Laura MacKenzie, Evidence (New Folk Records, 2003)
Laura and the Lads, Laura and the Lad (New Folk Records, 2003)
Before listening to any recording, I always check the liner notes first, unless it is a recording of a classical work with which I am already familiar, in which case the name of the orchestra, conductor and any soloists is really all I need to know. With Celtic music, I try to get a feel for what kind of disc I'm about to hear by looking at the list of musicians performing. I like to see what instruments I'll be hearing, whether the primary vocals are provided by male or female singers, etc. If I see instruments like Uilleann pipes and the bodhran, I know I'm in for a substantially different listening experience than the one I'm in for if the musicians are listed as playing guitars, drums and a tin whistle. Not better, and not worse, mind you; just different. So when I checked out the list of instruments and performers on two CDs by Laura MacKenzie that arrived on my desk not long ago, it was pretty obvious what was in store. Here is Ms. MacKenzie's credit, as given in the booklets: "Laura MacKenzie: wooden flutes, whistles, Scottish smallpipes, border pipes, French cornemuse, gemshorn, voice."
That's quite a list of instruments for a single performer, and I actually had to look up a few of them to see what they were. Reading that list, I figured I was about to hear a lot of music involving wind instruments, and that's exactly what you get on these two CDs. And I'm happy to report that it's all very fine playing indeed.
According to Ms. MacKenzie's biography, she is an experienced performer of traditional Irish and Celtic music, and has appeared in concert on both sides of the Atlantic. The sheer polish in her playing on these two recordings is very impressive (although I must admit that the concertina has never been one of my favorite instruments, and the tracks featuring it were therefore not quite to my liking). Ms. MacKenzie also has a pleasant singing voice, with fine diction in the Irish lyrics and that slight and surprising husky quality that marks so many singers of Irish and Celtic music. However, the real draw here is the very fine instrumental playing.
Of the two CDs, I believe I preferred Laura and the Lads to Evidence, mainly because the former features the more "up-tempo" jigs and reels that make this music so much fun. But this statement of preference should not be taken too strongly, because Evidence, with its lovely lines and excellent wind playing in the service of some fine old songs and airs, might be the more beautiful of the two. So Laura and the Lads is the more lively, while Evidence is the more lovely.
And hey, why should I have to pick one over the other, anyway? I got 'em both, and I'm perfectly happy for that. So forget what I said about a preference above. These are both good CDs.
