John Williams

Great cd. Micho Russell on tin whistle, Martin Hayes on fiddle,
Randal Bays on guitar and Eoin O’Neill on bouzouki.

John Williams is an excellent concertina and button accordian player. He won the Senior All-Ireland Championship on the concertina in the late 80’s. Mighty tasty recording.

When I bought this tasty album around 4 years ago, I really didn’t understand it. But since 2 years ago I’ve been frequently back to it. Great support from Randal Bays and Eoin O’Neill. A couple of lovely duet tracks with Micho Russell. (We can hear him loughing at the end of the track 4!) They are immediately followed by a touching slow air, which really sounds like a lament for Micho. Then appears Martin Hayes, and the atmosphere of the recording changes a little bit.

Anyway, this album is a real gem full of love and joy ot traditional music. A must!

Hey you guys, the “Doon Reel” on this recording is different than the one on the CD I believe. (I don’t have my copy) Does anyone have the abcs of John’s version of the tune? I think its also called “Glenn Owen”

As far as I know, John Williams’ “Doon Reel” is more commonly known as “The Chorus Reel”, Jack. The transcription on this site is similar, but not the same. You’ll find JW’s “Doon” reel as “The Chorus Reel” on the “Paddy In The Smoke” LP/CD, played by Julia Clifford and others. You could try some of the other sites for the dots, searching as “The Chorus”, but make sure you look under reel, because there is also a jig by that name, and I’ve also just heard a march/polka called “the Chorus Jig” on “Bridging The Gap” by Kevin and Sean Moloney, who seem to be getting a lot of mentions at the moment.

Great Allbum.I recommend it, I’s a MUST.

There are quite a few different tunes that all go by the name “Doon Reel”. Take a look in Terry Moylan’s book of the tunes of Johnny O’Leary, and in the comments from Johnny under the tune transcriptions you’ll frequently see “This is another one of the Doon reels.”

This seems to be a common characteristic of Sliabh Luachra tunage. Few if any tunes have a unique name, if indeed they have a name at all…

This cd is chock full of great tunes, all well played with special
treatments amongst the players. The unaccompanied fiddle and concertina duets between Hayes and Williams are among the best trad playing you’ll hear. The cuts with Micho Russell and Eoin O‘Neill have that bleak, lonesome, beautiful pulsing sound of Doolin music. Randal Bays’ guitar playing is spot on, incredibly well-informed, and very very musical.
The playing and production by John Williams is very honest and the arrangements sparse, though cutting. This one, like Steam and Raven, can really grow on you, getting better with each return listen.

You’ve got the wrong John Williams pictured, and the wrong album cover. The contents are correct for the debut solo CD by the Chicago Irish accordion player.

Track 8 on my cd lists the first tune as Fraher’s but it is commonly known as “The Fairhaired Boy” or “An Buachaillin Ban”.