Pride of the West - John Wynne & John McEvoy

Here, we are presented with a refreshing example of purely traditional fiddle and flute music.  Virtuosity and subtlety, thoughtful selection and versions of tunes enhanced with sensitive accompaniment make this a fine recording.
                                                                                  Patsy Hanly

Tá an-mheas i dtraidisiún an cheoil Ghaelaigh ar an gcónascadh idir feadóg mhór agus fidil agus tá traidisiún seanbhunaithe i dtuaisceart Chonnacht den chónascadh úd, agus tá a thionchar, chomh maith le ceangal na gceoltóirí le Ros Comáin, le sonrú go smior ar Pride of the West mar a gcloistear an chorraitheacht, an teannas agus an suaimhneas is dual don dá uirlis uasail seo.  Is as traidisiún ceoil Shligigh - Ros Comáin is mó a thagann an ceol ar an albam, agus tá leaganacha neamhghnácha áitiúla de na foinn le cloisteáil chomh maith le roinnt fonn nuachumtha.  Tá tionlacan tuisceanach á thairiscint ag Paddy McEvoy, mac le John McEvoy, ar an bpianó agus ag Arty McGlynn ar an ngiotár.

Is stíl thuaisceart Chonnacht atá ag Wynne agus ag McEvoy agus is ceoltóirí aitheanta iad beirt.  Is as Ros Comáin do John Wynne agus tá suim faoi leith aige i gceol Shligigh, Ros Comáin agus Liatroma.  Bhí sé ina bhall den ghrúpa Providence tráth agus thaifead sé dhá albam leo, Providence agus A Fig for a Kiss.  D'eisigh sé a chéad albam aonair, With Every Breath, sa bhliain 2000 agus bhí sé ina léiritheoir agus ina cheoltóir ar an albam The Flute Players of Roscommon, Volume 1 a eisíodh le déanaí.  Is i mBirmingam Shasana a tógadh John McEvoy agus b'as Ros Comáin dá thuismitheoirí.  Thaifead sé an t-albam Bakerswell sna hochtóidí leis an ngrúpa den ainm céanna.  Eisíodh albam aonair leis, Returning, i 1998 agus thaifead sé The Kilmore Fancy lena dheirfiúr Catherine McEvoy, fliúiteadóir, i 2004.

The combination of flute and fiddle has pride of place in traditional Irish music and Pride of the West draws on the immense flute and fiddle tradition of north Connacht and on the musicians' strong Roscommon connections, and communicates the excitement, tension and tranquillity inherent in the combination of these two great instruments.  The tunes on the album are mainly from the Sligo - Roscommon repertoire and include unusual local versions of tunes as well as some new compositions.  Accompaniment is  ably and subtly provided by Paddy McEvoy, John McEvoy's son, on piano and Arty McGlynn on guitar.

Both Wynne and McEvoy are excellent exponents of the north Connacht style of playing and are established musicians in their own right.  John Wynne is from Roscommon and has a strong interest in the music of Sligo, Roscommon and Leitrim.  He was a member of the band Providence and recorded two albums with them, Providence and A Fig for a Kiss.  He also released a critically-acclaimed solo album, With Every Breath, in 2000 and he produced and played on the recent CD The Flute Players of Roscommon, Volume 1.  John McEvoy was brought up in Birmingham of Roscommon parents.  He recorded the album Bakerswell with the group of the same name in the late eighties.  His solo CD, Returning, was released in 1998, and he recorded The Kilmore Fancy with his sister, flute-player Catherine McEvoy, in 2004.