CORK-BORN piper Diarmuid Moynihan feels that what is demanded of a group is something original: all the best tunes have already been covered well.

Consequently Calico play a carefully-structured and escalated set of original Breton and Irish tunes which locate them on a path running somewhere parallel to the mainstream "big" groups. With his brother Donncha on guitar, Ennis fiddler Tola Custy and Ring-born Donal Clancy on bazouki, they lay down a courageous path of curious paving stones which easily seduce the prejudice-free listener.

Opening on a Breton march, they cast their hallmark: a flawless meld of unhurried pipes and fiddle built out delicately and productively by guitar and bazouki. Working through the Old-Timey John Brown's off-beat 4/4 reels and into the 6/8 Rolling Wave, their sheer patience was a relief from the accustomed frantic scramble of musicians. The Malbay Shuffle, a slow reel dedicated to memory of the Willie Clancy Summer School, demonstrates the piper in fine tune with a descriptive music.

Through all their pieces, a delicate, unhurried stepping motion on bazouki and guitar accompaniment emphasised that this is music to reflect through, not to blank out to. Two days to go, a swing reel on whistle, is one of many old Moynihan's own tunes that manage to flaw seamlessly into older, pre-imaged material like The Bird in the Bush, all considerably facilitated by Custy's solid, if not Hayes-ian fiddle.

Perhaps this band could do with more of such solid, old standard reference points to help listeners locate themselves. As they are, to create an audience they embark, on a tough familiarisation Journey, even if aided by cheerful and thoroughly conscientious, beautifully crafted arrangements.