Cormac Breatnach - Music For Whistle And Guitar

Although this is perhaps not the album for lovers of pure Celtic traditional music, I must confess being a big fan of Cormac's whistle playing and of his recordings with the group Deiseal, on which, with the help of  Niall O'Callanain and Paul O'Driscoll, he fused traditional music and jazz in a very convincing way. This album very much follows on the same path, this time in partnership with the excellent guitar player Martin Dunlea. Traditional and original tunes are played in traditional style, with Cormac's amazing variations, and interspersed with jazzy improvisations, the whole flowing together superbly.

1 Reels: Through The Fields - The Man Of The House - Shores Of Lough Reagh
2 Jigs: The Cotton Grass Flowers - The Killavil - The Old Flail
3 Christmastime In Ashland
4 The Foggy Dew
5 The Wicklow Way
6 Hornpipe: Sue's Hornpipe - Last Train
7 Cufflink - Chuir Me Feisteas Ar Mo Theachsa - Eileen Og - The Pride Of Petravore
8 Air & Reel: Down By The Glenside - The Irish Paddy
9 Music Box
10 Jigs: Morrison's - Port An Tailliuira Small
11 Armada

link to the free album

Cormac Breatnach - Music For Whistle And Guitar

Deiseal - Sunshine Danse

This is from the cover notes of Sunshine Dance [1996] and says all that needs saying about this very special album.

…left handed music rising out of Ireland,

dipping down through a ringing bouzouki

on a mellow bass into africa and france,

the whistle cutting up and out against

the scat singing voice,

tunes familiar turning strange

blue latenight smoke and the clear lucid light of dawn

sax and sex, the curl of it

the figure followed in and through itself

and out again, the dance of feet and thought

the soft-palmed drum leading and comforting

free mind, free pulse, the sap of tradition

strained through latenight africa, moon over

seashore ireland and the curfew calling

over neon city streets. breath it.

Artists
Cormac Breatnach [Whistles]
Niall O Callanain [Bouzouki]
Paul O'Driscoll (Double Bass)
Richie Buckley [Saxophone]
Conor Guilfoyle [Drums]
and French jazz singer Mirabelle de Nuit

01 Sporting Nell / 8th Of October / Ali Ali

02 The Flowing Tide / Biddy Walsh’s

03 The Cup Of Tea / The Pinch Of Snuff / The Newly Mowed Meadow

04 Marbhna Luimnigh (Lament For Limerick)

05 Maiseail Ni Neill (O’Neill’s March)

06 Sunshine Dance

07 Chanson Game (De Nuit, Bernard Fontane)

08 Johnny Henry’s / The Abbey / Jimmy’s Return

09 Stepping Stones

10 Out With The Boys / Rocky Road To Dublin

11 Wind Of Rose Green

12 The Wise Maid

link to the free album

Deiseal - Sunshine Danse

Cormac Breatnach - Musical Journey

Cormac Juan Breatnach comes from an Irish and Spanish background, a mix which makes Musical Journey quite unique. Cormac has been playing whistles and the timber flute for over 20 years now and now concentrates on playing plastic and low (aluminum) whistles, he released Musical Journey in July 1998, on his own label, Dioscaí Mandala. It is a personal journey exploring the musical and cultural colors which influence his performance style, repertory and characteristic swing, which he brings to the music. A varied selection of pieces ranging from his favored polka form to songs carrying forth his Irish and Spanish identity, the pieces unite to portray an artist who is deeply rooted in his musical tradition Cormac is not the first musician to add modern rhythms and jazz-style improvisations to Irish Traditional music but he has taken the concept further than anybody else.”

01 Sporting Paddy/Adele

02 Tommy Whelan’s/Oíche Nollaig

03 Na Ceannabhain Bhana/A Perpignan/Fasten The Legging In Her/The Legacy

04 Port na bPucaí

05 The Humours Of Tullycreen/The Princess Royal

06 Mujeres (Women)

07 The Britches Full Of Stitches/The Toda Klop/The Step Ahead Polka

08 La Molinera

09 The Tailor Small’s Jig/The Battering Ram

10 Maidin Luan Chincise/Sabhbh/Song For Sabhbh

11 The Belles Of Tipperary/Connie Connell’s/Cooley’s/Jennie Tie The Bonnet

link to the free album

Cormac Breatnach - Musical Journey