Six comments
John Carty (banjo, fiddle) with Brian McGrath (banjo, piano).
Finally Got It
This is one that has been on my “must have” list basically since I started playing a handful of years ago, and after conceding recently the only way I was going to find it was online (met Carty himself and even he didn’t have any copies readily available), I recently bought it online.
Definitely is what people have cracked it up to be. Really just great a CD and a shame that it’s not more readily available with his other recordings. Go through the usual sources to get this one, but get it if you don’t have it.
Yeah, this is a great recording. But isn’t it a shame Brian McGrath concentrates on piano backing? He is also a lovely banjo player and there should be more banjo and fiddle duet tracks.
Track 4: Jackie Coleman Set
Jackie Coleman’s: https://thesession.org/tunes/50
Over the Bog Road: https://thesession.org/tunes/2026
Thinney sound?
Fabulous playing as usual from Carty and great backing from the maestro, Brian McGrath.
But, as much as I adore this album, does anybody think his banjo sounds a bit ‘thinney’? It’s as if he’s playing with very light guage strings, or playing too near the bridge (which I doubt someone of his calibre would be guilty of going). It far from ruins the album but, at times, can be a bit hard on the ears.
That nit-picking aside, I’d wholeheartedly recommend this album, along with anything else by John Carty. Very imaginative playing.
