FERGUS McGORMAN

So it comes as no surprise that Fergus also excels on the traditional wooden flute. And since we are in a family of musicians, let us salute in passing his brother Ruairí, fiddler as well as his sister Jane. Fergus has released a beautiful, if somewhat short, album, Sweeping the Cobwebs Out of the Sky, on which he is joined by his brother on bouzouki, Paddy McEvoy on piano and the inevitable John Blake on guitar.

Despite the brevity of this excellent album, Fergus offers us twenty-two tunes on thirteen tracks. He learned a lot from his elders and what could be more normal to find them throughout the album. On each track we meet Desi Wilkinson, Liam O'Flynn for the tune that gives the album its title, Séan Ryan, Paudie O'Connor, Tommy Peoples or Liz Carroll. Although coming from County Meath, west of Dublin, Fergus was influenced by his parents from Co. Roscommon. But he is not confined to the style of this north-western region, as he is also followed from Kerry to Donegal.

A melody by the blind harper T. O'Carolan, Dr. John Hart, is present here but in a significantly different version on flute and bouzouki. Throughout the album one is captivated by Fergus' fine technique and a palpable respect for tradition. His playing is precise and clear, his timbre is brilliant and the tunes flow naturally one after the other.

If I add that three of the most important flute and fiddle virtuosos, Matt Molloy, Séamus Tansey and James Kelly, have testified in Fergus' favour on the jacket, you will have no doubt about the talent of this very young musician.

Autoproduit fmcg01 - fergusflute@gmail.com