Search - Mick O'Brien :: Ancient Voice of Ireland

Excellence

Arthur Cholakis | New York City | 02/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I confess I'm a Mick O'Brien fan, but this album speaks for itself. Mick performs a selection of spirited melodies solidly within Irish tradition. He has the master's touch, and adds breadth by using guitar and piano as back-up instruments, all very tastefully. His technique is superb, and if one listens carefully, one can hear passages I didn't think were possible on the uilleann pipes, 'bending' notes into half- and quarter-tones. There is a careful balance of innovation, of discovering new possibilities on the instrument, yet all squarely within traditional pipe playing."