BENNY McCARTHY

Accordion player formed by the legendary Bobby Gardiner, Benny founded Danú in 1995, a band that has had ten or so albums to its credit over the past twenty-five years. At the same time B. McCarthy is also a member of Rattle The Boards, Raw Bar Collective and Cordeen. This time, he's going solo to offer us fifteen tracks, as many musical nuggets. And little detail, each track is played here on a different instrument, from a melodeon from the beginning of the 20th century to a Bertrand Gaillard from 2015.

The best can be heard on the bellows box. And so we visit the wide range of German makers Hohner, Italiens Paolo Soprani, Pietro Mario and French makers Saltarelle and Bertrand Gaillard. Each piece presents an Irish dance: barndance, fling, reel, jig, hornpipe, slide, polka, waltz and march. And interesting detail, on several tunes Benny is accompanied on the left hand, a relatively rare feature in Irish music.

The result is a different sound from one title to another depending on the techniques required for the instrument. Sometimes percussive with ornamentation based on arpeggios, The Shores of Lough Gabhnaor Cucanandy, sometimes softer, Sliabh Geal gCua or Banbridge Town. Special mention the suite of polkas that will give you ants in your feet. A few standards point the tip of their nose, Brian Boru's March popularized by Alan Stivell or O'Carolan's Dream. In short, all accordion lovers will be served thanks to this very interesting album. A new challenge for Benny McCarthy, but his talent is equal to it.

Autoproduit BMAC001 - www.boxbenny.com