Caitlín Nic Gabhann & Ciarán Ó Maonaigh: Caitlín & Ciarán | Album Review

There’s a quality to the pairing of fiddle and concertina that goes to the heart of traditional music: both are characterised by a lightness of touch that seeks out the undertow of a tune.

Caitlín Nic Gabhann is a concertina player and dancer whose fine- boned playing has already won her accolades as a soloist.

With fiddler Ciarán Ó Maonaigh she raises the bar further, with tunes meticulously chosen and dance steps infiltrating a handful of sets to dramatic effect.

The stateliness of Nic Gabhann's interpretation of O'Sullivan's March highlights the emotional range of the concertina, while the pair's intuitive reading of The Nightingale/Páidín Ó Raifeartaigh celebrates two fine tunes with chutzpah.

The vaudevillian quality to American Polka suggests that this is a playful partnership itching to bring these tunes to life in a live setting.

[ caitlin.ie ]