MICHAEL MCGOLDRICK AND TIM EDEY
Jamland
Both Michael McGoldrick and Tim Edey have enjoyed illustrious careers, the former being a master of the Irish flute, uilleann pipes, and low whistle, and having played with the likes of Flook, Lunasa and Capercaillie, not to mention Mark Knopfler or Bob Dylan Tim has been a go to musician for the legends such as The Chieftains, The Dubliners and Sharon Shannon, as well as surviving a European tour with Shane McGowan. His virtuosity with both guitar and melodeon also sees him performing solo shows that have been described as ‘unforgettable’. Following on from a 30 year friendship and a number of tours and festival appearances, they have finally offered up a collaborative album.
The fact that two blokes found was nothing more than some bits of wood with some holes in and a few little bits of nylon can produce such a range of range of sounds and evoke so many emotions is little short of incredible. Yet while the album cover promises us 14 tracks, we are delivered 34 tunes within those, taking us from melancholy through to joy, and from relaxing with a drum and a warm fire to unrestrained dancing wherever you happen to be.
The album is a representation of their live performances, a seamless combination of traditional tunes, along with more contemporary offerings, many composed by musicians with whom they have played at one time or another, often late into the night and beyond. There are also a number of McGoldrick’s own compositions.
The musicianship is, as you might expect, utterly peerless, but what is remarkable is their ability to infuse the digital recordings with the spirit and life that their characterise their live performances – there is a chemistry between them that works its way virus like into the 0s and 1s of the hard drives and beyond.
For anyone who wants a spirited session in the comfort of their own room, this is the album for you.
NOTE: The CD is a limited edition issue available at gigs while stocks last. The digital edition can be downloaded from Bandcamp – representing good value as there are additional tracks that presumably wouldn’t fit on the CD – unsurprising as anyone who has seen Tim live, the difficulty is getting him to stop playing once he has started!
