From the first track -- a polka medley by Erin's Pride Orchestra, recorded in Philadelphia in 1948 -- you know this will be a rough album through and through.

Don't let it bother you. This is Irish music at its core, the root of all the Celtic music flooding the world market these days. Subtitled "Irish Country-House Dance Music," this album is a collection of recordings made at Irish country dances and in Irish-American dance halls over the years, and what it lacks in polish and makes up in genuine enthusiasm for the social side of music.

The earliest recording dates on the album to New York in 1925; the most recent is from County Donegal in 1977. You hear the likes of Ed Reavy, Jimmy Power, Hugh Gillespie, Frank Quinn and Michael Coleman on fiddle, Reg Hall on piano, Mark Callahan on guitar, John McKenna and Tommy Healy on flute, and plenty more, performing in posh American clubs and rural post-Famine Irish kitchens alike. You'll hear the rough edges, the sour notes, the background noises and the poor acoustics that plagued some of these settings -- and, believe me, there are times when you'll wince and grit your teeth for a bit -- but you'll also hear the brilliance, joy and expressiveness that kept these folks playing these tunes night after night as spirited Irish people -- whether at home or abroad -- danced their love for Ireland.

The CD comes with 28 tracks and ample liner notes detailing the times and traditions that led to these recordings. It's a fast read, but it'll leave you with a better understanding of the musical culture.

If you want a refined recording of Irish fiddle tunes, there are plenty of places to look for it. But every modern fiddler out there making a mark in some shiny, high-tech recording studio owes a huge debt to the folks on this album, who played out their hearts in whatever circumstances they found and kept a tradition alive.

[ by Tom Knapp ]
Rambles: 16 March 2002