The Irish Low Whistle

Joe McKenna

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 13, 2001)
• Original Release Date: February 13, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Shanachie
• ASIN: B000056VLA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #238,062 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The Irish low whistle, which is basically a bass version of the standard tin whistle, was introduced into traditional Celtic music in the late 1970s. Joe McKenna, who both plays and builds uilleann pipes, made his first low whistle from a mouthpiece he found in a London junkshop, a piece of brass tubing from his workshop, and a liberal application of duct tape. On tracks like "Colonel Fraser/Ril Gan Anim" McKenna shows the mellow, almost wooden flute-like tone of the low whistle is well suited to traditional dance tunes, while selections like his own composition "Echo's Calling" prove it is equally suited to more contemporary music as well. McKenna's accompanists include his wife Antoinette on harp and John Doyle--the guitarist from Solas--as well as tin whistle player Mary Bergin. The low whistle may be a newcomer to Irish music, but in the hands of players like McKenna it should soon take its place alongside "foreign" instruments like the fiddle and the flute that have long since become accepted in the kitchen and pub sessions where Irish music is at its most traditional. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not just an empty technical collection, March 29, 2002

By	Jeff Rich (King of Prussia, PA United States) - See all my reviews

With a generic title like the one this CD has, you might be expecting tracks that fall rather flat musically. Often releases focusing on a specific instrument can be rather sparse in production and come across as not much more than a technical record of what a player can do with it rather than be interesting to just listen to. Fortunately this is not the case with Joe McKenna's new release.

Best known as an uilleann piper, Joe focuses on the low whistle here. But the sound is rounded out by a couple other musicians, including wife Antionette on harp, sister-in-law Mary Bergin on whistles, and John Doyle (formerly of Solas) on guitar. There's also some bass and percussion. So there's more going on here than just the principle instrument of the title.

Joe's background as a piper is in evidence here, starting with a rendition of the popular reel Colonel Fraser, along with a couple other tunes picked up from fellow pipers. In fact he straps on his pipes for one rollicking set.

Other known session tunes turn up, including a nice version of the Mooncoin Jig. You'll also find three original compositions (Two by Joe, one by Antoinette). One of his, Echo's Calling, has quite a bit of power. I imagine it won't be long before other musicians are taking a stab at it.

So don't be put off by the generic title of this CD. It is a very listenable collection of tunes that can be appreciated by anyone with a fondness for Celtic music.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All five for one song., September 18, 2001

By	William Entrekin (Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I wanted to give this review four stars. I'm a huge fan of Celtic music, and this is good but not among the really excellent. It seems a little uneven.
Track 3 prevents only four stars. "Echo's Calling" is one of the most drop-dead stunning songs I've ever heard. I picked this up in a Virgin Mega Store browsing/listening station, and enjoyed the first two tracks, yes, but then the third track damn near moved me to tears. It's really that good. The CD is worth seventeen dollars for that song alone (which, yes, is a little repetitive, but is close to perfect).
I'm curious about what else Joe McKenna has done, now. Perhaps his next album will be all original compositions; it seems he shines most on those.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, stylish music for a rich, mellow variant of the Irish whistle!, October 1, 2006

By	Brianna Neal (USA) - See all my reviews

Joe McKenna, piper and whistle player for the group De Danann, does a solo turn with a great group of backup players, including his wife, harpist Antoinette McKenna. If you don't like the sound of shrill, squeaky whistles, then this album--featuring the low whistle, a deeper-toned instrument--is for you. This is a wonderful collection of traditional tunes, arranged in lively and creative ways by McKenna and the other musicians. The spirited, soulful arrangements are traditional enough to strike a wistful chord, but modern enough to capture the imagination. And through it all, the soft, breathy, nuanced beauty of the low whistle shines through--winding sinuously above the accompaniments like the brush of gentle fingers on velvet. Playing along with the McKennas are: Mary Bergin on whistles, John Doyle on guitar, Donnchadh Gough on bodhran, John Kenny on djembe, Paul Maher on drums, Trevor Hutchinson on bass and electric bass, and Paul Ash-Brown on Spanish guitar. For other good CDs featuring the versatility of the Irish whistle, try also "Song of the Irish Whistle" I and II by Joanie Madden and "Everybreath" by the ever-creative James McNally.