Search - Kevin Burke :: Sweeney's Dream

One fiddler alone keeping a pub spellbound in the old style!

04/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Failte! (Greetings) Kevin Burke is one of the few fiddlers I can think of that could walk into any pub in Ireland, get out his fiddle and start playing through any of the hundreds of memorized traditional Irish tunes and keep his audience quiet and spellbound for extended periods of time absolutely alone. Kevin calls this "naked fiddle" with no other instruments involved to cover up what they call in the old country a "fiddler's fart." This is a follow up album to "If the Cap Fits," which is no longer available new. This is traditional Irish Music played the traditional way for fun and relaxation. Recorded in the early 1970's, this recalls a time before big budget albums and concerts. This was before competitions. In fact, if you had put a bunch of fiddlers together in the same pub, they wouldn't compete against each other. They would drink Guinness and jam until the "wee hours" of the morning together. This wasn't a primary "who the alpha male or female fiddler" thing. It was an enjoy the music and companionship thing. If you are building a Celtic Music Collection, this old style of playing needs to be represented. This album with "The Traditional Music of Ireland" by James Kelley, Paddy O'Brien and Daithi Sproule (which is still available but hard to access on Amazon.com) are excellent examples of this era of pub music. You can find Kevin's current music with the band Patrick Street either on album of frequent U.S. performances. Ceol de Erin Go Bragh! (Music of Ireland forever!)"

Lovely, spare, fiery

Loren Church | Tulsa, OK | 12/13/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Burke sounds wonderful here, and every note he plays can be heard, as this recording was done without a backing band. Celtic music fans will enjoy this album, and fiddle people will treasure it."

I'm feelin' a little bad for giving this recording only 3 st

Mike C | Grass Valley, CA USA | 11/29/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"...after all the glowing reviews, but Burke, who is clearly a monster in terms of his chops, plays so fast that the melodies (which are the soul of Irish fiddle tunes), tend to get clipped under the hooves of his playing. I'm listening to the CD as I write this, and it just doesn't move me like so much Irish music does. It's the speed at the expense of feeling and melody. Listen to Martin Hayes' LIVE IN SEATTLE if you want to hear Irish fiddle that will make you want to cry or get up and dance, depending on the tune."