Recent releases reviewed

VARIOUS ARTISTS
The Flute Players of Roscommon Volume 1 Feadóg Mór Music
***

Roscommon, Matt Molloy's homeplace, has long been a flute-playing stronghold, and this collection casts a net around a dozen local players, some well-known, others heroes in their own townlands. It's a labour of love, spearheaded by Dr Liz O'Doherty and John Wynne. Wynne's own contributions are standouts, his languid, woody tone setting the bar high on the set of jigs headlined by The Girl in the Big House. There's a breadth and depth to this gathering that captures the essence of the county's passion for the flute: Patsy Hanley's spirited jig set, Catherine McEvoy's muted reading of Junior Crehan's Kitchen and John P. Carty's reels are pristine snapshots that'll seduce as well as challenge the listener. www.roscommonarts.com/trad

Siobhán Long

JIM MCFARLAND
A Taste of Tradition Claddagh Records
***

This isn't so much a song collection as a lovingly honed history lesson that unearths a magnificent gathering of stories and tall tales. Populated by errant soldiers, distraught lovers and  sundry wildlife assuming their customary role as national champion of that elusive commodity called freedom, McFarland's voice is unburdened by redundant decoration. His style aims for simplicity and clarity, letting the story take precedence over any vocal pyrotechnics, and it's a strategy that succeeds in letting the songs tell their own stories. McFarland's daughters, Orla and Maria, tiptoe in for a gorgeous duet on Going to Mass Last Sunday and his airing of an old Lee Valley String Band first cousin, The Banks of the Bann, is a sparkling gem. Producer Pat Ahern keeps a mindful distance. www.claddaghrecords.com

Siobhán Long