CD Review: The Pooka and the Fiddler & Happy as Larry (Colcannon)

The Pooka and the Fiddler & Happy as Larry
Colcannon
Oxford Road Records
2005
2 tracks

In 1960, the great American actor, comic, singer, dancer and all ’round performer Danny Kaye released an LP record on which, supported by a group of musicians, he retold six folk tales from around the world. In this, Kaye followed in a long tradition of spoken word stories with music which had begun long before sound-recording was invented and has been continued by many recording artists ever since. Most often, as in the case of Kaye’s recordings, the stories held as much appeal for adults as for children. With this recording of two contemporary Irish folk stories, Colcannon follows in the same tradition.

Perhaps because of the unfettered nature sometimes inherent to fiddle music, in story and song the fiddle is often associated with some demon or other, from simple playful spirits to The Devil himself. “The Pooka and the Fiddler” is yet another of these tales, featuring a legendary Irish spirit and a less than competent fiddler. Based in Irish legend but mostly created and written by Mike Balger of Colcannon, this is a delightful tale with some interesting twists and turns.

The Pooka is a fairy or demon from Irish legend, found in tales told across Ireland and taking on many forms. The Pooka has been said to appear in in the forms of a large, fierce stallion; a black goat with curling horns; an eagle with massive wingspan; a small, deformed goblin; and a huge, hairy bogeyman, among other forms. In this tale, the Pooka appears primarily in the forms of goat and bogeyman and appears to have a bit of a sense of humour. When a ne’er-do-well, Sean Seamuisin, who is only a passable fiddler (reminds me of the Grasshopper in the tale of The Grasshopper and the Ants) meets this legendary figure, his life is changed forever.

Mick Bolger’s reading is ideal for this sort of story, his intonation and delivery falling somewhere between Edward Everett Horton and Will Millar. Bolger’s Irish accent enhances the tale with its lilting tones. This is the sort of BBC Irish accent that’s present in the speech but is so subdued that, in a nation that adds subtitles to the English speech of Newfoundlanders and other Canadians, Americans will not get lost among the words. Bolger easily carries the listener along as his fable progresses.

Beneath the words and in the spaces between, there is the always wonderful music of Colcannon playing a series of traditional Irish tunes. This music sets the scene in Ireland and provides the ideal aural setting for this tale.

A more contemporary creation of Bolger’s mind, “Happy as Larry” is less grounded in Ireland and could take place in any land which has its own kings and legends. The writing, or perhaps the delivery or both in combination, brings to this tale a different feel than was present in the first. The rhythms and the rhymes and especially some of the vocal inflections sound at times very much like a recitation of one of the fables of Dr. Seuss. At the same time, this story of a poor peasant named Larry and a trombone playing king who wants to take the shirt off Larry’s back reads like one of those sweet Oscar Wilde parables.

Again, the music of Colcannon adds interest to this story, this time not with traditional tunes but with original tunes written and played with a very traditional feel.

For the stories or for the music of Colcannon, this CD is well worth owning. It makes a good listen and bears up well under repeated listens. It would make a very interesting addition to any collection of folk tales and traditional music.

Those who may be interested can find additional information about Colcannon at Colcannon’s home on the web. There are three songs by Colcannon at My Space.

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CD Review: Not Life Threatening (Solomon)

Not Life Threatening
Solomon
Eye of the Storm Records
2002
11 tracks

I’m taken back to another time and place. The music of Bill Gibbs, Dennis Gurgul, and Lenny Solomon harks back to a time so long ago that country music was still called folk, or western, or perhaps hillbilly. It’s old-time music that manages somehow to not be old-timey, generating instead a timeless quality. Lenny Solomon’s vocals remind me most of John Prine, as does his writing, but there are also elements of the old country and western singers like Merle Travis, Stonewall Jackson, Roy Acuff or Doc Watson.

These songs tell stories. Some reach inside the narrator, pulling out something very personal and making it so universal that any listener can understand. It’s these songs that most remind me of Prine’s writing. Others feature a more direct style of storytelling that brings to mind artists like Tom T. Hall and a whole tradition of country storytellers before him. In each song, Solomon’s gentle, raspy voice carries just the right degree of emotion to bring his story into the listener’s real world. One is reminded of songs like Hall’s “Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine” or “Faster Horses.”

Some of the songs on this release lean toward rock and roll or jazz or pop styles, but they never really lose their old time country flavour. One song especially seems to break the mold. “Firefly” rolls along slow, with soulful electric guitar underscoring Solomon’s equally soulful vocal. While the country flavour is still present, the overall feel is more like lazy Southern Rock. As I hear this song, I’m reminded ever so much of The Marshall Tucker Band’s “Can’t You See.”

For the most part, the songs on Not Life Threatening range from the gentleness of a Motel 6 commercial through what I tend to call “cowboy music” to a sort of light country rock. Over all, on a quick listen, the set is quiet and enjoyable. Paid closer attention, the music and the lyrics show the quality that only a lifetime of craft can add. The music combines interesting elements in sometimes quirky ways and the lyrics are tight and well formed to most effectively tell their stories.

This band is clearly the creature of Lenny Solomon, a folk and country musician with the soul of a poet. This is a very American set of music, reaching musically and lyrically into the diverse roots of American music and bringing them new life.

Drifting as it does across folk, country, and light popular music styles, Not Life Threatening would fit well in any music collection. The songs are comfortable and thought-provoking at the same time, well-suited to play in the background or to be given a close listen.

Those who may be interested can find additional information about the band Solomon at the Solomon Band website. There are clips of all the songs on Not Life Threatening at CD Baby.

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CD Review: Inside My Secret Pocket (Eddie Lawrence)

Inside My Secret Pocket
Eddy Lawrence
Snowplow Records
2004
22 tracks

First and foremost, Eddy Lawrence is a story teller. A skilled musician, Lawrence first lays down a comfortable bed of instrumentation then settles in and tells a series of captivating stories that have both personal and universal appeal. There is a sparcity to his tales that belies the depths to which he reaches into the human spirit. And the songs of Eddy Lawrence also make easy listening simply as music. This is a winning combination.

There’s something about the mood of these songs that always suggests there’s a country boy somewhere at their core, but the sound ranges easily across any number of genres. Travelling through folk, country, jazz, rock, blues, and other territories, these songs manage nonetheless to maintain a consistent sound. This is not a disparate scrapbook of short-stories but single, thematic collection.

The eighth release by this prolific songwriter, Inside My Secret Pocket maintains the consistent high quality for which Eddy Lawrence has become known. Listening to his recordings, it becomes clear that each song is written and recorded with consummate care. Beneath the artistry of Eddy Lawrence lies a lifetime of finely-hewn craft that can’t help but shine through.

Lawrence has described the songs on this release as “the diary of a divorce” and the emotions of this divisive process lend power to stories that would have been powerful and emotive in any event. These are stories that can be understood and felt by any one of us who has been involved in a human relationship or who has loved and lost.

It would be difficult to pick any one of these 22 songs as standing out above the rest. Each has its own merits and each tells its own part of the larger story. The strength of this release is not in one individual song but in their cumulative effect. The quality is consistently high throughout.

If you haven’t already discovered Eddy Lawrence, then this release might be a good place to start. Eddy Lawrence stands in a long tradition of American storytelling. Although he’s one of the finest modern narrators of American life and does have a certain niche audience, Lawrence remains largely unknown. That’s a shame.

Those who may be interested can find additional information about Eddy Lawrence at the Snowplow Records website. You can find my review of the previous Eddy Lawrence release, Going to Water at Sound Bytes.

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