A Winter Talisman
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Free Music Notes for A Winter Talisman
Free Music Review: What a wonderful pairing of beautiful voices.
Hit: 5 Stars
If you love Susan Mckeown's voice, you will love this pairing with Johnny Cunningham. Wonderful rich music interspersed with short stories read by Johnny Cunningham. Free Music Review: rare and fine, but. . .
Hit: 4 Stars
You'll get everything you'd wish for and more from a CD that features two such great artists, except for clean sound to go along with the fine singing and playing. On a well-worn, well-loved vinyl album, maybe one wouldn't notice the muted snap, crackles and pops so much, but it's odd for a recording made in 2001. Thrilling in parts, "A Winter Talisman" is still worth buying, but I'll buy it again if it ever gets remastered with the care that it deserves. Free Music Review: Farewell, Johnny
Hit: 5 Stars
With the passing on December 19, 2003, of Scots Fiddler Johnny Cunningham, the world has lost one of its most extraordinary artists, a great rake and a tremendous spark in any company of which he was a part. This recording, an absolute gem in every respect, showcased Johnny with Susan McKeown in a setting that only he could conjur: incendiary fiddle playing, sentimental heart-rendering, and hillariously funny. Johnny could leave you breathless by his virtuosity as well as by his humour. Half the time you are tempted to whirl like dervish, the other half you were doubled over in tears of laughter. This recording was a wonder because of the way it allowed his razor wit to show through. Too often the Green Linnet recordings focused only on his formiddable fiddle skills. Seems silly to carp about that, but particularly with the two live Celtic Fiddle Festival CDs, and especially the first, Cunningham's humour was literally half the concert. Had he never played a note, attendees would still have felt they got their money's worth.Cunningham lived life at full throttle. There was once a description of him by Andy M. Stewart that observed how if you could imagine that moment when you are leaning back on the chair and you're not certain whether you'll fall over or recover your balance, that's how Johnny lived everyday.
That precipice infused his playing, the twinkle in his eye, his robust embrace of the good and the naughty. You could never get mad at him, even if you were furious. He knew and exploited that paradox that he could create among the faithful.
You'll find that passion all through this recording. It was blessing for him to have hooked up with McKeown. She was able to channeland focus him as few others were. Their collective collaborations were of the highest musicality and the inspiration they drew from each other was a wonder to listen to. This is not a Christmas CD, but more a winter one, and in the bleak Highland landscape 46 years ago, a child was born who would create such remarkable merriment and astonishing music that an entire Celtic revival would spring up around him. Christy Moore ignited the fire in 1970, Johnny Cunningham stoked it into an incendiary whirlwind. May God rest his soul, and thankfully he left us this final testament.