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This solo CD from distinguished accordion player Seán Gavin is a highly welcome event in Irish traditional music. Indeed, it has been long and eagerly awaited by the many followers of his music!
This superb bouquet of music in the rich Irish accordion tradition, delights us with sparkling dance tunes, soulful airs, and masterpieces of the Irish baroque-era composer Carolan. The superbly tasteful accompaniment, on a range of instruments, complements Seán’s music in a highly compatible and expressive way.
The superb music on this album is that of a master musician who could dazzle us with virtuosity and showiness, if he wished, but who deliberately chooses never to do that. He prefers the much more respectful and subtle task of expressing the innate musicality of his meticulously chosen repertoire in all its depth and variety.
Seán Gavin is the senior member of one of our most distinguished music families in Irish traditional music today. His brother Frankie is, of course, one of the iconic musicians of our era. And Seán’s sister Noreen O’Sullivan is both an accomplished performer in her own right and a widely respected teacher of traditional music in her long-time hime area in the Connemara Gaeltacht. Seán has been distinguished with multiple All-Ireland titles, as well as being honoured with multiple wards from AOnach Paddy O’Brien and with theirGradam an Chomhaltaisaward from Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.
Seán’s highly developed style of playing the accordion is given a unique colour by the fact that he is keenly interested in the music of the uilleann pipes. The music on this CD is greatly enriched by his fascination with the possibilities of reproducing piping technique and ornamentation on the accordion.
Jackie Small
