The latest releases reviewed

JOHN WILLIAMS & DEAN MAGRAW Raven Compass Records ****

This loose-limbed Raven soars effortlessly. Chicagoan John Williams, founder member of Solas and a man who's on fluent speaking terms with concertina, accordion, flute, low whistle and piano, brings a zest to both traditional and original tunes, and he's found his spiritual equal in guitarist Dean Magraw, who's a mean draw when it comes to tune writing, too. There's enough space in between this pair's playing to let the oxygen molecules truly ignite, whether in the company of a Kerry barndance (The Gypsy Princess) or a madcap foray into the unknown (Trippin' Into Eden). What matters most of all, though, is the duo's utter confidence in the music's ability to carve its own identity without a hint of posturing. An inspired pairing. www.compassrecords.com

Siobhán Long