The Long Notes
London-based Scottish fiddler Jamie Smith has teamed up with piano accordionist Colette O'Leary former member of popular Irish band The Bumble Bees and London Irish banjo player Brian Kelly for this CD. The three came to know each other through the ever vibrant and constantly shifting traditional music scene in north London. Jamie, Colette and Brian all come from very different backgrounds but share one wonderful thing in common - their passion for and understanding of traditional celtic music in all its shapes and forms.
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..In between the ensemble tracks are three solos and two songs. Jamie plays a set of his own compositions, catchy and elusive by turns. Colette does full justice to Steve Cooney's lovely air Ag Fas Fos with the depth and range of the accordion. Brian lashes into a pair of reels, the first another Tom McManamon tune and the second a session standard, played here with inimitabke flair. Bright Blue Rose and When I'm Gone are sung by Julia Reid and Ewan Robertson respectively, and a fine job they make of them: I was particularly impressed by the power and clarity of Julia's singing. Julia and Ewan also contribute accompaniment on a few tracks, as do Paddy Gallagher, Tim Edey, Martin O'Neill and Oscar Cainer. The end result is a very varied and thoroughly enjoyable album...Alex Monaghan
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The Long Notes in Concert at Leith Folk Club
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..The Long Notes is a newish name for his well-seasoned trio with Galway accordionist Colette O'Leary – formerly of the much-missed Bumblebees – and London-Irish banjo/mandolin ace Brian Kelly. They usually add a singer and/or guitarist to their live line-up, both roles occupied here by the current BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year, Ewan Robertson. It's a line-up of copious strengths, and they played expertly to all of them. As each individual took their turn in the spotlight, highlights ranged from Kelly's astoundingly fleet-fingered picking, as wild as it was exquisite, to Robertson's audacious, jig-tempo version of Richard Thompson's Beeswing. Their ensemble playing, meanwhile, was nothing short of sublime..
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Tracklist :
1.
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French Connection
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2.
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Eve's Jig
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3.
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Myra's Tune
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4.
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Room with A View
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5.
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Bright Blue Rose
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6.
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Slow, Medium and Rare
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7.
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Ag Fas Fos
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8.
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Dancing in the Sky
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9.
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Taxi to Donegal
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10.
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When I'm Gone
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11.
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The Tour of Repentance
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