Brendan Mulvihill, if nothing else, has helped create a whole new generation of master fiddlers. His lyrical trademark is unmistakable in those who have studied with him, but the best of his acolytes, such as Jim Eagan, Cleek Shrey and, of course, Jesse Smith, retain the distinctive sing-song, swinging qualities of his style but add something more. Listen to Smith and hear echoes of days gone by, the timeless qualities of such seminal fiddlers as Michael Coleman, Paddy Killoran, James Morrison; he offers a delightful mix of raw excitement and controlled musicianship.

This is Smith's debut CD as a solo performer. On it, he is joined by three worthy colleagues: John Blake, a sensitive accompanist on guitar and piano who appears frequently throughout the recording; stepdancer Seosamh O'Neachtain, who adds an exquisite percussive accompaniment; and flute player Harry Bradley on one track. Smith also extends the range of sound by occasionally adding a second fiddle track.

Instead of simply playing a collection of reels and jigs, with occasional other dances thrown in for good measure, Smith has taken a different approach -- on the dozen tracks, he performs barndances, an air, polkas and hornpipes, as well as four sets of reels and two sets of jigs, plus a jig into a reel. It makes a pleasant change to hear the different timings. It's also an adventurous recording in that it revives many a lesser-heard tune and presents a series of moods from the serious, driving atmosphere of a reel to the near music hall sound of hornpipes, to the irresistible lift of the polkas.

Smith opens with "Back in the Garden" coupled with "Colonel Frazer," two reels learnt from early recordings. He approaches this rhythmic set with drive and panache, drawing out the most from the melodies by using the full potential of his instrument. Blake accompanies him on guitar, presenting a tremendous balance to the fiddle: the cascading chord progressions, the insistent bass line, the full rich sound. It's a tremendous opening track for the album and sets the pattern of what is to follow.

Next up is another set of reels featuring fiddle and guitar: the dark "Paddy Kelly's" followed by a different and intriguing interpretation of "Templehouse," which almost seems to present a mirror image of the first tune. Then, Smith takes on a pair of barndances, with their up-tempo rhythm so close to hornpipes but not quite. For the first, he is accompanied by a dancing guitar; on the second, the sound expands with the addition of piano and the complementary second fiddle. Smith and Blake certainly succeed in their desire to recreate the sounds of the bands of the 1920s and '30s. More variety is added on "Devlin's Favourite," a jig featuring the stepping of O'Neachtain along with a solo fiddle. The tune comes from an old recording by Irish accordion virtuoso John J. Kimmel. It's paired with a reel, "The Musical Priest," still featuring fiddle and feet, but now with the added accompaniment of a dramatic piano.

"The Little Heathy Hill" is a song and air from O'Neil's collection and is presented here in an inventive setting; twin fiddles and two guitars, each working in its own direction and fusing together in a delightful combined sound. Smith's approach bears a strong connection with some hornpipes, both melodically and rhythmically, and he succeeds in drawing together a series of disparate sounds. They are well set off by the following track, a sedate set of jigs ("O'Reilly's Favourite/The Green Blanket"). Smith's approach to ornamentation really stands out, as does his cool Irish. (You've heard of cool jazz, right? This is pretty much an Irish version of that.)

His sense of continuity is tremendous. What can follow such a laidback track? A pair of polkas! Smith and Harry Bradley play in unison on "Happy Birdie/The Bluebell Polka," the contrasting flowing fiddle and almost percussive flute bouncing off each other to the powerful keyboard and strummed guitar accompaniment. Again, the ornamentation and occasional veering into harmonies and improvisation stand out. What's more, not only is this fun to listen to, it works superbly as a dance track -- brilliant!

Smith has had access to some amazing recordings from which he reinterprets much of the material featured here. He learned "The Champion" and "High Level" hornpipes from a noncommercial recording by the legendary Lad O'Beirne. He hops his way through these two delightful tunes, adding his own special touch (a lot has to do with his bowing technique and his sense of rhythm) to a piano accompaniment. These are followed by a set of three unaccompanied reels. For nearly four minutes, this solo performance holds your attention as Smith weaves and dances across the strings.

"The Leitrim Thrush" is another solo, a minor key reel learned from Mulvihill. With its leaping and frolicking melody, it leads well into two more reels - "The Old Pensioner/Lawson's Favourite" -- which again give Smith the opportunity to demonstrate his ability on such fluid tunes. Showing the range of his skill, he offers a real old-time approach to "Bridge of Athlone/Dunphy's," two hornpipes, the first learnt from a Coleman record, the second from a Morrison. Smith shows great respect for the old styles of playing and is able to recreate a similar atmosphere, especially on the second tune, when he's joined by Blake's piano. These are followed by a set of reels played in a much more modern way. Blake's guitar work excels as he works through some excellent (and sometimes surprising) chord sequences, emphasizing Smith's rolling fiddling. Again, it's a pleasure to take in the ornamentation, special little touches that help bring the tunes to life.

The album ends with a set of excellent tunes, "Paddy Clancy's Jigs," and overall, Smith's playing is good on them. However, it is on this final track that I find my sole cause for complaint. For my ears, the melodies are too squeaky, especially the second tune as it runs down a scale. Though not a fiddler, I think they sound like difficult tunes, requiring a lot of position changing with the left hand, and I'm not sure it works for me. But that is not enough to spoil the album in any way. Smith has successfully recorded a superb debut.

Jesse Smith comes from the Baltimore-Washington area, a region rich in Irish culture, from a family with strong musical traditions. He learnt well in his younger days, absorbing much of the music that was around him. His travels to Ireland, where he played with Danu, among others, have rounded out his education and helped develop his individual approach. He has a good sense of where the music comes from and reaches back with great skill, reinterpreting the tunes of such players as Morrison, John McKenna, Paddy Sweeny and the Flanagan Brothers. Having heard him live, I have waited for this album with much anticipation. And he does not let me down; the album is exactly what I'd hoped for and more.

- Rambles
written by Jamie O'Brien
published 12 July 2003

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