Customer Reviews

The Music Of What Happens

5 star:		(7)
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As a professional singer and pianist myself who grew up on gospel and 70's R&B I have been able to find little in the modern music market that scintillates my taste. When looking for some work by a young Celtic singer named Breda Mayock (who appears on a Hector Zazou album entitled "Lights in the Dark", itself, also a fabulous album) I stumbled across this work by Cathie Ryan (Breda has nothing of her own available yet). Within one minute of listening to the first track of "The Music of What Happens" I was in love with it. It is a masterpiece. I place it among my top few favorites of all time, in a category with: Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" and Donny Hathaway's "Extensions of a Man". From a musician's point of view, this album is a must. You will be hard pressed to find another contemporary singer who is as honest in sound and uncontrived in spirit as Cathie Ryan. Not to mention that the songs, in and of themselves, are terrific (though I would not want to listen to another singer interpret them or dare to attempt them myself - since it is entirely Cathie's sensitivity and purity of tone that makes them truly magical). The blend of Celtic and American folk, highlighted by unusual production (including a very moody fretless bass on the first track), and poetic lyrics is inspirational. Cathie is one of the best new singers that I have found in years. No one can do what she is doing. But I, for one, am very excited that she's doing it.

A wonderful voice and an incredible taste for songs, all together in this CD. I am an Emmylou Harris fan and grew up listening to rock, country, jazz, blues and classical. I am so glad there are people still doing good music.

Cathie Ryan has a pure, clear soprano that's one of the most powerful and evocative voices I have heard since Joan Baez. Her collection addresses everything from Ireland to lost love. Not a bad song in the bunch.

I bought this CD when I saw her play the Irish Music Festival a few years ago.. I fell in love with the music there.. enough so that I went to all 3 days of the festival, and stayed even when it started to pour. I would like to get the other CD's as well, but this one was a great one to start with. All it's missing is the stories she adds when she is performing.

"No one can do what she is doing..." wrote a listener who reviewed this disc in 1999. Seven years on, that's still true. The only one who has matched Ryan since is she herself in subsequent recordings. Reading over the reviews and comments, it seems each has a different favorite. I'll add Lament of the Three Marys and I'm Going Back, the first a traditional song Ryan sings in Irish and the second a song she wrote, a spare and clear evocation of the situations of leaving and returning to Ireland. Those who like Emmylou Harris, Mary Black, and Kathy Mattea should check out Ryan's work, on this and her other recordings.

THIS ALBUM IS MY FAVORITE! CATHIE HAS A PURE,MELODIC VOICE.
THEE ISN'T ONE SONG THAT I CAN SAY DOESN'T BELONG THERE. THEY ALL ARE JUST GREAT!
CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT RELEASE!

I have seen Cathy Ryan in concert twice, in a small outdoor setting, and she was wonderful. She has a beautiful voice although she seems to think that Irish women are shy and retiring. I've never met any like that! Both of her CD's are well worth buying, as well as her work with Cherish the Ladies.