There are many examples of cultural survival in the Americas following the Irish diaspora and the aftermath of the Highland Clearances. After settling in North America, songs, tunes and other cultural elements of the Scots and Irish were passed on and evolved to meet the needs of the American experience without straying far from Celtic roots. Moira Nelligan demonstrates in her recent release, I Give You Music, that north Georgia has its own worthy successors to that tradition.

Most of the tunes are standard session fare such as "The Old Favorite/Humours of Ballyloughlin," "The Cameronian/Dinny Delaney's," "The Cottage Groves," "Shebeg, Shemore" and "The Concertina Reel/The Christmas Reel." Unfortunately, I've heard many of them so many times that it's hard to differentiate these interpretations from the many other equally well-rendered versions. I would have liked longer, more dynamic sets that covered some new ground, but while they lack in originality, they are well presented and representative. Nelligan's fiddle playing is solid and the arrangements generally very pleasant and understated.

The outstanding instrumental piece on the recording has to be "If Ever You Were Mine," a sweet waltz written by Maurice Lennon (formerly of Stockton's Wing). Guest artist John Maschinot manages the subtlety of this piece admirably well on the uillean pipes backed by Nelligan's elegant fiddle and guitar work by Michael Robbins.

Nelligan's voice is pleasant and her harmonies (she harmonizes with herself on most of the vocal tracks) are different and interesting. With one notable exception, it's her harmonies that are most interesting about the song selections, which include Dennis Adkin's "I Give You Music" and the traditional "Johnny Shoemaker," "The Gypsy's Wedding Day" and "Who Are You, My Pretty Fair Maid." I'm not a fan of "I'll Tell Me Ma," as it's been forever tainted for me by 3-chord bar bands and renaissance faire approximations. It makes an appearance here paired with the polka "Jessica Hanly's" and Nelligan's version is as good as the best I've heard.

For me, the surprise on the CD is a version of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" coupled with "The Musical Priest." I have long been a fan of Parton's writing and her singing, especially when she's able to get out from under the heavy-handed Nashville production choices. Left to her own devices, Parton draws heavily on the storytelling traditions of the diasporas in Appalachia and this song is a good example of her formidable skill. Nelligan's interpretation fits her voice and temperament, and it does homage to the original while making it her own. Nelligan delivers solid lead and harmony vocals and the accompaniment provided by Robbins and George Gordon are exquisite complements to the song and Nelligan's interpretation.

There are a few technical quibbles : there are a few places where there are timing problems between accompaniment and lead, a few places where transitions don't quite work, and a few places where the tunes overall drag a bit. These lapses don't detract significantly from the quality of the work but should be a point of focus for the next release.

The one thing that does detract from an otherwise well-produced offering is the lack of a track listing on the back of the jewel case. It may sound like a minor complaint, but when you're barreling along a two-lane road in Oregon wine country trying to open the jewel case and find the name of a tune you recognize (the musician's curse), it can be life-threatening. This situation is made a little worse by tracks named "Two Irish Jigs" and "A Reel and a Slide," with the actual tune names embedded in the notes. I'm sure my compatriot road-barrelers were appreciative when I finally gave up trying to read the notes and returned my attention to the road. Frankly, if I were perusing the CD bin at the local music shop I would probably pass on this one for the sole reason that there's no indication of the actual content.

After some initial trepidation I can honestly say that I'm impressed by Moira Nelligan's effort on I Give You Music. I look forward to hearing another release at some point in the future. My hope is that it will stretch the repertoire a bit, cover some new ground and show off an evolving talent. That being said, I Give You Music is currently in heavy rotation in my CD player and will probably remain there for quite a while. It can easily occupy a similar place in any collection that values earnest music, well made.

- Rambles
written by Frank Blair
published 11 June 2005