What a debut! One of the outstanding qualities of Donegal fiddling is it's strong, vibrant bowing and one of it's shining lights is the young fiddler Liz Doherty. Her debut solo CD is a celebration of the living tradition of Irish fiddling, with many tunes very recently composed by various Irish, Scottish and Cape Breton musicians. Doherty's playing is assured, confident, and brilliant, and there is a celebratory feel to this whole recording. The partly Scottish roots of Donegal music come through in the selection of some strathspeys and Scottish-influenced tunes known as highlands. (A highland is a type of dance originated in Donegal, with the tunes often being Scottish strathspeys with the rhythm less syncopated) There are some albums which have tracks that become obsessions, and for me, track 10, "Mutt's Favorite," where she includes some Cape Breton tunes is the one I keep coming back to over and over again for it's sheer brilliance of musicianship. There is also excellent guitar, piano, and bodhran accompaniment. Overall, very well worth having in your fiddle music collection. Can't wait for her next effort! Peter Kasin
'Liz Doherty's new album captures the many facets of this fine talent...such perfection.....masterly technique....the Maid in Taiwan set is a magnificent collection of reels and is an ideal illustration of just how powerful the fiddle is in the hands of a maestro.
this Irish fiddler makes her solo debut with this sparkling album...
..this Irish fiddler makes her solo debut with this sparkling album.....a major rising talent...the combination of her driving bow with the rumbustious Cape Breton style, in particular, makes for some joyously headlong passages in the dance tunes'
this album is outstanding...
Crisper than a ten Euro note, more bounce than a basketball on the moon and racier than the nudist olympics: even with all the recent Irish fiddle releases, this album is outstanding. Liz Doherty comes from the Donegal tradition, and has also mastered Cape Breton music. Formerly with Nomos, and now a member of The Bumblebees, she is one of Ireland’s finest young fiddlers On her solo debut CD, Liz is joined by guitarists Ian Carr and Tony McManus, pianist Ryan MacNeil, Gino Lupari on bodhran and fellow fiddler Clare McLaughlin. The accompaniment is never overpowering, and there is one true solo set, but the Cape Breton piano and jazzy guitar give most tracks a very upbeat feel. Despite [or perhaps because of] the absence of slow tunes The 52 minutes simply fly by. Liz has an excellent ear for a good tune, and her material comes from all over Ireland and Scotland. There’s also a fair helping of North American tunes. New compositions outweigh the older material, but the mixture works well and most of these tunes will stand the test of time.
a mighty display of fiddling...
Liz Doherty’s debut solo album “Last Orders” confirms the fact that the Buncrana born now Cork resident is one of the finest new fiddlers to emerge from Ireland. A style heavily inflected with Irish and Cape Breton influences yet sounding completely natural and unforced Liz Doherty’s playing is a joy to behold. “Popcorn Behaviour” sets the scene for a mighty display of fiddling pyrotechnics though sufficiently void of overkill. “Monster Stormy Blues” hits the restraint pedal… Liz Doherty’s music is full of light and shade, bounce and agility. “Last Orders is an auspicious beginning to her solo career.
“Last Orders” is a collection of beautifully chosen tunes, rendered by a first rate musician at the peak of her considerable powers.
a mastery of technique...
Liz Doherty’s style remains firmly on the Donegal/Scotland/Cape Breton axis. Yet within that style many diverse elements – crazy cross-cut bowing and delicate, almost dainty contrasts, all underpinned by a mastery of technique. An ideal illustration of just how powerful the fiddle is in the hands of a maestro.
what a fiddle player – this girl’s style is immaculate...
Last Orders is the debut solo CD from fiddle player, Liz Doherty. And what a fiddle player – this girl’s style is immaculate. She does fast and furious, lilting and lyrical and can ring the changes between fiddle styles from her native Donegal and Cork, where she lectures in traditional music, and from Scotland and Cape Breton too.
This is a great place to check out new tunes – less than a third of them are ‘trad’.
fiddle albums really don’t come much better than this...
Fiddler Liz, originally from Co. Donegal, already has an impressive track record – having researched the Cape Breton fiddle tradition for her PhD, she went on to found Cork-based band Nomos, subsequently playing with Fiddlesticks, and until recently creating quite a buzz as one of the Bumblebees! On this solo album, recorded last March with Ian Carr [guitar], Ryan MacNeil [piano], and Gino Lupari [known for his subtle and very musical bodhran technique], Liz steers effortlessly through a well-chosen and sensibly paced succession of mostly reels, with a few jigs and hornpipes thrown in for good measure. The material comes not only from the expected Irish tradition but also from Cape Breton and Scotland, and the styles are well matched and combined within the individual sets. Though Ian Carr’s accompaniment is outstanding, with its creative use of syncopation, Tony McManus is brought in to make a ‘monster’ contribution to one track too. The only other guest is amazing Scottish fiddler Clare McLaughlin, who storms in with great spirit on the final [also Scottish] set [which as it happens includes two of her own tunes].
Production by Simon Thoumire is of exemplary clarity. The arrangements are kept simple, nothing getting in the way of the invigorating urgency and bouncing vibrancy of Liz’s playing, which has its own unique fullness of texture [this is abundantly clear on the one solo set]. This all ensures constant interest, and the CD ends all too soon [I didn’t believe the time counter on the CD player when it showed that 52 minutes had elapsed!].
A cheerful and bright release through and through – fiddle albums really don’t come much better than this!
Bloody hell, if you like great fiddle music, go buy it!
Liz Doherty's Last Orders is simply Liz and friends showing how to have a really good time. She's joined on this album by musicians Gino Lupari (Four Men & A Dog), Ian Carr (Swap), Ryan MacNeil (The Barra MacNeils), Clare McLaughlin (Deaf Shepherd) and Tony McManus. Bloody hell, if you like great fiddle music, go buy it!
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