When most of us were presented with a tin whistle at the age of five we used it as a sword in the playground. Emer Mayock did not, nor her flute, fiddle, cello or uilleann pipes either, and we can be thankful because her maturity has given us an excellent traditional album in Playground.

Having grown up in a house where there was an instrument in every corner of every room, Emer studied flute and the pipes in the renowned Miltown Malbay traditional summer school in Clare. On the independently released Playground she has recorded tracks that, without pushing away her traditional up-bringing, manage to incorporate several other influences she has picked up on the way. Without overdoing it, she brings in world influences and even a hint of jazz so smoothly that only the most staunch traditionalist could complain.

Although maybe not exciting enough for some, this album is simply another stretch of the road of trad music’s progression. Playground gives Emer membership into that exclusive club of people who have the talent and ability to experiment with trad music and help with its continuous evolution.

Irish music is in safe hands here. Ban all tin whistle sword fighting in schools.