This album is not jazz but BSH couldn't resist reviewing it anyway. What is genre after all, and this CD has lots of apparent improvisation, repeated riffs, all the same chords as other music. But mostly it's just superb music beautifully performed. If the jazz police jammed a banjo into my back and forced a definition of the music, I'd have to admit it was closer to folk and classical.
Each track on this debut album begins with the letter ‘W’, spoken as 'Double You' and the tracks refer to the parallels that connect these two musicians and their musical affinity. 'W' is the pattern of the waggle dance that bees perform, referred to on track 8.
Most tracks play a delightful repeated riff with variations which then build to a climax and then end calmly and quietly. Instruments often alternate, playing the main riff and a bass line or another variation.
The hardanger fiddle is an entrancing instrument which has extra strings which resound to the main tune being played. I've heard this played live at folk concerts and it really is something great to hear. On some tracks of this album this fiddle gives us an otherworldly ethereal sound.
Wonder is based on a Bach prelude with chords from a Mendelssohn violin concerto; Why is based on traditional tunes from Canada; Wish is a marriage of two harp tunes, the beautiful Give Me Your Hand and The Ash Grove, both tunes familiar to all self-respecting folkies.
Waggle is all about the communication dance that bees do, and the piece is inspired by tango and gypsy jazz as well as improvisation and traditional and classical music.
These two women are both highly accomplished musicians. Ms Finch hails from west Wales and she had passed all the Associated Board Grade examinations for classical harp by age 9 and later took part in the BBC Young Musician of the Year and gained many other distinctions. She was also the first incumbent of the revived position of Royal Harpist.
Ms Ni Bhriain comes from in a suburb of Dublin. Her father played the uilleann pipes and her mother comes from a family of Irish dancers and musicians. She studied music in Leipzig and then managed to play music in both folk and classical styles. She has played violin in leading orchestras whilst also starring in Riverdance. She has since collaborated with electronic music producers and has composed concertos and ballet scores.
This album comes with an informative booklet, partly written in (I think) Welsh and Irish Gaelic and the whole package is a real gem for anyone with wide musical tastes. The CD is available from October 27 as well as in digital and Limited edition 180 gram magenta vinyl LP.
Enquiries to Tamsin Davies tamsin@mwidan.co.uk. See also www.catrinfinch.com. Ann Alex
Whispers; Why; Wonder; Wings; Wandering; Waves; Woven; Waggle; Wish
No comments :
Post a Comment