Pádraig Rynne - Bye A While

Order Number prynne2005

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Pádraig Rynne's solo CD is a fine album of Irish traditional music, on which one of the leading players of concertina showcases his playing, accompanied by a talented ensemble that includes Arty McGlynn and John McSherry. Released in 2005.

Pádraig Rynne is regarded as one of the finest concertina players in Irish music today being described by The Irish alphabet stew as "one of the freshest sounds in Irish music". Born in County Clare, Pádraig grew up in a house steeped in Traditional Irish Music. In his early years Pádraig won five all Ireland titles as well as three Oireachtas titles. By the age of seventeen Pádraig had all ready toured the U.S.A, Canada, Ireland and Australia as well as having recorded an album with the young band "Turas". In 1998 Pádraig joined the well known band "Cían" with which he recorded two albums as well as touring the world extensively. Since his departure from that band in 2001, Pádraig has worked and recorded with artists of the calibre of Arty McGlynn, Alan Kelly, John McSherry, John Jo Kelly, At First light, Flook & Tamalin just to name a few, as well as recording an album entitled "Live in Belfast" with Paul Meehan & Paul Bradley. "Bye A While" - Padraig's first solo album was released in Nov 2005. This long awaited album has some of the finest Irish musicians you can find in Irish music guesting on it. It shows the great ability of this young concertina player and the bright future that he has ahead of him.It has to date been one of Irelands fastest selling Irish traditional albums.

Review by Laura Summerfield: Bye a While is the first solo album from young Irish traditional concertina player, features his masterly playing of mainly traditional music, accompanied by other fine Irish musicians, including John McSherry on uilleann pipes and low whistles, Tola Custy on fiddle and Mirella Murray on piano accordian. Other instruments included in the mix are guitars, bouzouki, bodhran and keyboards. In the final mix the concertina is firmly placed in the foreground, with subtle accompaniments. The result is an album which Irish Music Magazine says "shows maturity and style as well as virtuoso talent". I can't disagree with that! .

The concertina has not been my favourite solo - other instruments carrying the tune in traditional Irish music, such as the fiddle or pipes, have always seemed to me to sound more beguiling. After listening to this album numerous times, I have to admit that this bias has come from the experience of listening to lesser players! In the hands of a master player it sounds capable of subtlety, precision, speed and passion! So thank you to Padraig Rynne for rehabilitating the instrument to my ears! .

Padraig Rynne may be a young musician, but he is very experienced. He grew up in County Clare surrounded by traditional music and from an early age was performing, winning awards, playing in bands and impressing fellow musicians with his potential on this instrument. By the age of 17 years he had already toured USA, Canada, Ireland and Australia. For 3 years he was a member of the Irish band Cian. He has appeared on other recordings in the past. .

This CD is self-produced, and the repertoire is principally traditional, although it includes some contemporary tunes, and an original from Rynne himself (the title tune is part of an opening set of jigs). The tunes include jigs, reels, slow reels, a hornpipe and a slip jig. Any lover of Irish music will find them irresistible. Rynne mixes the older traditional tunes with the contemporary in an interesting and original way, and lets us know how he came upon the tunes. For example, here is what he writes about the opening set of jigs - Barbara Needhams, Christy Barrys, Bye a while: "The first jig I learned from the playing of Arty McGlynn & Nollaig Casey. The second jig is a composition of the Clare flute player by the same name, and the final tune is a tune I wrote myself and named after a favourite saying that my father had." My favourite track is the pairing of a Galician piece (Fusco) with an original tune from Breton guitar player Soig Siberil (Plevin). review by Laura Summerfield

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