Acclaimed Scottish fiddler Aidan O'Rourke, who seems to tour and record ceaselessly with bands like the Blazin' Fiddles, the Unusual Suspects and the exciting new trio Lau, releases this, his first solo album of his original tunes with the support of a truly impressive array of musicians, including Gordon Gunn, Brian Finnegan, Phil Bancroft, Fraser Fifield, Colin Steele, Mattie Foulds and Blazin' Fiddles bandmate Marc Clement. The album ranges from traditional folk through jazz and ambient groove.

Aidan wrote the music for a "New Voices" commission, premiered live at Celtic Connections Festival in 2003. "Sirius represents home," writes O'Rourke on the back of his sleeve notes -- the music on the album has clearly been inspired by his travels over the years.

His playing is always lyrical, very expressive and very passionate -- any reader who's seen his live performances will attest to this. The arrangements are expansive and full of life -- intensely melodious fiddle tunes are swept along by stirring snatches of trombone and saxophone, the most robust rhythms, and it's music you can dance to -- lovely, stirring tunes that are filled with joie de vivre, inspired by Swedish and German folk festivals, and gentler, more ambient tunes inspired by people, beaches, forests.

"People's Park" is very urban-sounding with jazzy snatches of sax, trumpet and piano -- a superb track. The jazzy theme continues apace with the Scandinavian-flavoured "Falun Fine (Return)," which features an impressive range of solo performances -- fiddle, sax, flute, piano -- a lovely tune to round off an excellent album.

Aidan O'Rourke is an inspired composer of traditional tunes that are already being covered by fellow Celtic musicians. Immensely enjoyable!

by Debbie Koritsas
Rambles.NET
8 April 2006