Customer Reviews

A Letter Home

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A gorgeous set of fiddle-based, Celtic instrumentals from a former San Francisco native and child prodigy who has worked in Sharon Shannon's band and performed with some of the finest players in the trad scene today. Tergis has a light touch; although she studied with Altan's Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh (who can be a real demon on the bow) and Cape Breton's Buddy MacMaster, she doesn't saw as deep into the notes as they do, preferring instead to skip on top of the melodies and give everything a sprightly twist. Her tone is well-matched by the warm, playful production style of guitarist John Doyle (from the band Solas) as well as her cohorts on this recording. Sharon Shannon is a guest, and Tergis is generous in sharing the spotlight; she's also buoyed by fellow fiddler Liz Carroll, who provides both lovely counterpoint and doubling throughout... If you've often found yourself put off by the sometimes-shrill or monotonous aspects of trad instrumentals, this is the kind of album that can win you back. Consistently lively and engaging, it's a delight from finish to start... Recommended! (DJ Joe Sixpack)

Superb. Athena's fiddling is reminiscent of an intricate and delicate series of wild bird songs! She does a beautiful job in presenting this "Letter Home" and I can hear Alasdair Fraser's influence in that she truly has a sensitivity for unabashed expression and creative application infusing influences from other cultures. John Doyle, Natalie Haas do a superb job in their roles as accompanists that is never heavy or contrived - the rhythmic groove suits each piece, no matter how far inside or outside the traditional lines they play and their combined efforts create a very fresh sound with room to breath! There is also a nice cameo appearance with unison and harmony lines by Liz Carroll. Throughout the CD, Tergis displays an interesting variety of moods offering a bold selection of material - from original to traditional - and she pulls it off. On all tracks, it's a delight to hear excellent intonation, a light touch, and a sense for excellent phrasing in her approach. Perhaps she also had good input from John Doyle who was part of the production from beginning to end. I highly recommend this recording.

This is some fine fiddling and good listening tunes. Athena's fiddling is top notch! Fine version of "in Memory of Coleman".

A wonderfull cd. A great collection of tunes. Athena's playing style and tune selection is similar to Liz Carroll's. If you know only two of the great names in Celtic music accompanying her on this albumn: Liz Carroll, John Doyle, Natalie Hass, Chico Huff, Billy McComiskey, Sharon Shannon, and Ben Whittman, you'll know how great this cd is.