Niall and Cillian Vallely are brothers who have not only inherited a prestigious musical heritage from their family, but have established interesting reputations for themselves. Recording together for the first time as a duo, Callan Bridge brings the brothers piping and concertina playing to a selection of original instrumental tunes, as well as a number of "lost" tunes. The boys grew up in Armagh, learning music from their parents Brian and Eithne Vallely, founders of the Armagh Pipers' Club. Niall earned a degree in music in Cork, where he formed the band Nomos in 1990, in addition to his own projects he also tours extensively with life-partner Karan Casey. Cillian has been active among traditional music circles in New York City, and is a member Lunasa, as well as having been involved with Whirligig. Both brothers have an impressive history of collaboration with leading Celtic artists as guest players.
With this sort of activity, it's not surprising that this instrumental album rises above the pack. It's lively, extremely precise, quick, and contains some great tunes. Niall Vallely shows himself to be a promising composer writing within the Irish tradition, as well as a wonderful concertina player; and Cillian is no slouch on the uilleann pipes. Combining these with a selection of tunes drawn from what the liner notes refer to as "old manuscript collections" makes for a fresh listening experience. The brothers are able to turn their long association into a great sensitivity for each other's playing, another factor that elevates this disc above the pack. The Vallelys are joined by younger brother Caoimhín Vallely on piano, as well as Donal Clancy, John Doyle and Paul Meehan on guitar -- depending on whether the recordings were made stateside or in Ireland.
I particularly enjoyed the set called "Sunnyside," composed of Junior Crehan's "The High Jig," Robbie Hannon's Jig," and Niall's "Sunnyside Jig." Another standout is "An Buachaill Caol Dubh (The Dark Slender Boy)", a haunting solo piece played by Cillian, arranged in a version from one of the earliest LP recordings of uilleann piping by Leo Rowsome. Another great set begins with Niall's "Once in a Blue Moose" and continues with "Over the Moor to Maggie." The former was inspired by a shop in Anchorage -- a reminder that traditional musicians must be able to travel if they're to build a following! There's lots more great stuff here, and I can't detect a false note or a wrong turn anywhere on Callan Bridge.
Lovers of Irish music traditions will not be disappointed, and Callan Bridge will certainly add some welcome new material to even the most extensive collections. Newcomers to the tradition will get a glimpse of what is possible within this form, and gain insight into what separates the truly great from the merely excellent.
The brothers share a Web site, and you can also find out more at their label, Compass Records.
