The Diamond Mountain Sessions

Sharon Shannon

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 13, 2001)
• Original Release Date: March 13, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Compass Records
• ASIN: B000059LEV
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #190,045 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Born in County Clare, Sharon Shannon is a charismatic musician who is equally at home on button accordion or fiddle. This set commences with Galicia's revered gaita (bagpipe) virtuoso, Carlos Núñez, leading a mazurka-like tune that morphs into what sounds like a syncopated Spanish-Irish jig. There are Francophone references throughout the album; "Galway Girl" (sung by Steve Earle) and "Say You Love Me" are Cajun-flavored barroom stomps, while "The Pernod Waltz" would be a perfect fit in Quebec. The vocal soloists--Earle, John Prine, Liam O'Maonlai, John Hoban, Mary Staunton, Dessie O'Halloran, and Jackson Browne, are either idiomatic or else so far beyond that it ceases to matter. Other notable participants include the Woodchoppers (Shannon's touring band), the Hothouse Flowers, and Donal Lunny (the Quincy Jones of Ireland.) Even amid so much talent and variety, "Fire in the Bellies," which features the robust fiddling of Liz and Yvonne Kane, demands repeated hearings. --Christina Roden

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Too many friends, too little Sharon, March 21, 2001

By	Lilting Banshee (Roseburg, OR USA) - See all my reviews

The best part of every song is when Sharon's nimble fingers take over the tune. The instrumentals are the best part for me and the fiddling Woodchopper's "Fire in the Bellies" make me stop what I'm doing everytime (washing dishes, playing with the dog, etc.) and listen in wonder. Steve Earle's "Galway Girl" is a hit. But there are other singing friends here that change the mood away from what Sharon does best. For example, Jackson Browne--and I've owned his vinyl for decades--sounds okay, but the part of his song where Sharon plays is the part of the song I'm humming later in the day. In other words, when you can play accordion like this and have a band like the Woodchoppers, who needs singing friends? Luckily, there are some GREAT tunes here many tunes feature Shannon at her best , but I still think Sharon's "Spellbound" cd is far more consistently wonderful. (December 2001 update:) If you can find The Diamond Mountain Sessions Limited Edition, which includes a second CD, a live concert recorded in Galway about a year ago and featuring JUST Sharon Shannon and the Woodchoppers (including the fabulous Kane sisters and Sharon's sister, Mary), then buy it. The 2 cd set easily rates 6 stars, because the live cd setlist features one wonderful tune after another. Not a weak link, nor a tune you'll want to skip, on the entire cd. There is a "Live In Galway" cd now available at Amazon.uk, and the songlist is identical to the live recording available on the Diamond Mountain Sessions Limited edition. What are you waiting for? Finally, to see Sharon Shannon, Donal Lunny, and the amazing Coolfin band and guests play "Galway Girl", "Mouth of the Tobique", "Costa De Galicia" and more, you MUST buy the video "The Kennedy Center Presents--The Irish Gala". You'll be glad you did!!!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful listening experience and so diverse!!, September 19, 2005

By	Green Mountain Observer (Vermont USA) - See all my reviews

This CD is an excellent representation of the kind of artist Sharon Shannon has become. As she has evolved as an accordionist she has added so much to her repertoire beyond the traditional Celtic music. At first I found this evolution a bit disconcerting but as a loyal fan I decided to trust the directon Shannon took, which is collaborating with artists of many different styles. She has continued this evolution with her most recent CD (Libertango) which is also quite good.

The CD is worth owning if only for the wonderful piece sung by Dessie O'Halloran, "Say You Love Me", a most endearing love song. I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. O'Halloran in person with the Sharon Shannon band, a memorable performance to say the least.

There are many enjoyable tracks on this CD, including some traditional works, and the collaborations with other artists are great.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you like either the vocalists or Irish fiddle and squeezebox you're going to like this, July 4, 2007

By	R. Kyle (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (VINE VOICE)

And you might just find that you like both together quite well. Sharon Shannon has assembled an all-star cast of musicians and singers for this CD and all of it bears repeating. What the Chieftains do in "Further Along The Old Plank Road" Sharon continues with her own flair.

My favorite of this collection is Steve Earle singing "Galway Girls." His 'peat smoke' voice really lends itself to the Irish ballads.

Mark Knopfler, John Prine, Jackson Browne and many other big-name vocalists join Shannon for these sessions. Among them is Dessie O'Halloran, who I thought from the name was a woman. What a wonderful surprise.

The best thing about this CD is it takes a lot of people I love to listen to and combines them with fabulous musicianship and the sum of the whole is far greater than its parts. This is an excellent collaboration and I will be looking for "Libertango" next.