Bridgetown

by Johnny B. Connolly

Overview

The solo debut from this fine 26-year-old Dublin accordionist is a joy from beginning to end. Born and raised in Dublin, Connolly was a member of Anam for several years before leaving to pursue his fortune in America; he is now based in Portland, OR, and performs mainly with guitarist Aidan Brennan. Brennan accompanies him on the majority of the tracks on this album, but he is also joined on several numbers by the great fiddler Kevin Burke and bouzouki player Jim Chapman. Connolly's playing is skillful and exciting, but never showy -- he focuses on the tunes themselves rather than on his own virtuosity, and the tempos are generally modest and the ornamentation minimal. It's an unusually mature approach, one that nicely showcases the intrinsic beauty of tunes like "Off to California," "The Reverend Brothers Jig," and the off-kilter Breton dance tune "Ton Doubl Fishl." Anyone who thinks of the accordion as an obnoxious wedding-party instrument should sit down and give this disc some serious attention. ~ Rick Anderson

Product Details

Release Date:	09/18/2001
Label:	Green Linnet
UPC:	0048248121729
Rank:	228538

Tracks

1. When Sick Is Tea You Want?/Eddie Kelly's/The Reverend Brothers Jig
2. Showman's Fancy/Off to California (Hornpipes)
3. Marcelle and Marcel
4. Splendid Isolation/Brefni O'Reillys/Ormond Sound Reels
5. Down the Hill/The Boys of Ballisodare/Maids of Mount Cisco [Set Dance
6. Seanamhac Tube Station/The Robin's Nest
7. Ton Doubl Fishel
8. The Heathery Glen
9. The Bush on the Hill/Bobby Casey's/Paddy Fahy's
10. Wheels of the World/Trip to Durrow Reels

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Johnny B. Connolly   Primary Artist,Melodeon,Accordion
Jim Chapman   Guest Artist,Bouzouki
Aidan Brennan   Guest Artist,Guitar
Skip Parente   Guest Artist,Cello,Viola,Fiddle
Kevin Burke   Guest Artist,Fiddle

Technical Credits

Sean Ryan   Composer
Billy Oskay   Engineer
Ged Foley   Producer,Mastering
Ed Reavy   Composer
Owen Carey   Photography
Brad Wrolstad   Design
Skip Parente   Arranger
Traditional   Composer
Bernie Nau   Mastering
Kevin Burke   Arranger
Johnny B. Connolly   Arranger
John Carty   Composer
Jean-Jacques Milteau   Composer