The Green Branch / An Geagan Glas - Oisin MacDiarmada

Mac Diarmada, Oisin
The Green Branch / An Geagan Glas - Oisin MacDiarmada with Samantha Harvey
CD 2015

Traditional Irish fiddle music from Sligo's Oisín Mac Diarmada joined by Samantha Harvey on piano.

13 years after Sligo fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada recorded his last solo fiddle album - 'Ar an bhFidil', this new release featuring Samantha Harvey on piano, brings an expressive mix of old and new tunes interpreted by one of Ireland's best known fiddlers.

Fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada has spent most of his musical life living in Sligo, an area noted historically for an extraordinarily rich fiddle tradition. On the new album The Green Branch, Oisín explores a wide repertoire of fiddle material accompanied by the piano of Samantha Harvey, the hallmark sound of so many classic recordings of Sligo fiddlers.Founder of leading traditional group Téada, with whom he has toured extensively throughout the world since 2001, Oisín's solo performances have seen him play at specialist music festivals such as Masters of Tradition in West Cork, accompanying former Irish President Mary McAleese on a State visit to Romania and a guest solo appearance performing Charlie Lennon's Island Wedding suite with the Southern Georgia Symphony Orchestra in the US. Described by The Irish Echo's Earle Hitchner as "one of the most gifted and creative traditional fiddlers playing today" Oisín has toured frequently in recent years with noted singer/accordion-player Séamus Begley, with whom he has released 2 duo albums. Most recently Oisín worked in a presenting role in The Sligo Masters documentary broadcast on TG4, which explored the fascinating story of 3 master Sligo fiddlers who emigrated to the US in the early 20th century.Providing masterful accompaniment on piano, Samantha Harvey originally from Ventura, California now living in Sligo, is also an award-winning step dancer. Samantha's energetic dance and musical performances on stage has seen her become an increasingly prominent touring performer and teacher. In addition to playing piano and piano accordion, Samantha performs, teaches and choreographs various stepdance styles and is a Coimisiún Le Rince Gaelacha certified T.C.R.G. with the world-renowned Claddagh School of Irish Dance.

Tracks:

1. Jackie Coleman's / Mayor Harrison's Fedora
2. Mixing the Punch / Both Meat and Drink
3. The Avonmore / All Hands Around
4. Twilight in Portroe / The Mountain Road
5. The Drunken Gauger / McGreevy's
6. Veronica McNamara's / The Professor / Charlie Dolan's
7. The Connachtman / Emmet The Piper
8. David's Dream / The Reel of Mullinavat
9. The Ace and Deuce of Piping / Sarah Kelly's
10. The Maids of Hollywell / The Thirteen Arches
11. Captain O'Neill / Eddie Kelly's / The Green Branch
12. Bright May Morning / Fowler on the Moor
13. Céad Bliain ag Fás / The Salthill Hornpipe
14. Miss Monaghan / Vincent Harrison's / The Woman of the House