Sligo fiddler Oisín MacDiarmada, a driving force of Téada, has long had a reputation for balancing the intricacies of a tune with a deeply expressive style.
It's been 13 years since his last solo recording, but The Green Branch offers ample evidence of his continuing growth as a musician with an ear cocked to the subtle undercurrents of a tune.
And what tunes – MacDiarmada’s taste is impeccable. His own tunes are a masterclass in fluid understatement, while his choices from Ed Reavy, Seán Ryan and Charlie Lennon, among others, sidle up to one another with gleeful ease.
Pianist Samantha Harvey brings a spare and thoughtful accompaniment, with some finely chosen percussive dance steps lending another dimension to the mix.
