Matt Molloy & John Carty - Out of the Ashes album review: tunes with verve and vitality

The combination of fiddle and flute is typical of north Connaught, and few musical pairings capture its syncopated swing with more imagination than Matt Molloy and John Carty. Eight years after Pathway to the Well, they have returned to the source, again in the company of Arty McGlynn on guitar.

Their meticulous pairings are a delight, with familiar tunes afforded their local names, so that The Prohibition Reel morphs into the errant Wild Irishman. Verve and vitality characterise this collection, recorded live at Matt Molloy's in Westport.

The title tune is an apt calling card, with Molloy's flute swishing across the melody: a dancer in full flight. Slower sets such as County Tyrone are equally alluring, allowing the listener a closer peep into the heart of the pair's intuitive playing style. johncartymusic.com