The Windy Gap

Amazon.com
Flautist Laurence Nugent is a traditional Irish musician who adds subtle traces of jazz, classical, and world music to the old melodies. On The Windy Gap, some of Ireland's finest musicians, including piper Paddy Keenan, fiddler Martin Hayes, and guitarist Dennis Cahill, join him for a session of jigs, reels, and airs that manage to gently stretch the boundaries of Irish music without sacrificing the essential character of the tunes. The tracks include "Sean Ryan's Hornpipes," which features some gorgeous cello playing by Larry Gray; the haunting tin whistle-bowed bass duet on "The May Morning Dew"; and the hard-driving medley of dance tunes "The Colliers/Toss the Feathers," which includes some surprisingly effective electric slide guitar. Even when Nugent adds new twists to the old tunes, his playing always remains true to his Celtic roots. --Michael Simmons

Tracks:

Jigs: Paddy Fahy's/Tatter Jack Walsh/Hole In The Boat
Reels: Thady Casey's/Tommy Gunn's
Hornpipes: Sean Ryans Hornpipes
Slow Reels: Cuz Tehans/The Old Grand Spey
Air: Brauch Na Carrige Baine
Reels: The Ash Plant/The Merry Harriers/Galway Rambler
Jigs: The Green Eyed Lass/The Blooming Meadows
Reels: The Colliers/Toss The Feathers
Slow Reels: The Windy Gap/Lady Anne Montgomery
Reels: The Morning Dew/The Rising Sun/Sean Og's
Fling And Jigs: Sean O'Driscolls/P.T. Connor's
Reels: Sporting Mall/Sean Ryan's
Air: The May Morning Dew
Jigs: Maureen Glynn's/Pull The Knife And Stick It Again

Amazon.com

Flautist Laurence Nugent is a traditional Irish musician who adds subtle traces of jazz, classical, and world music to the old melodies. On The Windy Gap, some of Ireland's finest musicians, including piper Paddy Keenan, fiddler Martin Hayes, and guitarist Dennis Cahill, join him for a session of jigs, reels, and airs that manage to gently stretch the boundaries of Irish music without sacrificing the essential character of the tunes. The tracks include "Sean Ryan's Hornpipes," which features some gorgeous cello playing by Larry Gray; the haunting tin whistle-bowed bass duet on "The May Morning Dew"; and the hard-driving medley of dance tunes "The Colliers/Toss the Feathers," which includes some surprisingly effective electric slide guitar. Even when Nugent adds new twists to the old tunes, his playing always remains true to his Celtic roots. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely Excellent, Innovative Irish Traditional Music.......2005-03-20

If your taste in music is Irish Traditional flute, whistle and small, gentle and sensitive group dynamics with innovation allowed, this is a must have album. This is indeed my taste and I would give it 6 stars if I could.

Laurence plays in a very relaxed manner which belies the fact that what he is indeed doing is extremely difficult. The point of recognized mastery is that it sounds effortless. He is a consumate master of the flute and whistle. He is accompanied here with one of my favorite fiddle players, Martin Hayes, and one of my favorite guitar players, Dennis Cahill. Larry Gray sweetens the sound tapestry of counterpoint harmony with Cello and Bass. Ray Quinn also adds bass, including a unique style of following the lead tune two octaves lower. This results in exquisite, auditory poetry. Two of my favorite bodhran players join the livelier pieces, Jimmy Higgins and Jackie Moran. Jackie adds a unique rhythm in tracks 10 and 11 with doumbek and djembe. Laurence is joined by Kevin Henry in the Ash Plant set with a wonderful, unaccompanied, twin flute performance.

At this point in time, this album is on the endangered list of becoming an extinct lost gem. I am taking it up as my Spotted Owl album cause. I would encourage distributors to carry at least a few copies obtained from the recording company to bring the price down again. This album belongs to the heritage of the music, the appreciative fans of this style of music and an inspiration to young musicians. It belongs in pubs everywhere as background music as well as in Irish Traditional Music collections.

Terrific playing.. . terrific production.......2004-01-15

This is first-rate Irish playing on the flute and whistle. One of my favorite flute/whistle records ever.

Humor and virtuosity abound... check out Nugent's unusual version of "Tatter Jack Walsh" in the first track with f naturals and c-sharps... I love the transition from the 5th track, which, like most tracks on this CD, is a carefully-orchestred studio production with guitar bass and percussion, to the 6th track, which features a very low-tech sounding recording with just two flutes belting out three terrific single reels with Kevin Henry. The third track, "Sean Ryans Hornpipes" features whistle and cello to great effect, which I haven't heard before. The transition on track 6 from the first jig to the second is spectacular, as is the playing in general on all the tracks... ever whistle trick in the book comes out on track 10.

I couldn't recommend this one more!

Laurence Nugent cooks!.......2000-10-25

This is another brilliant collection of Irish traditional music from Laurence Nugent. Don't let the term "traditional" fool you. This music is fresh and alive with soul and fire that will have you stomping your foot along with it. The use of cello on some tracks helps provide an especially strong pulse. The flute duet on track 6 could wear out a houseful of dancers. The colors and nuances that Mr. Nugent pulls out of his flutes and whistles is amazing. This CD is a must for anyone who is a fan of gimmick-free, hard swinging Irish music and a good starting point for anyone who's interested in the roots of all that Riverdance stuff.

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