Kevin Crawford on flute and whistle, Cillian Vallely on pipes and low whistle, and Ted Davis on guitar.
I managed to talk an old friend into giving me a ride. We weren't sure what to expect in terms of traffic and the size of the crowd, so we got there very early.
The concert was held in a small cultural center. The seating was in two sections -- one a grouping of about 10 tables / chairs directly in front of the stage, and behind those, several rows of typical auditorium seats. We got there so early that we could have sat in Cillian's lap if we'd wanted, (though I imagine the regulators would have been a bit uncomfortable ). I was close enough to get a really good view of what the musicians were doing (ornaments, chords, etc).
Crawford, Vallely and Davis were wonderful. What struck me the most was the clarity, like lines being drawn with newly-sharpened pencils instead of with broken crayons. Along with that clarity was pulsing energy and exuberant improvisation.
I think the reason all this made such an impression is because I belong to a group of church musicians -- all of us sincere and enthused amateurs -- but our music is of the "broken crayon" variety.
On the days when our intonation is just right, then the timing is off. Or we'll rehearse during the week, do a great job -- then on Sunday the entire tenor section is out sick, leaving a big hole in the music which the rest of us promptly fall into. Every once in a while, everything comes together for us -- but it's rare!I take it for granted that I will hear that clarity, energy, etc coming from a CD. But to hear it coming from actual human beings (who were just wisecracking and telling stories a few minutes ago) was such a moving experience.
The audience that evening was (for the most part) more PBS than Woodstock -- pearl earrings instead of Birkenstocks. I (in my Birkies) felt a bit out of place
They were very attentive, and between numbers you could hear a pin drop. As the evening wore on, though, I noticed a faint thumping that accompanied the playing. I double checked to see if one of the group members had picked up a bodhran ...no...and besides, and the sound was all around me. It took me a while to figure out that this was the sound of dress shoes and high heels (and a few Birkenstocks) tapping the rhythm with more and more enthusiasm. A year ago I was studying flute and taking lessons, and if I'd heard this concert a year ago I would have been raving about Kevin Crawford's wonderful tone and fluidity. But this year I'm doing more with arranging, so what I especially noticed and appreciated was the changes in "texture". First everybody's playing. Then just the pipes, with the guitar providing a nice crunchy rhythm. Now pipes and whistle in tandem but an octave apart. An extended drone note on the pipes with the flute hovering above it. Then everybody together again, and it's like a wall of sound. ...There was a pipe solo (a slow air, which was so different from the rest of the music that time seemed to stand still) and a lovely whistle solo with very delicate arpeggiated guitar. I was amazed that just 3 musicians could create such a variety of sounds.
I have to say some special words about the guitar player.
Kevin Crawford introduced him as Ted Davis from Boston. I immediately pictured this
but no, not that Boston
It was a real challenge to follow what Ted was doing, because it was so subtle -- like a dark background in a painting that makes everything in the foreground sparkle. Sometimes he emphasized just the bass string (using his pick very percussively), sometimes a kind of rhythmic drone (strings in 5ths?) and occasionally some thick strummed chords -- changing from one style to another every few measures. It gave the music a sense of freshness -- ex. even though this is the second time through the A part, it still sounded different.
It was fun watching the body language of the 3 musicians. Cillian hardly moved at all, a picture of intense concentration. Kevin was practically dancing in his seat. And Ted played with an expression of serene bliss.
This review is getting quite long, and I haven't even had a chance to talk about all the stories and patter that went on between the sets. Well, there was a lot of it
including a long shaggy dog story about being in DC just as the 9 / 12 demonstration was winding down. Kevin noticed that Cillian was getting very, uh, irked by the slogans on the signs and T shirts, and he did his best to grab some food and get Cillian into the car before sparks started to fly. But then they saw a nice little coffee shop and decided to get some coffee for the road. Bad move. There were several demonstrators there. Words Were Exchanged. One woman lost her temper and said to Cillian "you repulsive animal!" and then on noticing his accent said "Why don't you just f--- off and go back to New York!". 
Cillian's 'New York' accent, and his new soubriquet became a running joke for the rest of the evening.For the last few numbers, the group invited a local musician to join them, a bodhran player. I've forgotten his name. (It might have been Murray?) So Kevin says "Murray, come join us. What will you be playing for us this evening? " Murray says "I thought I'd play a slow air." Later "Murray, the bones would sound good with this, did you bring them with you?" "Uh, ...one of them"
A lovely, lovely evening.
Here's a plug for their CD
