John Williams

John Williams

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 31, 1995)
• Original Release Date: July 1954
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Green Linnet
• ASIN: B000005CPQ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #349,137 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Concertina and button accordion player John Williams may have been born in America, but he comes by his feel for traditional Irish music naturally. His father and grandfather both played squeezebox in their native County Clare. Williams plays the music of his ancestors with a combination of Old World respect for tradition and New World energy. On this self-titled debut, tin whistler Micho Russell, guitarist Randal Bays, bouzouki player Eoin O'Neill, and fiddler Martin Hayes join Williams for a set of beautifully played dance tunes and airs. The duets with Hayes are particularly inspired and passionate. Sadly, this turned out to be the final recording session for Russell, who passed away shortly after it was finished. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Essence of Tradional Irish Accordion, August 16, 2000

By	Steve Forman (Venice, CA USA) - See all my reviews

John Williams has crafted a quiet little miracle with his Green Linnet release; a music embracing the essence of twilight and mist woven of traditional melodies and memories. Throughout this collection there's a mood of mirth and longing evoking the mystical rural Ireland only imagined in America today. As a third generation Irish traditional musician Williams was born inheriting this cultural intuition. It's our luck that he's dedicated his life to developing the skill and sensitivity required for projecting these images with such clarity and authority. In the company of a handful of the world's most important contemporary Irish players including the legendary Micho Russell (tin whistle) and Martin Hayes (fiddle) the music floats from solo accordion airs to duets and full ensemble pieces supported gracefully by Eoin O'Neill (bouzouki) and the clean transparent guitar work of Randal Bays. Technically the CD is immaculate, beautifully recorded and packaged. This is the CD I give to friends who really want to understand exactly what it is I love about traditional Celtic music. John Williams has made something vital and timeless here, not to be overlooked.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic squeezebox playing., November 3, 1999

By	Gatton (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews

This cd will make a believer of you. I've never been much of a fan of the accordian. To me it conjures up polka music which I could never quite force myself to like. But John Williams (that's three I admire now) made a convert of me. His playing is extraordinary and undeniably celtic. Having heard this music played on so many different instruments (including some which just don't work for the genre) the accordian accels in bringing out both the emotion and fun and excitement of this music. Makes so much sense after you hear someone like John Williams squeeze a few out for you. The way he flies across the buttons on the dance tunes and sweetens things up on the slower numbers makes this cd well worth picking up.

The two tracks featuring Micho Russell are great but all the more depressing as this was his final recording session before passing on. His presence is all too brief on this cd.

All in all, a great record for squeezebox skeptics. Especially if they're already a fan of Irish music. Buy this cd for a friend and make them a convert.