Waiting For A Call

Eleven out of the 16 tracks on this overdue new album by the great fiddler Tommy Peoples were recorded back in 1985, with De Danann’s Alec Finn on bouzouki, plus Peoples’ old Bothy Band compatriot Donal Lunny on bodhrán and piper Seán Potts guesting on a few numbers. Last year, Peoples dusted off the old tapes and finished the CD from his new home in Massachusetts, with John Doyle of the US-based band Solas on guitar. As might be expected, given the 17-year gap, there’s a marked difference in sound between the earlier and later recordings, and it’s a pity the producers opted to mix them up; a straightforward division into two parts would have been less jarring. Nonetheless, that unmistakable raw Donegal energy still shines through, making this essential listening for any serious trad fan.