000 - Shaun Dale