The Kinnitty Sessions [Live]

The Kinnitty Sessions [Live]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It didn't take long for Lunasa to conquer the Celtic music scene, sealing the deal with a ton of strong notices for its self-titled debut Lunasa in 1997. Since then the band has established itself as a group of players' players who can roar through a winding jig or reel without bruising it. With the unobtrusive upright bass as the only tweaking of the tradition, the band sticks to such time-honored Celtic instruments as flute, whistle, bodhran, fiddle and acoustic guitar -- the lightning playing of flutist Kevin Crawford and violinist Sean Smyth stand out here. The band again draws upon traditional reels, for the most part, but "Ballogan" is a gentle and noteworthy original from Crawford. Other highlights are the giddy jig "Maids In The Kitchen," the melancholy "The Dimmers," and the flute-driven "Walrus." Recorded live before a small invited audience at the supposedly haunted Kinnitty Castle in Ireland, the only scary thing about the session is the top-flight musicianship. --Tad Hendrickson

Tracks:

Stolen Purse
Ballyogan
Punch
The Dimmers
Island Paddy
Sean In The Fog
Bulgarian Rock
The Wounded Hussar
The Walrus
Maids In The Kitchen
Tie The Bonnet

Amazon.com

It didn't take long for Lunasa to conquer the Celtic music scene, sealing the deal with a ton of strong notices for its self-titled debut Lunasa in 1997. Since then the band has established itself as a group of players' players who can roar through a winding jig or reel without bruising it. With the unobtrusive upright bass as the only tweaking of the tradition, the band sticks to such time-honored Celtic instruments as flute, whistle, bodhran, fiddle and acoustic guitar -- the lightning playing of flutist Kevin Crawford and violinist Sean Smyth stand out here. The band again draws upon traditional reels, for the most part, but "Ballogan" is a gentle and noteworthy original from Crawford. Other highlights are the giddy jig "Maids In The Kitchen," the melancholy "The Dimmers," and the flute-driven "Walrus." Recorded live before a small invited audience at the supposedly haunted Kinnitty Castle in Ireland, the only scary thing about the session is the top-flight musicianship. --Tad Hendrickson

Customer Reviews:

their best album yet (in my opinion).......2005-10-12

I have all of Lunasa's CDs, and they are all very good, but in my opinion this is their best recording yet. Others may disagree, but there seems to be an energy in their playing here that I thought was a bit lacking in their previous 2 albums, good though they were. Maybe the live nature of this recording accounts for that. The only track that I am not so keen on is 'The Wounded Hussar', but that is just a personal preference - I'm not a great fan of pipe solos. The only criticism I have of this album is that it is too short!

Good, but not excellent like the first two CDs.......2004-11-25

With all due respect to the fine musicians of the current incarnation of Lunasa, the original group and the first two albums are simply a hard act to follow in terms of sheer energy and creative arrangements. The Kinnity Sessions stand out as good, tradional Irish Music. However, I have to take exception to a featured reviewer saying they have conquered the Celtic Music genre. Most Irish would pause on the word "conquer" and give you a typical "Pog mo thoin!" (don't ask me what they want you to kiss). Lunasa has good Irish reviews that should be used with credibility for the purpose here. There are many different styles and tastes in Irish Traditional Music and they are all legitimate. If anyone wants to hear the best Lunasa by my standard (rhythm driven creative arrangements), it isn't this album, despite the fact that this is a good CD with some excellent tracks (especially tracks 2, 10 and 11). Try "Lunasa" and "Otherworld" for comparison.

Another Great One.......2004-06-17

What can I say, Lunasa never ceases to impress. The musicianship and song compilation on this album are true Lunasa caliber. However, If you've yet to hear Lunasa, I think its best to start with Merry Sisters or Otherworld. Of all of Irish Trad, Lunsasa is consistently the very best in my opinion. Some cuts falter here and there, but I have never encountered a more skillful and talented band. That said, I do have three minor complaints for Knitty: 1) I can't say I love "Wounded Hussar." Pipe solo's are fun, but it's too much for a whole song. 2) Knitty, as a whole, lacks some of the creative meanders and flair of the earlier albums. This is surprising, as it is a live record. 3) Lastly, and this is pretty small, I wished they had mastered the tracks a bit better. The stereo separation isn't nearly as artistic as the other albums. This can be attributed to the live nature, however. So, all in all, another gifted release. If you don't have Knitty, but have the other CD's, buy this one. If you don't have any Lunsasa, start on another one (but you really can't go wrong).

Another classy offering.......2004-05-26

Having compared this new release from Lunasa to their debut self-titled album and their "Otherworld", I find the group continuing to deliver high quality traditional Irish folk music with zest, panache and a touch of eccentricity in the arrangements. My personal preference is still for the first album, airy and fresh, featuring the amazing Mike McGoldrick on flute and John McSherry on uilleann pipes. On this new album, their fifth, the auto-pilot appears to be creeping in, but it hardly detracts from the wondrous tighter than tight playing, the vigorously buoyant rhythms and the light and tuneful melodies that propel the album forward with gusto.

Kevin Crawford took over from Mike McGoldrick a long time ago and his very fine musicianship is again on display here. Uilleann pipes are played by Cillian Vallely, a deft and deeply sensitive player if there ever was one, as evidenced by his solo "The Wounded Hussar". Fiddler Sean Smyth is as sprightly as ever and solid support as always comes from guitarist Donagh Hennessy (x-Sharon Shannon Band) who provides the underlying drive and bassist Trevor Hutchinson (x-Sharon Shannon Band, x-Waterboys) who adds an exquisite finishing touch.

This recording was made in Kinnitty Castle in County Offaly, Ireland live in front of a small audience, a quiet one at that. All applause has been removed, but the performances are as you would hear them on stage, although the live feel of a concert can never be fully realised in a recording. And they are fantastic on stage!

The excitement though is certainly tangible and the virtuosity a joy to behold, witness for example Kevin's classy whistling on "Island Paddy" against an unusually funky guitar backdrop. The dance medleys are sometimes unusually mixed - "The Stolen Purse" for example jumps abruptly from jig to reel in midstream, while "Sean in the Fog" changes from air to jig. Tempos also vary enough from track to track so there's good variety in the pacing and intensity. The tunes are mostly traditional, the rest being either original or from the pens of Charlie Lennon, Kevin Burke and J.M. Rankin among others.

Overall, perhaps not a stand-out album in a high-class discography, but certainly another immaculate and hugely enjoyable one.

It's live, but you'd never know it.......2004-04-13

I don't want anyone to be discouraged by my 4/5 star rating. Under normal circumstances, this would be a five-star review with the fullest enthusiasm. Lunasa has one of the most unique and impressive sounds in Celtic music, and this album is just a continuation of that great tradition. I am continually amazed by their music, as everyone should be.

The reason "The Kinnitty Sessions" gets only four stars from me is simply that I was so excited by the claim on the back cover that the album was "recorded before an audience of invited guests inside the supposedly haunted walls of Ireland's Kinnitty Castle" and displays the "the storming intensity of a concert environment," only to discover no audience noise whatsoever. I mean, I was waiting for 40 minutes to hear even some polite applause, yet got nothing. The sound also seems a bit to perfect to be recorded in anything but a nicely prepared accoustic environment, much less a castle. Not that I'm accusing Lunasa of false advertising, but if you're going to claim a concert setting, let it SOUND like a concert, imperfections and all.

Go buy this album, regardless. I just didn't want anyone to be disappointed like I was!

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