Search - Kevin Burke & Micheal O'Domhnaill :: Promenade

Essential album

10/23/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This early Kevin Burke recording was considered at the time of its release to be the best of its kind ever made. It's still a classic more than twenty years later."

Like finding an old friend in a new suit...

W. D. March | Virginia Beach, VA | 08/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For any who think music falls flat without a drummer, Kevin Burke's version of "Pigeon on the Gate" demonstrates the percussive drama and punctuation that the Irish have evolved simply in using horsehair against a fiddle string. As a life-long fiddler, I was late coming to traditional Irish & Scottish fiddling. After fifteen years learning Celtic style fiddling, I'm still amazed at the casual deftness of Kevin Burke. His fluency, sweetness, and authority are matched by very few players in any style.



In addition to his ability to fill a room playing solo, he has a gift for picking out supportive melodic lines accompanying others in ensemble. The blending of all the voices (human & instrumental) in "Lord Franklin" pierces the heart. But few recordings capture the urgency that starts with Walsh's hornpipe, builds through The Old Torn Petticoat, and culminates in The Old Torn Petticoat Reel and Bank of Ireland. Relentless. Stirring.



After all those superlatives for Burke, my thesaurus has expired. In praise of guitarist Michael O'Domnaill I just have to say he carries his end of the conversation with grace and imagination. Listen to his work in Walsh's hornpipe, and you'll observe that he manages to use the bass, mid-range, and treble regions of the fretboard independently, keeping separate figures going throughout, like a juggler simultaneously handling bowling balls and crystal goblets."