Freddie White And Trish Hickey, Here With You, CD review In Christy Moore's humorous song Cabaret, he sings: "Hey John. Don't I know you're face are ye Paddy Reilly or Brendan Grace,/Are ye Mary Black or Freddie White says he. Freddie White has been part of the fabric of the live music scene in Ireland since the 1970s (with long spells away in America and Australia) and his albums of more than 30 years ago, Recorded Live On Tour and Do You Do, have stood the test of time. White was born in September 1951, in Cobh, County Cork, into a musical family; his mother was a jazz singer and his father a multi-instrumentalist. The days of band work - In 1974 he was a founding member of Scullion - gave way to a solo career that has seen him perform all over the world, including as support act to Rory Gallagher, Eric Clapton and Clannad. He was called "a man who's kept company with the greats" by seminal Irish music magazine Hot Press. White sometimes writes his own material but what he excels at is the choice of superb songs to interpret. Talented writers have cropped up on White's albums again and again. One such songwriter is John Hiatt, of whom White said: "John Hiatt's a rock 'n' roller really. His music is either fairly basic rock 'n' roll or fairly basic country, but his lyrics have such great bite. White's 12th solo album and his first in four years, Here With You, is a collaboration with Australian newcomer Trish Hickey (White's partner), and the album includes a fine version of Hiatt's powerful song of disconnected love called Icy Blue Heart and a version of the American's Cry Love Another White favourite has always been Guy Clark, and the American country music great is represented here with one of his lesser known masterpieces, She Ain't Going Nowhere. Tom Waits, another White staple, is covered on Hold On and Grapefruit Moon. He also chooses strong songs from lesser known writers, including Memphis by Janis Ian and Deana Kay Carter, a track which features Pat Crowley on accordion. White's work is often simple (his strong guitar-playing honed by several spells as a youngster busking in London) and his vocals a tad grainier than in his prime but Hickey's voice is sweet (she solos on a version of Joni Mitchell's A Case Of You) and the pair blend well on a record made in Ireland and Australia. The album follows White's familiar path but this is still one Freddie it's nice to have back. Freddie White And Trish Hickey, Here With You (Little Don Records)