TOM DELANY
The Lark's Call
Philippe Cousin
Born in Treffort-Cuisiat, a small village in the Ain region, Tom Delany was born into a Franco-Irish family and it was only natural that his musician father introduced him to the tin whistle at an early age. At the age of 13 he received a small uilleann pipe for his birthday, which he admits changed his life.
From then on he devoted himself to the instrument and at 16 he went to Ireland, in Clare, where he met masters of the instrument. While studying in Lyon, he took part in local sessions and, taking advantage of an Erasmus stay in Cork, he moved to Ireland 12 years ago. Tom has already released a duo album with his partner Caroline Keane and another with the band FourWinds. This time he returns for a solo exercise and offers us the beautiful album The Lark's Call. On this album he claims the influence of masters such as Johnny Doran, Paddy Moloney, Paddy Keenan or John Spillane. And it's true that the album sounds very 70s. The music is reminiscent of Planxty or Bothy Band.
However, Tom has put his own stamp on it, especially on the arrangements of some very well-known tunes. On The Pleasures of Hope you will recognise Liam O'Flynn's playing, while on The Gooseberry Bush, Tom refers to Matt Molloy and Seán Keane and Dúlaman na Buinne Buí is borrowed from Donegal fiddler Johnny Doherty.
Tom pays homage to his father Rory on Maudabawn Chapel, a tune that rocked his childhood and he himself tried his hand at songwriting with Sióg Na Bealtaine.
He is joined by a host of other talents: Caroline Keane on concertina, Alan Murray on guitar and bouzouki, Brian O'Loughlin on flute, Camille Philippe on mandolin, Laura Kerr on fiddle and Conor Lyons on bodhrán. A vintage flavour for this excellent collection of standards.
Autoproduit - www.tomdelany.com