Tag: Davie Hunter
THE TANNAHILL WEAVERS – Òrach (Compass Records 7417172)
Few bands get to celebrate fifty years together – and some of those have taken a breather mid-career – so The Tannahill Weavers have joined a pretty exclusive club. Sub-titled The Golden Anniversary Album, their new record, Òrach, draws together music, friends and former colleagues. Joining the current line-up of Roy Gullane, Phil Smillie, John Martin and Lorne MacDougall are such luminaries as Dougie MacLean, Aaron Jones, Innes White and Davie Hunter.
The album opens with the title track, a classic march/strathspey/reel set. It initially sounds a little four-square to modern ears and I suspect that is by design, an imitation of the way things were done back in 1968. By the end of the reel the band have moved up a couple of gears but it's early days yet so they settle back with Matt McGinn's unusually romantic 'Jenny A' Things' featuring the band's first singer, John Cassidy. 'Christchurch Cathedral' comes from The Dubliners via Shooglenifty and sounds almost Playford-like until it slips into the jig variation.
Òrach continues to mix songs and tunes more or less equally. There are two lyrics from the original weaver, Robert Tannahill, including 'Jessie The Floo'er O' Dunblane' and the huge ballad, 'The Battle Of Sheriffmuir' adapted by Robert Burns from an earlier and longer poem – the battle ended in a sort of draw. Billy Connolly's 'Oh No!' from The Humblebums' final album (with Alison Brown on banjo) comes as a light-hearted surprise, in contrast to Daithi Rua's 'The Ghost Of Mick McDonnell', a reflection on the Great War. The record closes with 'Gordon Duncan Set' commemorating his time with the band. Only one tune in the set, 'Red Ken's' sometimes known as 'Rory Gallagher's', was written by Duncan but the set was put together by him for his solo album, Just For Seumas.
I'm sorry if this is turning into a history lesson but there a so many fascinating stories surrounding a band that has survived five decades. More important is the variety of music they have played and present here. So sandwiched between two ghost stories, one old, one new, is 'The Asturian Sessions' that begins in Nova Scotia and ends in Asturias and features MacLean on didgeridoo! Òrach looks back with great affection but also looks forward as they absorb new music into their repertoire. It may be a case of grandfather's axe but I reckon The Tannahill Weavers are good for another fifty years.
Artists' website: www.tannahillweavers.com
The Tannahill Weavers at the Just For Gordon concert:
Posted on August 20, 2018 January 27, 2019 Author EditorCategories CD Reviews, VideoTags Aaron Jones, Alison Brown, Dai Jeffries, Davie Hunter, Dougie MacLean, Innes White, John Cassidy, John Martin, Lorne MacDougall, Òrach, Phil Smillie, Roy Gullane, The Tannahill Weavers