It began as so many formidable projects do, with a modest idea: get four recognized masters to join forces for a tour, bill it as "The Legends of Irish Music," and make a recording. Built around the core group of fiddler Kevin Burke (ex-Bothy Band, now leader of Open House), Jackie Daly (ex-DeDannan) and singer/guitarist Andy Irvine (ex-Planxty, and currently with the EastWind Trio), Patrick Street has indeed evolved into "legendary" status! On their fifth album, Corner Boys, they welcome new recruit Ged Foley (formerly of the Battlefield Band, and now in The House Band), whose inventive guitar licks provide ideal underpinning for Andy Irvine’s intricate songs and Kevin Burke and Jackie Daly’s seamless duets on fiddle and accordion. Corner Boys adds yet more luster to a group whose tightly executed arrangements and unparalleled musicianship know no equal.Daly brings his wide repertoire of Kerry music to the fore with a dazzling slide set (which includes a surprise polka to keep you on your toes!), and Burke lays into his reel solos with a gentle ferocity. Irvine’s bouzouki playing has long been a standard by which others are judged, and he is in great form here, both instrumentally and vocally. This is especially true on his medley of songs about the hunting of the hare (with the delightful bonus of Foley’s Northumbrian pipes). All in all, it’s another hit from the Irish group that first popularized "Music For a Found Harmonium." This all-star quartet just keeps getting more diverse and eclectic over time, and Corner Boys shows them at the peak of their form.
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