John Mc Sherry & Donal O'Connor's New Album - Tripswitch

murrough o'kane · Post by **murrough o'kane** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:57 am

Has anyone got a chance to hear "Tripswitch" the stunning new album from John Mc Sherry & Donal O'Connor? (At First Light). Fantastic line up of musicians on the album, including:

- John Mc Sherry - Uilleann Pipes, Low & High Whistles
- Dónal O'Connor - Fiddle, Keyboards
- Paul Mc Sherry - Acoustic, Nylon & High Strung Guitars
- Tony Byrne - Acoustic Guitar
- Francis McIlduff - Bodhrán
- Rubén Bada - Bouzouki, Acoustic Guitar
- Gilles LeBigot - Acoustic Guitar
- Shaun 'Mudd' Wallace - Shakers, Tambourine & Cymbals

This album is currently exclusively available from:

http://www.atfirstlight.net

...which isn't a bad thing as the musicians will get the money for the albums themselves.

“The rhythmical power of At First Light would cause the most reluctant of feet to tap”
- Scottish Herald

“When four of the busiest young maestros on the traditional Irish music scene get together it’s sure to have trad fans wetting their lips and queuing up for tickets. So make a note now to hear this formidable foursome on their travels.”
- Belfast Telegraph

“This is a top quality collective that combines technical brilliance with rhythm in bag loads”
- Open House Festival

“It’s a dream-team line-up”
- The Scotsman

Audio samples and all the info is also available on:

http://www.atfirstlight.net

The Sporting Pitchfork · Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:19 am

Well, I haven't heard it, but I will say that I like the cover. Big improvement over most ITM or "Celtic" CD covers, which tend to be designed with little sense of aesthetics whatsoever...

murrough o'kane · Post by **murrough o'kane** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 8:20 am

Yeah, I agree, the album cover is nice and contemporary.

Have you got a chance to hear the audio samples or the album itself?

Mighty stuff!

feadogin · Post by **feadogin** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:43 am

The audio samples sound great! I really like John McSherry's first one, too, so I think I'll be ordering this one soon...I don't really like any other bands that play in that sort of Lunasa style, but somehow I love everything John plays. I'm not sure what it is; his playing just seems so musical and inspired.

J.

murrough o'kane · Post by **murrough o'kane** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:02 am

Yeah, it's better to let other people's words resonate sometimes, so in the words of:

Irish Music Magazine: "a true master"

and

Green Man Review: "at the forefront of modern innovation".

They put it more eloquently than I'm sure I could... what can I say, the man's fabulous on the pipes.

It's a highly complimentary juxtaposition when it can be said of a musician that 'his sense for improvisation has even been compared to that of the great jazz legend John Coltrane' while at the same time his 'recording venture, teaming up with life long musical comrade Michael Mc Goldrick to release 'At First Light', received the award for Best traditional Album of the Year 2001 - Irish American News.' To me that says it all really. He's at the head of his game when he wants to play 'pure trad' or traditionally orientated music with a contemporary feel to it. Enjoy it anyhow, and let the music do all the talking

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:39 am

I like this business of providing sound samples. I wish more people would provide these. That way I don't have to wonder about flowery verbal accolades or conflicting personal tastes. I can go and listen and make up my own mind.

djm

murrough o'kane · Post by **murrough o'kane** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:47 am

Couldn't agree more...

Let the music do the talking!

seananfheadog · Post by **seananfheadog** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:39 pm

Hello there

I've been browsing these pages for quite a while but I've only just joined recently.
The reason I'm posting a message is to see if anyone else feels the same as me about 'Tripswitch' - John McSherry and Donal O'Connor's new album.
I recieved a copy in the post yesterday and I've been listening to it all day.I'm absolutely blown away by it. I'ts got everything. The best Pipes and Fiddle combination i've heard in years. They've managed to achieve a lovely rich old worldy sound on the fiddle/pipes tracks, a bit like keenan/Glackin on 'Doublin'. It's got tunes from Brittany, Asturias, new compositions from the musicians and they've managed to gather some of the finest old traditional tunes around and blend the whole lot beautifully together.
i bought the cd on their website http://www.atfirstlight.net but it doesn't have any gig dates posted yet.
Does anybody know where I can catch them playing??
I saw mcsherry once in Belfast with Lunasa - phew , what at gig. But I've never come accross Donal O'Connor, does anyone know his background??
anyway looking forward to sharing and learning on this forum.

Post by **Dale** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:45 pm

The moderators have classified the post which originated this thread as a commercial post.

Thanks.

Dale

murrough o'kane · Post by **murrough o'kane** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:56 pm

Hi Dale,

I started this post simply to tell people that the album was released, and just to inform those who may be interested in hearing the tracks from this album, via their new website.

Hope no offence was caused in doing so.

Many thanks,

Murrough

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:21 pm

murrough o'kane wrote:Hi Dale,

I started this post simply to tell people that the album was released, and just to inform those who may be interested in hearing the tracks from this album, via their new website.

Hope no offence was caused in doing so...

... none taken and there are a bunch of us pleased with this news.... however, you have a little over a month to go before you can advertise this again... I recommend reading this particular link. Follow it and you'll be sound as rain.

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=10315

Thanks loads.

-JES.

murrough o'kane · Post by **murrough o'kane** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:24 pm

seananfheadog wrote: I saw mcsherry once in Belfast with Lunasa - phew , what at gig. But I've never come accross Donal O'Connor, does anyone know his background??
anyway looking forward to sharing and learning on this forum.

Cád é mar atá tú a Sheán?

Dónal is the son of the celebrated fiddler Gerry O’Connor (Skylark, Kinvara) and renowned singer Eithne Ní Uallacháin (Lá Lugh), Dónal O’Connor has inherited a great musical legacy of at least five generations of fiddle playing and countless generations of traditional singing. Highly regarded as a fiddle player, he was asked at the tender age of 21 to take part in the prestigious ‘Music Network Tour of Ireland’ alongside Scottish Guitarist Tony Mc Manus, Fermanagh purveyor of song Gabriel McArdle and Belfast Piper John McSherry (Lunasa, Coolfin, Tamalin).

Hope this of some help.

Murrough

Patrick D'Arcy · Post by **Patrick D'Arcy** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:33 pm

And.....

http://www.kerrywhistles.com/dl.php?group=13#

PD.

seananfheadog · Post by **seananfheadog** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 3:24 am

Cád é mar atá tú a Sheán?

Dónal is the son of the celebrated fiddler Gerry O’Connor (Skylark, Kinvara) and renowned singer Eithne Ní Uallacháin (Lá Lugh), Dónal O’Connor has inherited a great musical legacy of at least five generations of fiddle playing and countless generations of traditional singing. Highly regarded as a fiddle player, he was asked at the tender age of 21 to take part in the prestigious ‘Music Network Tour of Ireland’ alongside Scottish Guitarist Tony Mc Manus, Fermanagh purveyor of song Gabriel McArdle and Belfast Piper John McSherry (Lunasa, Coolfin, Tamalin).

Ta me go maith a Mhurrough,

Thanks for the info. I see that you've cut and pasted it from his bio on the atfirstlight.net site.
Does anyone else know where I could catch these lads for a session/gig etc..??
There's a great tune on the album called Sean Maguire's which is superb and I recognise it from somewhere but I'm not sure where from, any ideas??
J

benwalker · Post by **benwalker** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 2:13 pm

MMMmmmm comparing John Mc Sherry to John Coltrane.

I don't get the comparison