First Through the Gate: Irish-American Fiddle Master

by Brian Conway

Overview

It's taken Brian Conway a long time to make his debut album, given a history as one of the best Irish-American fiddlers around. But it's worth the wait (and the drawn-out recording process, begun in 1997), as the disc proves his exceptional talent. That he seems happiest on more upbeat material is apparent by the appearance of only one slow air, "Were You at the Rock?," but that proves to be a thing of strong beauty. He's taken on board a number of Irish regional styles, and one can hear Sligo and Limerick in his fiddling, but the way he's put them all together is strictly his own, as much of a hybrid as America itself. But for all his preference for the speedier material, he never makes the mistake of letting it go too fast; instead, he still allows each note to shine, and the phrases to glitter under his bow. Discreet backing -- to the point of being little more than a prop -- makes sure he's front and center all the time, but that's ideal in this instance, as his playing deserves the limelight. ~ Chris Nickson

Product Details

Release Date:	07/23/2002
Label:	Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
UPC:	0093074048122
Rank:	155539

Tracks

1. Reels: The Liffey Banks/The Concert Reel/The Donegal Traveler
2. Slip Jigs: The Foxhunters/Barney Brallaghan/Comb Your Hair and Cut It
3. Reels: The Mullingar Lea/Dowd's No. 9/The Lass of Carracastle
4. Jigs: Up Sligo No. 2/Contentment Is Wealth/The Scotsman Over the ...
5. Reels: The Blackberry Blossom/The Silver Spire/The Dawn
6. Hornpipes: The Cuckoo/Flowers of Spring/Dunphy's
7. Reels: The Dairy Maid's Reel/The Reel of Bogie/Langton's Favorite
8. Highlands: O'Flynn's Fancy/Casey's Pig/Jimmy Lyons'
9. Reels: Paddy Ryan's Dream/Never Was Piping So Gay/John McGrath's
10. Reels: Jenny's Welcome to Charlie/Tom Steele
11. Slow Air: An Raibh T¿¿ Ag an Gcarraig? (Were You at the Rock?)
12. Reels: Martin Wynne's Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4
13. Hornpipes: Minnie Foster's Clog/The Newcastle Hornpipe/Fly By ...
14. Jerry's Beaver Hat/Scatter the Mud/Kitty's Wedding
15. Reels: The Spike Island Lasses/Tom Moylan's Frolics

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Brian Conway   Primary Artist,Fiddle
Myron Bretholz   Bodhran
Felix Dolan   Piano
Mark Simos   Guitar
John Doyle   Guitar
Andy McGann   Fiddle
Pat Kilbride   Cittern

Technical Credits

D.A. Sonneborn   Production Supervisor
Ed Reavy   Composer
Don Meade   Annotation,Liner Notes
Earle Hitchner   Annotation,Liner Notes
Martin Wynne   Composer
Jacob Love   Editorial Assistant
Mary Monseur   Production Coordination
John McGrath   Composer
Edward Haber   Engineer,Producer,Mastering
Pete Reiniger   Sound Supervision
Mick Moloney   Annotation,Liner Notes
Brian Conway   Producer
Dan Sheehy   Production Supervisor
Brendan Dolan   Pre-Production