A few years ago, I had the pleasure of sitting in on an informal rehearsal of Uisce, a college band based in the Buffalo/Fredonia area near the New York-Ontario border. I enjoyed the jam, regretted missing by days the closest performance date and looked forward to hearing their upcoming CD. It was some time in coming, but Where the Waters Meet was worth the wait.

Uisce is polished without being slick. The arrangements are solid and creative, the performance tight -- and yet, there's just enough looseness to the playing that the album sounds less like a glossy studio recording and more like a group of talented players gigging in the corner of your favorite pub.

The only misstep here is the addition of a drum kit to the sound. On the first track, "Jenny's Chickens," the tune begins with an excellent duet between fiddle and flute. The effect is marred, however, when the drum kit leaps into the fray -- it doesn't work in an otherwise purely traditional arrangement, and led me to expect an electric guitar, bass and synthesizer to jump in as well. Fortunately, the kit sits out most of the tunes.

Otherwise, the band works together very well. Uisce is Stephanie Giamundo on vocals, guitar, a bit of whistle and a touch of djembe; Christy Halligan on fiddle and occasional tambourine; Jennifer Kahmar on flute and whistle; Aaron Smith on piano and harp; and David West on drum kit, djembe, bodhran and percussion.

Giamundo, Halligan and Kahmar are all very gifted and demonstrate a great deal of finesse when they're leading the majority of tunes. Smith hangs more in the background, providing support on piano and occasionally stepping to the fore with his harp, and he shows equal skill at the task. Even West, whose drum kit I'd rather see go, is good at what he does, and he handles various hand percussion deftly.

The best examples of Uisce's excellent ensemble work can be found on "Trip to Sligo," "Irish Washerwoman/Mason's Apron," "Sally Gardens" and the rockin' "Trilogy." The latter -- a medley of "Planxty Burke," "Swallow Tail Jig" and "Brian Boru's March" -- is a jamming arrangement full of life and energy, easily my favorite track on the CD.

Most of the tracks here are instrumental, but Giamundo also proves to be a good vocalist on the album's handful of songs. She sings with clear, airy tones, sharing a lovely, delicate voice well-suited to these gentle ballads. (I can't help but wonder how she'd sound with a rowdy Irish pub song.) Giamundo also contributes a few original tunes and a song, "My Dear, Sweet Bodhran Player," and Smith adds a tune set of his own.

I'd love to see Uisce experiment more with the music. For instance, the tune takes an edgy turn towards the end of "Devil in the Kitchen," but before we have a chance to appreciate the new style, it fades out and launches into a traditional set. "Growling Old Man and Woman/Bonaparte's Advance" has some great hand-offs on the melody line, too -- a clever approach to the traditional tunes that deserves further exploration.

Uisce has made a smashing debut with Where the Waters Meet. This young band has a lot going for it and, if we're all very lucky, they'll keep making music for a long time to come.