All these lasses were born in the London area, but have family ties in Ireland. Together they are a fine reminder that the London Irish community is alive and thriving.
The London Lasses are Karen Ryan on fiddle and whistle, Elaine Conwell on fiddle, Deirdre Havlin on flute and whistle, Maureen Linane on accordion, Kathleen O’Sullivan on vocals,plus Pete Quinn on keys. As you would expect, the playing is very Irish and played in a traditional style. Having no percussion, the overall sound is very much as you can expect to hear at any session in an Irish pub or club. As such, it stays well within the boundaries of a traditional Irish music session. The album boasts 13 tracks and of these only three are songs, which is a pity really as Kathleen O’Sullivan sings very well and leaves you wanting to hear more. Her songs include ‘There’s a Path Across the Ocean’ — a line from this song gives the album its title and theme. The other songs are ‘The Ball of Yarn’ and ‘The Red Haired Mans Wife,’ all of which are popular Irish ballads.
Most of the other tracks are the usual jigs and reels with ‘Rodney’s Glory,’ a set dance, and a waltz called ‘The Beautiful Goldfinch’. The quality of the musicianship is extremely good and tight, as we have come to expect from the many Celtic bands that choose to pursue this avenue of folk music.
With the current trend for Celtic bands, pushing out the boundaries using bass and percussion etc., some Celtic fans may find the piano backing a little bland, with just the chords vamped by Pete Quinn. However, the important thing is, it doesn’t detract from the melody or the tune.
So if your taste is for good traditional Irish music, played in a nice traditional style by virtuoso musicians, then this is the album for you. To quote from the preface in the sleeve notes by John Carty, “The music between them gels so well together – you know that’s the way it always was in London. Congratulations to the Lasses, a band both pleasing on the ear and the eye.”
(self-released, 2004)
