Customer Reviews

Celtic Roots

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

 

 

I agree with others here that John Whelan is among the very best Irish Button Accordion Players around (and actually there are quite a few excellent players, Billy McComiskey, Sharon Shannon, James Keane...). This CD is as good an intro into both his music and Irish Dance Music played on the Button Accordion as any and will definitely knock down any preconcieved notion about the accordion being used for Polkas (though there are quite a few polkas in the Irish tradition). Anyway, if you love Irish Dance Music, Accordion Music or both, this CD should be on your list.

Oh one final point, one reviewer seemed to confuse the Button Accordion and the Concertina, they have certain similarities (both being free reed instruments) but they are not the same. John Whelan plays the Button Accordion and I don't think I have ever heard a concertina on one of his CDs.

The traditional button accordian has been a popular pub instrument in Ireland for hundreds of years. There are many talented Irish button accordian players, but none go into "the happy pub zone" as well as John. It seems that he starts playing and simply falls into a happy mega track of Celtic music that keeps rolling onward and onward. It feels like the separation between tracks is just a formality. This album and his earliar "Come to Dance" are good examples of why he has been regarded among the very best, champion concertina players in Ireland for years. The excellent fiddle playing on many tracks is being supplied by John's friend and collaborator for years, Eileen Ivers. There is also excellent Irish bouzouki (deep voiced, large, octave mandolin) playing in counterpoint to John and chording. This is great background for liftin' a'pint or two with friends and family. This is Irish the traditional Irish way with no electrical appliances in the band and nobody plugged into anything but the fine music.

If you are looking for a great Celtic CD to teach dances to, this is the one to get. The CD is jam-packed with jigs and reels, it just doesn't stop! Use this with your students to teach about the Celtic culture, keep the steady beat, or to learn real jigs and reels! John Whelan has a great CD out there even for the novice Celtic listener. A great CD.

After seeing John Whelan in public for the Anchorage Folk Festival, his toe tapping music will get the "mojo" working when you see him command the stage. So it is with this CD, it brings the artists together to create a Celtic mood and gives you the feeling you are there with him in his proformance. In real life he is all over the stage and in the audience face to face, dancing and making gestures to join him in his rolical review...it is in his blood and shows. I highly recommend his CD's for face paced entertainment or just pure enjoyable sounds.