Press Reviews

The Stillwater Times Reviews Star Rating: ****

"When the summer has gone and autumn winds are threatening to blow our love away, it's then our love will be tested. Arm in arm we'll stand, side by side together, to face the common foe that will tear our love asunder..." From "Reconciliation"

Despite what's inferred on the cover, this is a band album and not a solo project by Tim O'Shea. All the musicians get a chance to do their bit and I was particularly impressed with Matt Bashford's Uilleann pipe work and Ger Culhane's accordion playing. The album is a nice mix of songs, jigs, reels slides and polkas with something for everyone to enjoy…

· The album opens with a couple of slides both led by Paddy Jones' fiddle and accompanied by Tim on acoustic guitar. Track 2, "Lake Of Learning", was written by Tim and features him on lead vocals. The rhythm guitar part has the same insistent chugging feel as Dave Gilmour's on Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall Pt II"! This track also features some superlative pipe work from Matt…

· Tracks 3 & 4 are both instrumental. Barry and Ger lead the way on track 3 (a collection of jigs) with some jaunty concertina and accordion playing. It's Paddy's turn to shine on track 4 with some intricate fiddle work played over Tim's rhythm guitar and Ger's accordion…

· "Reconciliation" is a song about the struggle in Northern Ireland and is sung with some passion by Tim. Two more instrumental tracks follow "Reconciliation", the hornpipe "Cronins" ~ which again features Barry on concertina and "Birdsong/The Butcher's March". "The Butcher's March" has a section of melody line (played by Paddy) which I'm sure I've heard in a song by The Corrs, but can't remember which one!

· Next up is Andy Stewart's "Freedom Is Like Gold" which again has a passionate performance from Tim on lead vocals plus some melodic pipe lines from Matt. "Feartha Famine" is probably the most introspective tune on the album and features a fine solo acoustic guitar performance from Tim. Barry also gets a chance to shine with a solo concertina spot on "Mr O'Connor's", in which he shows a deft hand with this notoriously tricky instrument! Barry comes to the fore again on track 11, another collection of reels. Tim's accompanying guitar has an almost jazzy feel to it on this up-tempo set of tunes…

· The album concludes with a song, "Willie Taylor" and a slow reel, "Roll In The Barrel". "Willie Taylor" contains familiar traditional themes ~ love, the sea, betrayal and murder! The slow reel, "Roll In The Barrel" performed by Ger, Tim & Matt, is a fitting finale to this fine album…

· What I really liked about this recording was that although it stuck to a theme of (mainly) traditional songs and tunes, there was enough variation to stop the album becoming rather "samey". I also liked the fact that despite Tim's name being writ large and bold on the front cover that he took a back seat on many of the tracks and let the other musicians have their moments of glory! As I mentioned in my introduction, "Lake Of Learning" is a band album and not a solo effort… "Lake Of Learning" was reviewed by Dave

netrhythms.com

Tim's second studio CD, like his first (Fair Dawning) and a 2001 live offering, draws ably from the deep well of music from Ireland's south-western corner, his primary influences coming from the Sliabh Luachra in Co. Kerry and the tunes of Co. Clare.

It contains eight tune-sets and four songs, all bound together by the common thread of Tim's nifty, driven guitar work. Although Tim has nine instruments in all at his disposal for the music-making this time round, they're used selectively and rarely with more than three playing at any one time on any one track.

His "friends" (the supporting musicians) prove themselves a feisty unit, and they've worked hard touring the world to champion Irish music. The roster comprises Barry Magee (concertina), Paddy Jones (fiddle), Ger Culhane (accordion) and Matt Bashford (uilleann pipes, clarinet, low whistle), offering some interesting and rewarding, if sometimes unusual, textural possibilities - for instance the warm reedy timbre of multi-tracked clarinets providing a coda to Tim's rendition of Ron Kavana's Reconciliation. I also liked the concertina-accordion duet on the set of jigs (track 3).

The playing is sprightly and enjoyable on all the tune-sets, although on one or two occasions I felt a slight reserve, holding back. Then again, an out-of-tune fiddle on the first tune of track 7's jig-set is all the more noticeable through being exposed carrying the entire melody part. Tim's plaintive slow air Feartha Famine, played solo on guitar, paints a compelling portrait of abandoned homesteads, and stands proudly at the centre of the CD. The CD's other solo item (a rendition of O'Carolan's Mr. O'Connor) is given over to Barry's concertina playing. It's a minor shame, though, that Matt's magnificent piping skills are utilised only on one of the songs (Andy M. Stewart's Freedom Is Like Gold). This, along with the remaining vocal tracks, is managed credibly by Tim, his voice carrying shades of Denny Bartley in its overall tone and phrasing but without quite the same degree of searing intensity; best of the four songs, however, is probably the title track, one of Tim's own compositions, which was partly inspired by a legend centred round Loch Léin, the largest of the Lakes of Killarney. An enjoyable collection altogether, and an attractive booklet to go with it too. David Kidman

Folk North West: June.05

Tim O'Shea is from Killarney in the south west of Ireland and has been working solo, and in several bands since the late 1980's. He draws his influences from the dance music of his native Sliabh Luachra and West Kerry folk traditions and from the singing of Irish and Scottish performers like Jimmy McCarthy, Paul Brady, Dick Gaughan and Andy M. Stewart. Six years ago Tim brought out his first independent CD, "Fair Dawning - Tim O'Shea & Friends" and the follow up album, launched last year, features Uilleann pipes, accordion concertina and clarinet.

The new album features four songs and Tim demonstrates his excellent versatile musical ability on a range of polkas, jigs, slow airs and varied paced reels. He's ably supported by Barry Magee (concertina), Paddy Jones (fiddle), Ger Culhane (accordion) and Matt Bashford (Uilleann pipes, clarinet and low whistle).

Tim is no mean slouch as a singer, performing the title track, Lake Of Learning', and exuding a suitable sense of injustice on 'Reconciliation', Ron Kavana's much travelled analogy for the sectarian divide in Northern Ireland, Andy M. Stewart's "Freedom Is Like Gold" and the traditional tale of 'Willy Taylor".

"Lake of Learning" showcases the considerable talents of Tim and his talents friends. It will particularly appeal to those who love good Irish music played well with passion and fervour. For further information visit: www.timosheaadfriends.com Lewis Jones

Taplas, The Welsh Folk Magazine April/May 05 Adolygiadau o Reviews

Lake of Learning is Tim O'Shea's second studio CD. The singer and guitarist from Killarney is ably supported by fiddler Paddy Jones and concertina player Barry Magee, along with new "friends" Ger Culhane on accordion and piper Matt Bashford, who also plays clarinets and low whistles.

The four songs include Tim's own composition The Lake of Learning and a nice cover of Ron Kavana's Reconciliation, on which the clarinet arrangement is particularly effective.

Some comparisons to Dick Gaughan are inevitable, but the vocals are confident and assured. The same can't be said for the fiddling on the Birdsong Jigs, which gets off to rather a hesitant start. Also the guitar ends slightly behind the fiddle on the slides that open the CD.

Magee's concertina playing, though, is very pleasing, particularly the three jigs and the virtuoso solo rendition of Carolan's Mr O'Connor.

Tim's own guitar composition Feartha Famine is another highlight on an impressive CD that is worth checking out. Nick Passmore

Live Ireland.Com

The Lake of Learning is by Tim O'Shea, and is out on Lackeen Records. Tim and his friends are from the Sliabh Luachra area of Kerry and also of the County Clare.

We love The Lake of Learning. The album headline is " Tim O'Shea and Friends ". This is gloriously true. Tim is surrounded by some gifted musicians here, including Barry McGee on concertina, Paddy Jones on fiddle, Ger Culhane on accordion and Matt Bashford on pipes, low whistles and clarinet! Tim plays guitar beautifully, and has a wonderful, true and terrific voice. This is traditional music that makes a difference. A wonderful take on the tradition. And, yes, of course all the Sliabh Luachra and Clare swing is here, the lift, the intonation, phrasing and the soul.

There are trad song standards inducing one of our favorites, Willie Taylor, joined by Reconciliation (a beautiful bit of business by Ron Kavana), Freedom Is Like Gold from Andy Stewart and the title song. Lake of Learning by Tim himself. We really love this voice. Sure, confident and true. This album is the real deal. This would be impossible if the star, Tim, were not the deal himself. Album after album is put in front of us that tries to achieve what is easily offered here. This is are album by a singer and musicians who love and believe in what they-pi-e doing. Men about their business.

The instrumentals are varied and brill. These must truly be friends and long-time fellow players with Tim, as they all blend together so naturally and beautifully. This is an immediate contender for this year's Vocal/Instrumental Album of the Year Award here on Livelreland

A wonderful voice joins with wondrously played polkas, beautiful airs, reels, slides, slow reels'-what more can we ask??

This is a winner all the way 'round!! The airs are especially

beautiful-one from Tim on solo guitar, one from Barry McGee on concertina. They are perfect, and really complete the album.

We have written in the past that one of the most disturbing trends in the tradition is that so many new players ( and some experienced ones whom we are tempted to name, but won't ) apparently think that the tunes should be played at Mach 1 speed, all the tunes should be blisteringly fast, and we will all think, "Boy!!! Can these people play!! " Nothing could be further from the truth.

This album is tastefully put together, balanced-and everything is presented at a tempo that suits trad to perfection. Music from Clare and the Sliabh Luachra is all about intonation, phrasing and the "swing"----and these all are exactly what are left behind when this music is played too swiftly. Not here. These lads know what they are doing, and what's what!

The more we listen to this album, the more and more and more we love it. Get this lovely thing. I'm listening to Willie Taylor as I write this.

Wow!! Get this album. Really! Bill Margeson

Pay The Reckoning.Com

With friends like these, who needs big-name guest musicians? 0'Shea (guitars, vocals, bodhran, bones) is joined by Barry Magee (concertina), Paddy Jones (fiddle), Ger Culhane (accordion) and Matt Bashford (pipes, clarinet and low whistle) for his third album of songs and tunes that linger in the memory.

The tunes are firmly rooted in the Sliabh Luachra tradition with slides and polkas taking centrestage; even the reels and jigs have the familiar Sliabh Luachra lift - that combination of "busyness" and effortless langour which the best musicians of this part of the world project. When accompanying tunes, O'Shea has all the muscularity of Steve Cooncy. When accompanying the songs he demonstrates a lightness of touch and a feel for the depths of his material which ensures that his material is beautifully backlit.

A cover of Ron Kavan's "Reconciliation" brings out a whole new layer of meaning and poignancy.

His own "Lake Of Learning", around which Bashford weaves snatches of O'Neill's March", is an odyssey through myth, legend and recorded history, centred on Loch Lein - the largest of the Lakes of Killamey.

Listen out for an absolutely cracking slow version of Cronin's Hornpipe by Magee. The pace allows Magee to ornament the tune subtly and

masterfully and puts paid to the lie that the music needs a bit of speed to capture it's pulse.

A subtle, restrained and deeply musical album from subtle, restrained and musical artists. Aidan Crossey.

Irish Examiner 13.5.04

It's real music as it should be played

THIS is a studio album only in the sense that it was recorded in a studio.

In attitude, it is a relaxed session, a few tunes and the odd song in the front room. You can hear the musicians tap their feet, you can near them breathe, you can hear the groans' and clicks and squeaks of their instruments. And the music is all the better for it.

Killarney's Tim O'Shea plays guitar and sings. On this outing, he's joined at various stages by Paddy Jones on fiddle, Barry Magee on concertina, Ger Culhane on accordion and Matt Bashford on uilleann pipes, whistle, and clarinet.

The opening slides, The Cat Jumped into the Mouse's Hole/Going to the Well for Water, with Paddy taking the lead, have the necessary rough edge. Lake of Learning, written by Tim, takes its title from a slightly crooked translation of Loch Lein, the largest of Killarney's lakes. Describing the song as "a mixture of fact and fiction and myth and legend", 0'Shea builds a novel fantasy ranging from early Christian times to the Cromwellian Wars.

Reconciliation by Ron Kavanagh, and Freedom is Like Gold, by Andy M Stewart, are full of good intentions but tend towards over-earnestness.

Feartha Famine, a self-penned slow air taken on solo guitar, is a wonderfully atmospheric commemoration of the Great Hunger. The album closes with a fine version of the song Willie Taylor, segueing into a slow reel, Rolling in the Barrel.

Real music, played by real people. Pat Aherne

Irish Music Magazine 10.04

This is a condensed version of a Live Ireland review, I've been telling the cyber-world about this great t album for a long time, and now it's your turn dear print reader. The album headline is "Tim O'Shea and Friends".

This is gloriously true. Tim is surrounded by some gifted musicians here, including Barry McGee on concertina, Paddy Jones on fiddle, Ger Culhane on accordion and Matt Bashford on pipes, low whistles and clarinet! Tim plays guitar beautifully, and has a wonderful, true and terrific voice.

This is traditional music that makes a difference. A wonderful take on the tradition. And, yes, of course all the Sliabh Luachra and Clare swing is here, the lift, the intonation, phrasing and the soul.

There are traditional song standards including one of my favourites, Willie Taylor, joined by Reconciliation (a beautiful bit of business by Ron Kavana), Freedom Is Like Gold from Andy Stewart and the title song, Lake of Learning by Tim himself. Tim's voice is sure, confident and true.

This album is the real deal. This would be impossible if the star, Tim, were not the deal himself.

The instrumentals are varied and brill. These must truly be friends and long-time fellow players with Tim, as they all blend together so naturally and beautifully. The airs are especially beautiful, one from Tim on solo guitar, one from Barry McGee on concertina. They are perfect, and really complete the album.

One of the most disturbing trends in the tradition is that so many new players apparently think that the tunes should be played at Mach 1 speed, all the tunes should be blisteringly fast, and we will all think, "Boy!!! Can these people play!!" Nothing could be further from the truth.

This album is tastefully put together, balanced and everything is presented at a tempo that suits trad to perfection. Not here. These lads know what they are doing, and what's what!

The more we listen to this album, the more and more we love it. Bill Margeson

Tim and friends are one of the hardest working units in Irish music. They have worked in USA, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. They annually tour Germany and have played many Irish festivals alongside bands like, Altan, De Danann, Dervish and Lunasa.

A unique mix of 4 reed instruments, uilleann pipes, clarinet, accordion and concertina, adds unique colour shadings to the songs and tunes on Lake of Learning.

Barry Magee from Ballybunion Co. Kerry is one the finest concertina players in Ireland today as displayed by his virtuoso solo on the O'Carolan

tune Mr. 0 'Connor.Very much in the Co Clare style of playing, Barry offers his own vibrant stamp on 4 selections of tunes on Lake of Learning.

Matt Bashford from Limerick city plays clarinet and uilleann pipes as well as low whistle with energetic and youthful vigour.

Ger Culhane a native of west Limerick, is now living in Castleisland Co. Kerry, contributes some fine accordion playing on four of the tracks.

Paddy Jones. The Kerry music on this CD is reinforced by some wonderful Sliabh Luachra fiddle playing courtesy of Paddy Jones, one of the few remaining students of fiddle master Padraig O'Keeffe who died in 1963.

Tim O'Shea plays guitar, bodhran and bones and sings all 4 songs. Reconciliation is a fine song from Ron Kavana benefits well from the Matt's sensitive

layered clarinets. Freedom is like gold comes from the pen of Andy M. Stewart and speaks for itself. Willie Taylor is a fine traditional song very popular at Tim's live gigs and flows nicely into the slow Clare reel Roll in the Barrel.

This CD offers the seasoned traditional fan and the contemporary folk fan plenty to enjoy. From the two solo voices of Mr. O'Connor and Feartha Famine to the full sound of the title track Lake of Learning and the use of 9 instruments in all offers the listener a unique sound of music from Kerry and Clare.

Dates: Check out www.timosheaandfriends.com for further details.

After a great summer, it's Autumn once again and time to hit the roads, the rails, the seas & the skies. "Thank you" all for coming to our gigs and for buying the CDs, and for helping make 2010 another successful year. We toured at home and abroad. Highlights included several TV appearances in the USA as well as several live Radio & TV performances in Ireland & USA. Memorable gigs included 4 special performances with Circus Gerbola in Ireland and Puck Fair, Ireland's oldest Fair. Introducing a new 'old friend' for the German Tour, please put your hands together for Rodney Cordner (Guitar/Vocal/Bodhrán) from Portadown Co. Armagh. Please welcome back Declan Buckley Killarney Co. Kerry (Uilleann Pipes), who was on last year's German tour.