COREY PURCELL

This time he's back solo with Undaunted, a delicate album that highlights the talent of this young multi-instrumentalist who plays the cittern, accordion and bodhrán, sings and, the icing on the cake, has been practising Irish dance since he was very young.

Corey has surrounded himself with a host of talented musicians. Deirdre Lockman, his partner in Poor Man's Gambit, on fiddle and vocals. Alan Murray and Clint Dye on guitar, Colin Farrell and Zac Leger on whistle, Rob Curto on piano accordion, Michael Coult on flute, Connor Purcell on trumpet and Curt Lockman on chromatic fife.
Over the course of nearly an hour, he treated us to a dozen tracks, all of them excellent. Six songs and six instrumentals, four of them written by Corey himself. The songs include some traditional standards. The Banks of Sweet Dundee tells the story of a young girl who stands against the will of her uncle, and Corey's warm, soothing voice moves between the cittern, the bodhrán and C. Farrell's whistle. 

It's also The Lakes of Pontchartrain, sung for ages by countless performers including Planxty and Paul Brady, who also helped popularise Arthur McBride. And then there's Jock Stuart, a song once sung by the Dubliners, the Tannahill Weavers and the Pogues. Corey's rendition is sober and melodic, with delicate touches of accordion.
More curious is the presence of Paris Nights, a suite of musette waltzes. In my opinion, an error of taste in an otherwise excellent album. Let's salute The Hummingbird, whose undaunted character helped give the album its title.
Although originally from the United States, Corey Purcell's music has nothing to envy to that of the green Erin. A particularly fine recording.

Autoproduit – www.coreypurcellmusic.com