NEW JOHN WYNNE CD BRINGS SOLO TRADITIONAL FLUTE BACK INTO FOCUS

Following his critically-acclaimed duet album with fiddler John McEvoy on the Clo lar-Chonnachta label in 2007, Roscommon flute-player John Wynne releases a new album which brings his solo playing back into focus.

Ar Nós na nGaoithe/Like the Wind is an absorbing collection of fourteen virtuosic tracks, played with precision, discernment and breathtaking control. Nine years after his debut solo album, With Every Breath, John Wynne was compelled to make this second album, sensing his playing had turned a corner and that he had something new to offer. The album features popular session tunes which John learned from musicians over the years, as well as new compositions from fiddle players Tommy Peoples, Ed Reavy, Martin McGinley and Liz Knowles.

As flute-player Conal Ó Grada writes on the sleevenotes, 'In flute playing, the elemental link between music and breath creates a dynamic tension of its own... John moves air through a flute with aplomb. In turns powerful and commanding... be prepared to be blown away!'

Also featuring John Wynne

John Wynne: With Every Breath

CICD 165 John Wynne & John McEvoy: Pride of the West

Providence.

Providence: A Fig For A Kiss

The Flute Players of Roscommon Vol 2

Press Reviews

Arriving a full nine years after his debut outing, With Every Breadth - now selling for upwards of £70 on eBay John Wynne's second solo album has been a long time coming.

Ar Nos Na Gaoithe (Like The Wind) serves up more of the lightly-worn virtuosity heard there in a wide-ranging collection of popular session favourites interspersed with new pieces by fiddle players Tommy Peoples and Ed Reavy (a brace of characterful jigs seamlessly paired), Martin McGinley's light-as-air 'The Bunglas Lass' nimbly folding into the familiar and quietly feisty 'Belfast Hornpipe', and the hauntingly evocative air 'The Gift Of Falling' by American, Liz Knowles.

Recent collaborations with fiddler John McEvoy and the curating of a CD of flute players from his native Roscommon have clearly deepened Wynne's understanding of the instrument and its multi-faceted heritage. With strong support from Paddy McEvoy and Paul Gurney on keyboards, guitarists Arty McGlynn and Jacinta McEvoy, John Moloney on bodhran and Paul Doyle on bouzouki, this is a typically thoughtful offering, one in which Wynne's impeccable sense of style seems to sculpt sound out of the very air itself. Michael Quinn****

Irish Music Magazine 9.09

John Wynne is known for his great technique and his grand ear for the tunes. He's been taking Roscommon flute music very seriously since his excellent solo debut, With Every Breath, but here he lets rip in flamboyant style. The opening set of reels is a joy, starting with a virtuoso version of The Gladstone and working through variations and elaborations on Farewell to Mi/town Malbay and The Humours ofWestport. John throws caution to the wind, leaping registers like a Roscommon mountain goat, and sets a cracking pace. His customary control resurfaces on The Orphan, but the mood remains playful as John teases the rhythms and eases into Winnie Hayes' Jig.

John Wynne's playing is exciting enough for even the most firebrand folkies, but the accompaniment on this CD may seem a little staid to some. While the flute takes flight, there's some surprisingly restrained drumming from John Moloney and old-style piano vamping from Paddy McEvoy and Paul Gurney. Personally, I think this suits the heavyweight tunes John has chosen: Farewell to Erin, The Belfast Hornpipe, and Tommy People's splendid jig, The Wishing Well, for instance. There's some lively guitar and bouzouki from Arty McGlynn, Jacinta McEvoy and Paul Doyle, and a lovely gentle touch on the two slow airs here. Liz Knowles' air, The Gift of Falling, even gets a wash of synthesiser, but it's never overdone. John throws in a few unusual polkas too, before finishing with a big set of reels and a reel/jig medley: The Ships are Sailing and The Hunter's Purse, from the heart of the Roscommon flute tradition.

Without a doubt, Like the Wind (or Ar No Us na Gaoithe as it's styled in Irish) is among the best solo flute recordings of recent years. Here is a master musician, at the top of his form, playing for pure pleasure - and it's a pleasure to hear him. Full marks to the accompanists too, all in the best possible taste! Not to be missed, this recording underlines John Wynne's reputation as one of Roscommon's finest fluters. Alex Monaghan