FolkWorld – Issue 35 02/2008
Chulrua, The Singing Kettle
Shanachie; 23002; 2007;
Playing time: 54:48 min
The Irish-American music trio Chulrua is featuring Paddy O’Brien (button accordion), Patrick Ourceau (fiddle) and Pat Egan (guitar). Paddy has been born in Castlebarnagh, County Offaly, Ireland. He played with The Castle Ceili Band way back in 1968 and moved to America in 1978 where he has been ever since. He is famed for having collected some 4,000 tunes from where to (push and) draw. Paddy has found the perfect musical partners in French fiddler Patrick Ourceau and Tipperary man Pat Egan (married to Vermont flute player Laura Byrne).
The Singing Kettle is already their third album, after a pause of three years. The playing is excellent. There’s unusual tunes, variants and versions: The Morning Dew reel as a two-part version, courtesy of Joe Cooley; the jig The Gander in the Pratie Hole is a three-part setting inspired by Dublin fiddler Tommy Potts; the reel The Wild Irishman is a west Clare setting of the well-known recording by Sligo fiddler Michael Coleman; the jig Gallant Tipperary was used by Thomas Moore for his song The Young May Moon, here as a four part version, courtesy of Galway flutist Jack Coen; the reel Paddy Murphy’s Wife has been learned from County Tipperary accordion player Paddy O’Brien, plus an extra third part composed by County Offaly accordion player Paddy O’Brien. Well, don’t get confused here.
There are both fiddle and accordion solos. The former two reels by Sean Ryan, the latter the hornpipe The Drunken Sailor played in A minor plus an extra sixth part that had been composed by Tommy Potts (he played it in G). Pat Egan is also a fine singer with a smooth voice. He prefers contemporary songs but in a narrative style. Two songs are from Dubliner Mick Fitzgerald (Ballad of Capel Street, Asha), one by Scotmans Archie Fisher (Ashfields in Brine), and rather surprisingly one Percy French song (Bridget Flynn).