Lunasa

Item: The Kinnitty Sessions
Author: Marie Asner

The Kinnitty Sessions

(2004)

Reviewed by Marie Asner

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Label Compass RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth2004

celtic folk world

Lunasa has issued another CD designed to overpower fans and introduce new ones to Celtic. The selections were recorded live at Ireland's Kinnitty Castle and include instruments such as guitar, Uilleann Pipes, flute, double bass, penny whistle, fiddle, and bodhran.

Kinnitty Sessions includes eleven songs ranging from the lively "Stolen Purse" to the mournful "The Wounded Hussar" to the jammin' "Tie The Bonnet." In comparison to Lunasa's CD of 2002, titled Lunasa, which showed the wide range of the group, Kinnitty Sessions is structured in that the selections are centered on Celtic dances. There is the Ballyogan Reel ("Ballyogan"), "Michael Kennedy's Reel" ("The Walrus"), "Mrs. O'Sullivans Jig" ("Maids in the Kitchen") and "Hull's Reel" ("Tie the Bonnet.") This is kick-off-your-shoes-and-dance music.

Original compositions by Lunasa members are "Ballyogan" by Kevin Crawford and "Sean in the Fog" by Donogh Hennessy. "Ballyogan" begins with a rousing guitar and pipes duet that segues into a lively reel with rhythms expertly moving against each other. "Sean in the Fog" effectively uses low whistle and flute with pipes, double bass, fiddle and guitar.

My favorites are "The Wounded Hussar," which features a Uilleann Pipe solo by Cillian Vallely, and the last piece on the CD, "Tie The Bonnet" in which all previously mentioned instruments get a chance to shine with a jam session at the end. Another standout is "The Dimmers" in which a B-flat flute solo is repeated by the 'C' Uilleann Pipes accompanied by guitar, fiddle and double bass.

The mix of the instruments is top-notch, allowing the listener to find the various instruments as they weave in and out of the melody. This is musicianship of high degree. I'm sure the walls of Kinnitty Castle are still humming.

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