Music at Matt Molloy's

Music at Matt Molloy's

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Molloy, the Chieftains' flutist, owns a pub on Bridge Street in Westport in the County Mayo, where musicians from all over Ireland gather for a pint, a slice of pizza, and the kind of impromptu sessions where traditional Irish music thrives best. Last year Molloy allowed sound engineers to set up in the upstairs room and hang microphones above the musicians' favorite tables in the pub. On the resulting tapes, the conversation and clinking glasses soak into the music, as they should. Except for Molloy and Patrick Street's Arty McGlynn, the musicians aren't famous, but they are quite skillful and contribute some mighty lively music--which, as the liner notes point out, is not the same as fast music. --Geoffrey Himes

Tracks:

Reels: Jackie Coleman's/Pigtown
Jigs: Cape Breton Jigs/McGurk's
Reels: Over The Moor To Maffie/Fred Finn's/The Hunter's House
Song: Baile Mhuirne
Reels: Rolling In The Ryegrass/The Killavil Fancy
Jigs: Rocking The Cradle/The Twin
Double Jigs: The Kilmovee Jig/The Maid At The Well/The Old Geese On The Bog
Ballad: Bonny Wood Green
Reels: Miss Monaghan/Maggie On The Shore
Reels: Dr. Gilbert/Queen Of The May
Reels: Tommy Coen's/The Otter's Holt/McFadden's Handsome Daughter
Reels: Garrett Barry's/Miss McLeod
Song: Kilkelly
Lament: Sgariunt Na Gcompanagh
Jigs: A Set Of Single Jigs Learned From Kevin's Father - John's Grandfather
Reels: Larry Redigan's/The High Reel
Reels: The Boys Of Ballinahinch/The Castle/Miko Russell's
Jigs: The Scotsman Over The Border/The Tenpenny Bit
Song: The Millionaire
Westport Set-Dancers Dancing To The Music Of...

Amazon.com

Molloy, the Chieftains' flutist, owns a pub on Bridge Street in Westport in the County Mayo, where musicians from all over Ireland gather for a pint, a slice of pizza, and the kind of impromptu sessions where traditional Irish music thrives best. Last year Molloy allowed sound engineers to set up in the upstairs room and hang microphones above the musicians' favorite tables in the pub. On the resulting tapes, the conversation and clinking glasses soak into the music, as they should. Except for Molloy and Patrick Street's Arty McGlynn, the musicians aren't famous, but they are quite skillful and contribute some mighty lively music--which, as the liner notes point out, is not the same as fast music. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

Music at Matt Molloy's.......2007-01-17

This is a great album for anyone who enjoys celtic, irish, bluegrassy, or something similar. I heard about it from a friend who loves celtic music. It is a live recording done at Matt Molloy's pub in Dublin. Good quality music all around, especially the amazing irish flute playing of Matt himself. There's a good mix of energetic and also slow, more mellow songs which give the album a well rounded appeal. I also recommend John Whelan's "Celtic Fire", Lunasa's "the merry sisters of fate", Solas's "Sunny spells and scattered showers", and the Chieftains' "boil the breakfast early".

Brilliant........2006-11-03

This album is such a great peak into the traditional music the way it was meant to be played. It made me a bit sad to hear so much chatter and noise on the solo singers tracks; if you ever go to a session I should hope you'll have more respect for a singer than that. Other than that the ambiance of the pub chatter and clanking pint glasses added to the feel of the tunes being played in their natural environment. The sound was fantastic and the players were superb. The collection of tunes was a good sampling of what you'd actually hear at many sessions and the switch from group performances to solo pieces kept it interesting and entertaining to listen to. If this album doesn't inspire you to play, dance or at least tap your toe then nothing will! Buy it, you won't be disappointed.

Cheers,
Johnny

I'd love to find more like it.......2006-01-17

This is a great, perfect album. I love the background noise and shuffle of the pub. Like others say, you can hear the tinkling of glasses and conversation, but really only between songs. It has lively fun as well as dreamy melancholy and beautiful songs. You can hear the band and the audience stomping out the rhythm and yelling out encouragement or singling along with the songs. There are also some great solo singing moments. I love how it's a session recorded straight through, it really makes you feel like you're there. This is the best Irish music album I own, and is in my top albums that I'll always listen to. If you like traditional Irish music you won't be disappointed, in fact you need this.

pure drop.......2005-11-18

This is a wonderful collection of traditional tunes and songs recorded live in Matt Molloy's pub. I know that some find the background noise and occasional stomping distracting, but I love the authenticity of it and it takes nothing away from the music in my opinion. There are a lot of standard session tunes, played with plenty of feeling. I've never heard a more inspiring version of Miss Monaghan or Queen of the May than on this recording. There are also some more obscure but excellent tunes such as the "set of jigs learned from Kevin's father." I highly recommend this CD to anyone who appreciates genuine traditional Irish music...you will not be disappointed.

The sound of a session, not a studio.......2004-04-12

The album does a fantastic job of capturing the sound of a pub session, which is the natural habitat of the music. Many other traditional music CD's sound sterile, as if they're classical pieces.

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