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Gavin Whelan's latest production is
entitled,
and focused around, his Homelands
"I'm looking forward to the New Year and doing
some gigs abroad as well as at home in Ireland"
he said over a cup coffee in Dublin's Temple bar
in fact, he is very eager in bring his latest
offering to the international stage, during
which he hopes homelands, his fourth studio
album, will expand his ever growing fan base
good news for them as he told me ...
[READ MORE]
Book Reveiw by Folkworld
Gavin Whelan got hooked on the tin whistle when
hearing Micho Russell. He also incorporated the
Co. Clare fiddle style in his playing, and the
tonguing technique of Mary Bergin. To date Gavin
has released three CDs. His "120 Irish
Traditional Tunes" kicks off with a short but
concise introduction for beginners, including
style and technique, basic scales and....
[READ MORE]
WHELAN UNDERCOVERED
IMM's Derek Copley opens up the new book by
whistle player Gavin Whelan. It was while on
family holidays to Doolin in Co Clare that Gavin
Whelan got hooked on the whistle. In particular,
he says in the opening chapter of hisnnew book,
120 Irish traditional tunes, the whistling of
Micho Rusell stood out for me'...
[READ MORE]
Bringing Trad To
The Masses
A
Tallaght musician is getting ready to launch his
new book 120 Irish traditional tunes, In the
Belgard Inn this Sunday. Belgard resident Gavin
Whelan 31 has being playing and performing
traditional music since he was young- with his
instruments of choice being the tin whistle...
[READ MORE]
GAVIN
WHELAN: In Full Flight
PETE FYFE, folking.com
Gavin is without doubt one of the finest
exponents I have heard of the traditional tin
whistle and from the moment you play the first
track Charlie Lennon’s “The Leitrim Lilter/Captain
Kelly’s/The Reel with the Birl” you know you are
in safe hands or, perhaps more correctly, that
should read ‘fingers’. His controlled breathing
and triplet perfect notation...
[READ MORE]
GAVIN WHELAN: In Full Flight
Jem
Hammond, Taplas Magazine
LITTLE can be said that differs from my reviews
of Gavin Whelan's previous albums. It's fine; 13
tracks of traditional Irish material, plus a few
modern tunes within the traditional idiom.
There's nothing revolutionary here, nor even
evolutionary; straight forward, unfussy
arrangements superbly backed by...
[READ MORE]
REVIEW: Gavin Whelan 'In Full flight' ****
Micheal Quinn,
Songlines Magazine
Having taking a five year gap between his first
two albums and forced us to endure a three year
-wait noone could accuse Gavin Whelan of
exploiting his fast -rising profile as the
finest tin whistle player of his generation.
Happily In full flight finds him back in the
Mill studios of his native Dublin...
[READ MORE]
Review: Gavin
Whelan "In full flight"
FolkWorld
Many Irish trad afficionados make a start on the
aul' penny whistle, and if not giving it up
already, moving on to another instrument. But
there’s a lot more to this tiny instrument than...
[READ MORE]
Gavin Whelan In full
flight album Launch
Derek Copley, Irish Music Magazine
Although they share the same name, there is no
family connection between whistle supreme Gavin
Whelan and the famous Whelan’s of Wexford st.
the only relationship they share is a love of
music, and no better place for Gavin to launch
his third solo album In full flight....
[READ MORE]
In Full Flight
Review
Shelly Hayes, Tinehely Courthouse
Rising tradstar Gavin Whelan braught his tin
whistle and Uillean pipe skills to the
courthouse in 0ctober 2009, and his live
performance was every bit as exciting as and
accomplished as his recent album led us all to
expect with able backing from Deirdre Smyth
(fiddle) Dan Carollo (guitar) and Domnick Keogh
(bodhran)
REVIEW: Gavin Whelan 'In Full flight'
allcelticmusic.com
First you should do some finger exercises,
loosen those joints up and, when you feel ready,
go out and buy yourself a whistle or two. Sit
for the next five years or so practicing (you
will know yourself just when you are ready!)
and, at last, you can make your whistle CD. And
you still won't be anywhere near this!!! A MUST
for whistle players and fans of folk music.
REVIEW: Gavin Whelan 'In Full flight'
Siophan Long, The Irish Times
Gavin Whelan is a tin whistle player who
elevated his chosen instrument to rare heights
on his 2002 eponymous debut and his 2006
recording Another Time....
[READ MORE]
Review: Gavin Whelan 'In Full flight'
John Brophy, Irish Music Magazine.
An aptly named CD here. Gavin has pursuing as a
solo whistle player for about a decade, and if
there was an apprenticeship involved in that,
this is the job of journeywork, the proof that
he’s more than fit to be let out
[READ MORE]
Whistle player in Full Flight
Tallaght Echo
For most school children learning to belt out a
few tunes on the tin whistle is a rite of
passage that must be endured before jacking it I
as a bad job but for whistle maestro Gavin
Whelan it was a turning point which set him on
the road to musical success.
[READ MORE]
Gavin Whelan Is In Full Flight
John Brophy, Irish Music Magazine
Its been a couple a couple of years since we
met, but no matter. Thee are new places built
since and Im of to explore the new side of
Tallaght. Okay its only six mile fro Dublin as
the crow flies, or an hour as the tram travels,
but bit’s a different...
[READ MORE]
Passion, power and flair combined
Tim Carroll, FolkWords
Traditional music endures while other fashions
may come and go, Gavin Whelan proves without a
doubt why the music of tradition persists. He
also proves that in the hands of a...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
P Cousins, French Trad Magazine
Often Considerd like a minor instrmunt, the tin
whistle is at the base of Irish Music, an
Instrument Univerasly recognise thanks to
millions of musicians, Even if the fiddle,
the...
[READ MORE]
STRIKING UP A TUNE
Kathy Masterson, Tallaght Voice
Tin Whistle player Gavin Whelan speaks to Kathy
Masterson about his music, his
forthcoming third album and his love for
traditional Irish Music...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
Vic Smith, The Folk Diary
Most uillean pipers seem to make the pipes their
main instrument though they may play a bit of
tin whistle on the side; with Gavin it seems to
be the reverse...
[READ MORE]
Live Review
The ARENA - IL GIORNALE DI VERONA
Classic Irish folk has the energy of Whelan, a
long series of jigs, reels, polkas, and slow
airs meet in a set that conquers the public...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
David Burke, ROCKnREEL
Lets be candid here the tin whistle a bit like
the recorder. just isn't sexy. its one of those
rudimentary instruments, the sensible jumper
compared to the fiddle's skinny-fit T shirt. But
Gavin Whelan might change all that...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
Sing Out Magazine
In the age were the whistle has become less
popular in the Irish traditional spectrum,
Dubliner Gavin Whelan continues to fly the flag
in his own quiet way...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
Alex Gallagher, Folk Radio UK
Another Time’ is the second album from Gavin
Whelan. Gavin is a magician when it comes to
playing tin whistle and uilleann pipes. He is
certainly one of the finest young...
[READ MORE]
Traditional Tallaght tunes
Michael Storey, The ECHO
Who said trad music isn’t Cool? With the second
Temple Bar Trad festival kicking off on January
25th Tallaght musician, Gavin Whelan is rearing
to go. Gavin from Belgard Heights in Tallaght...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
Folkworld
Heading on to the east coast of Ireland. Gavin
Whelan is a young whistler and piper from
Tallaght, Dublin, and "Another Time" is his
second album. He already is regarded widely...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
Mike Wilson, Rambles.NET
The tin whistle (or pennywhistle) is such a
simple instrument, but in the right hands it can
be used to stunning effect. Dublin native Gavin
Whelan possesses such a pair of hands...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
JET Fm Nantes, Brittany - Nolween. LE DISSEZ
What we enjoy most in a traditional music album
is no showing off but simple tunes, well played
with steady rhythm, and Another Time is one of
those! Listening to the two albums we realized
we had forgotten how exciting the tin whistle
can be...
Another Time CD Review
Steve Dieterich - Celtic Airs radio Programme,
CT USA
I've just previewed Gavin Whelan's latest CD
"Another Time" for airplay on my radio program
"Celtic Airs". It's an excellent whistle
album...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
David Kidman, NethRhythms
It's been a while since this young south-Dublin
(Tallaght) born tin-whistle virtuoso's
scintillating eponymous debut CD, which when I
finally got round to hearing and reviewing...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
William Ramoutar, Irish Ways WFCF 88.5fm Florida
No meanderings through quiet Country roads on
the whistle here! This is taking the Country by
storm! He is superb at taking the tunes from
great masters of Irish music...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
Sarah McQuaid, Hotpress
Another Time is the second solo album for
whistle player Gavin Whelan, a Tallaght native
who released his self- titled debut in 2002.
Whelan has a lovely style that combines...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
Conor Smyth, Connected
We’re not exactly renowned for our coverage of
Irish music here at connected, but that’s not to
say were averse to it, and to give credit were
its due, this is a very good record...
[READ MORE]
Gavin Whelan – CD Launch ‘Another Time’
Brian O’ Gaibhin, Irish Music Magazine
A packed Whelan’s of Wexford Street were treated
to a soul lifting evening of one of the finest
traditional music nights witnessed in Dublin in
a long time...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
Siobhan Long, The Irish Times
Tin Whistle player and piper Gavin Whelan
launches headlong into his second solo album
with a pair of tunes sets that rattle and hum
towards a heady crescendo that’s hints a...
[READ MORE]
Tallaght whistle player launches second album
Tallaght Echo
A young Tallaght man, who is making waves in the
world of traditional Irish music, took his
biggest step yet when he launched his second
album last week. Another time which follows his
self...
[READ MORE]
A TALENT FROM TALLAGHT
Irish Music Magazine
John Brophy meets up with Gavin Whelan on the
release of his new album. The summons came from
high? Or maybe it was left field, Gavin Whelan
has a new CD for launch...
[READ MORE]
Gavin Whelan launches his long awaited new
album at…Whelan’s
Clondalkin Gazette
Whelan’s of Wexford was packed to the rafters on
Monday night for the launch of Another Time, the
haunting new album from one of the leading
exponents of the tin whistle, Gavin Whelan...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
Sean Laffey - Irish Music Magazine
Firstly the selection of tunes is admirably
wide, only 5 sets of reels from the thirteen on
offer. We get hornpipes, jigs, a hornpipe a
highland and two slow airs...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
Mich Gulbrand Nielsen, www.michn.dk Denmark
It’s is simply amazing how such an insignificant
looking little thing can be turned into a
powerful musical instrument in the hands of the
right person. I know I have said this before...
[READ MORE]
Another Time CD Review
Custy's Music Shop
August 2006 saw the releasea of the second album
from young Dublin whistle player, Gavin Whelan.
He adds a breath of fresh air and excitement to
Irish whistle playing and this album is a joy to
listen to.
Another Time CD Review
Claddagh Records
This is the 2nd and superb album by Tallaght
born Tin Whistle player. Gavin Whelan is widely
regarded as one of the finest exponents of the
tin whistle...
[READ MORE]
Gavin Whelan:
Homelands [Review]
Derek Copley, Irish music Magazine
For such an energetic musician Gavin Whelan’s
latest offering Homelands, gets off to a
teasingly laid –back start, with the slow air
Hector the Hero.
Although he has not forsaken his trademark pacy
style, the album does dedicate a lot of time to
the art of the slow air indicating Gavin’s
personal preference too with every second track
being given to such tune, including AE Fond kiss
played on low whistle, Lord Mayo played as a
piping tune, the timely and poignant Emigrants
Farewell and Rosin Dubh which is a must for any
compilation of Irish airs, particularly after
how Gavin tackles it her with such sensitivity
and understanding. For hector the hero her is
joined on fiddle by Deirdre Smyth and on
Keyboards by Peter Eades it is the combination
of the piping and the drone of the keyboards in
the background which heighten the emotion of the
air.
One of the quicker sets is Follow me down/the
Colliers, which showcase what may prove to be a
lasting musical partnership between Gavin and
Deirdre Smith, with Pail Doyle coming in on
guitar to join the well –suited and executed
combination of pipes and fiddle.
Homelands, the cover of which is designed with
some wonderful evening panoramic shots of
suburban Dublin by photographer Colm Keating,
also includes in the liner notes the origins of
the tunes and how Gavin came to hear and play
most of them, Like young Tom Ennis which he
heard from the playing of Paddy Glackin and
Robbie Hannon, some of the notes are sparing on
detail, however like Terry Bingham’s, though to
be fair he does follow up by informing us that
Bingham s is a Doolin concertina player.
Accompanied art different times by Gavin Gaston
(guitar) Paul Doyle (guitar/bouzouki) Derdrie
Smith (fiddle) Peter Eades (Keyboards) and Daire
Bracken (fiddle) Gavin has put together some
fine collaborations for yet another fine
released in his musical journey.
........................................................................................................................................
Homelands Review
Tony Lawless, TradConnect
Gavin Whelan is quite prolific as an artist with
this being his fourth studio album. It's called
Homelands and on it he features some of his long
time playing partners in the form of Deirdre
Smith on fiddle, Paul Doyle on guitar and
bouzouki, as well as Daire Bracken, Peter Eades
and Gavin Ralston on fiddle, keyboards and
guitar respectively. Homelands represents his
home place and his musical journey, which he
feels audiences and musicians will be able to
connect with. On that we have to agree.
The album opens with a glorious slow air called
Hector The Hero, which Gavin picked up from the
playing of Tommy Peoples and the Bothy Band on
their 1975 album. A great opening with Deirdre
Smith on fiddle and Peter Eades on keyboards. As
the album unravels you have a great guitar and
whistle duet on the reels Kevin Griffiths/The
Green Gowned Lass/Terry Bingham's. The homelands
theme then continues with an air Ian Ghlinn
Cuaich which was learned from Karen Matheson of
Capercaillie with Gavin providing uilleann pipes
and whistle. These opening tunes in particular
fit very well with the theme and are very apt
for our present time as people reflect once
again on the times we live in.
The album is balanced between a mixture of slow
airs, jigs and reels as well as a single set
dance, The Downfall of Paris featuring Gavin on
Uilleann pipes and Deirdre Smith on fiddle. This
tune comes from a song called Ca Ira which was
popular among the revolutionaries in Paris
during the French Revolution.
Overall a very satisfying exploration of themes
that capture the inner feelings about your place
in time, or your journey to new lands, giving
you a grounding in an aspect of your life that
may have been taken for granted. From the
iridescent skyline depicted on the album Gavin
captures a mood with his music. For our new wave
of emigrants, that skyline could as well be the
Sydney Bridge or Toronto's CN Tower and this
music should anchor them to their homeland and
remind them of what they have left behind.
Gavin's music should find a wider international
audience such is the scope of the recording and
his ability to paint a musical soundscape. His
intention may not have been to appeal to the
wider diasporas but, as someone who has himself
emigrated and returned, his music has that
quality of longing for a time that used to be.
This is a joyous thing because while airs have
the ability to stir up emotion they can also
form a very important backdrop to a present
life. They don't always need to be rooted in the
past. Should albums have a grounding in stronger
themes as displayed here? On the strength of
this, I think so.
........................................................................................................................................
Gavin
Whelan's latest production is entitled, and
focused around, his Homelands, he tells Derek
Copley that he is not closing his borders just
yet.
Irish Music Magazine, December 2011
"I'm looking forward to the New Year and doing
some gigs abroad as well as at home in Ireland"
he said over a cup coffee in Dublin's Temple bar
in fact, he is very eager in bring his latest
offering to the international stage, during
which he hopes homelands, his fourth studio
album, will expand his ever growing fan base
good news for them as he told me I'm going to
concentrate on more live gigs with the CD. and
with the growing presence of of live venue's
around Ireland at the moment , Its also a
perfect time, he feels to concentrate in Ireland
two. He said if the burgeoning folk club scene.
Its giving musicians a chance to do more live
gigs, The audience has increased with more
venues that have popped up. That's spurred it on
more. I went to see Tim O Brien at the liffey
Banks sessions at the Grand social and it was
packed and Eliza Carthy in Whelan's and it was
jammed there too.
This is in part, Gavin feels, due to people's
need for an escape from the constant doom and
gloom of current affairs. Especially the way
things are at the moment, people like to having
live music to go and listen to. And this is
something he has been particularly conscious of
while gigging around the country. I mean playing
sessions as well as concerts, around town its
always at the back of your mind to keep it up
beat, your always aware to keep it up beat all
the time. Its what people want when there out so
we give it to them.
And its been at these sessions and concerts,
over the past few years, were the concept of
Homeland came about. I wanted to feature the
pipes because I was playing the pipes more over
the past few years. And I had the tunes there
that I wanted to feature on the pipes too. Not
just a solo account of Gavin's piping, he was
delighted to have feature frequently on the
album Derdrie Smyth on fiddle, among others
including Daire Bracken, Paul Doyle and Gavin
Ralstan who each do there part in the
accompaniment.
Id been playing a lot with Derdrie Smyth. I got
such a buzz with the sound of pipes and fiddle.
There's a good connection there. This musical
partnership was formed after the launch of
Gavin's last album In Full flight. In Full
Flight. We just struck up a chord playing
together, We've only been playing together a
year and half. from the launch of the last
album.
By focusing on his pipes more over the last few
years, Gavin had built up a number tunes, which
he said, found there way into album format when
he started playing with Derdrie, I wanted to
play the tunes I'd been collecting for a while
on the pipes.
With the fiddle combo, it gave us an idea to
come up with arrangements, citing tunes
including Statia Donnelly, which he leaned from
Mick O'Brien, as part of the inspiration for
homelands.
So What gave a rise to the title, Homelands?
Well for Gavin it was a case if representation
of his home place and that of his musical
journey, something he feels audiences and
musicians will be able to connect with. Peoples
homelands came to mind when when I was looking
up ideas. its about were id been living and the
music I was brought up with, like going down to
Co Clare and getting tunes. and its nice to
feature places around your area. Its nice to
come back to the idea of the session on the
Sunday morning and things were your from.''
The artwork features on the album features a
panoramic shot of his parents hometown, that
sometimes forgotten musical hub of Ballyfermot
which has been home to the likes of Liam Weldon,
as well as the Furey and Kennan dynasties of
Irish music and song, to name just a few.
In fact Ballyfermot has more of a connection for
Gavin than just his parents. The pipes were made
by a Ballyfermot man, Donnacha Keegan. But,
Being a Tallaght- born man, Its no wonder the
record label that he founded in 2001 is Tallaght
Records, Its this label, which he used to
produce and promote his music since his first
album back than in 2001.
HomeLands he proudly admits , is actually his
fifth production through his Tallaght Records
Label four albums and also a boo of 129
Traditional Irish tunes. Its going well he said
of the label, This is the fifth release on it, i
started in 2001 with the first CD, with that
there's been Another Time, In full flight, and
the book of 120 tunes. There going well in
England and in Europe generally, were he plans
on performing at various festival in the coming
year. Added to that , he hopes, will be a
successful launch of HomeLands, which he will
unveil at his regular Sunday session in the
Belgard pub in Tallaght. Going strong for a
number of years now the Belgard is a firm
favourite of Gavin's for the diversity of
playing styles and levels it brings to his
doorstep. Its great to see musicians from
Tallaght arriving and playing musicians that you
wouldn't have known were there.
He is undoubtedly a staunch of the local session
its great for people to have an open session
like that, for people to get there tunes out.
from beginners to advanced, people can get there
tunes during the week and than play them on a
Sunday and there always talking about the tunes
which is great!
As for Homelands, Gavin was eager to keep a
session vibe during the recording the recording
process there are quite a lot of duets. Paul
Doyle who is busy there days running Monastery
Music in Clondalkin, not far from Gavin's home
town) is joining him on a lot of tracks on
guitar. the fourth track features Gavin on
whistle mad by John Sindt of New York, with Paul
in accompaniment on a set of jigs in Bb the
Homours of Lisheen, Jim Nearys and the Girl in
the big house. For Ae Fon Kiss, the Robbie Burns
song which Gavin heard from the singing of Karen
Matheson he performs it as a slow air on both
pipes and low whistle , which he reckoned could
be interesting when he has the task of
replicating it live on stage. Yes maybe I'll do
a double track or something, he laughed.
Fittingly enough, the tune which begins
Homelands is a must at every Belgard session,
constantly requested by musicians and punters
alike. And Hector The Hero. Gavin admits how
Hector The Hero stuck out for him the first time
he heard Tommy People's playing it on the Bothy
Band 1975 album.
Along with conceiving the ideas for his
projects, Gavin feels most comfortable seeing
the entire project through in a very hands -on
way, from the initial conception through to the
whole promotion of launch gigs and sales through
hid Tallaght Records label and his website
www.gavinwhelan.ie
Added to this, he regularly hosts a number of
workshops during the year, teaching whistle,
coincide nicely with his touring schedule They
complement each other , hr said of his concerts
and teaching. Its great to pass on the music to
someone else.
And it also gives his great satisfaction - and
challenges him somewhat also -when people ask
him about his own particular style. Its an
honour for people to ask about a particular
style that they like and than Iv got to brake it
down for myself and I'm finding new things in
the tune. because that puts me into my own
playing as well, it puts me back to basics. I
find stuff than in tunes for myself.
So with all of this - the albums the book, the
touring, the promoting, the workshops, it would
be fair to think that Gavin Whelan would be
planning on taken a brake pretty soon , I'm
hoping to keep the gigs going regularly, both
here in Ireland an abroad. That's the main thing
thing now, with the new album out, which will
ebb just after Christmas.
Ok so, but he'll surely have a brake at some
stage after all that? well not according to him.
I have other arrangements for future releases. I
always have something there to be working on. Id
say there be another album worth of material
there at least. And he also hinted at the
possibility of bringing a vocalist into the mix
at some stage in the future, I'm always looking
out for it. I love singing That's why I have a
lot of songs (slow airs on the album. I haven't
a note in my head but I always loved singing.
Watch out world because Gavin has no plans at
stopping at his Homeland!
........................................................................................................................................
Book Review
By Thomas Keller, Folkworld
 Gavin
Whelan got hooked on the tin whistle when
hearing Micho Russell. He also incorporated the
Co. Clare fiddle style in his playing, and the
tonguing technique of Mary Bergin. To date Gavin
has released three CDs. His "120 Irish
Traditional Tunes" kicks off with a short but
concise introduction for beginners, including
style and technique, basic scales and
ornamentation. Then you're thrown into the cold
water, mind you, this is no tutorial but a
collection - especially for tunes that sit well
on the D tin whistle. 42 jigs, 37 reels, 17
hornpipes, 8 slow airs, polkas and more as an
encore. There is trad from the "Abbey Reel" to
the "Wren Polka", but also Scott Skinner's
"Hector the Hero" , Junior Creehan's "Mist
Covered Mountain" and Michael McGoldrick's "Jig
for Grace", plus some notes on sources,
composers, recordings (the discography is not
limited to the whistle) and more useful
information (and I don't mention it because this
website here is cited). The tunes are featured
on altogether 3 CD's, played slow and at normal
speed, the latter accompanied by Gavin Ralston
on guitar.
........................................................................................................................................
February 2011
WHELAN UNDERCOVERED
IMM's Derek Copley opens up the new book by
whistle player Gavin Whelan.
It was while on family holidays to Doolin in Co
Clare that Gavin Whelan got hooked on the
whistle. In particular, he says in the opening
chapter of hisnnew book, 120 Irish traditional
tunes, the whistling of Micho Rusell stood out
for me'.
He was exposed to a vast array of musicians
during does trips, and also their styles. he
eventually picked up on the Clare fiddle playing
incorporating it into his sound.
Holding certain notes using cuts and rolls. The
Dublin native also tried to emulate the style of
Mary Bergin when he was starting out his own
journey with traditional music. It was her
tonguing technique which caught his ear when he
was evolving his own sound. Whelan emphasises
the importance of listing to such virtuoso
whistle players as a learning curve to whistle
students, In order to help them understand what
is accepted authentically traditional , a former
student himself , Gavin Whelan has cemented his
place as a solid whistle and teacher, ever since
his debut album in 2001. He has now laid bare
his years in the world of trad on his pages of
120 traditional tunes, with tips on posture,
breathing and how hold the whistle for players
of all levels.
For does new to the music he starts of with a
basic lesson on what type of tunes are most
popular with the Irish tradition, explaining the
accents if different tune types, just like his
fast - paced no nonsense whistling, Gavin than
jumps straight into the lessons, with the
preferred D major scale to introduce readers to
the whistle. he than uses Mary had a little lamb
to familiarise students with whistle playing.
After that were into 120 tunes 50 pages of
notation, the selection is made up of popular
session tunes, including Paidin O raifearthaigh,
Banish Misfortune, swinging on the gate and the
abbey reel.
Whelan included in the appendix some notes on
each of these to how he came across some of the
tunes and from who he learned them, like the
peacock's Feather which he got from banjo player
Tom Moran. Others highlight the influence those
holidays in Co Clare gad on Gavins repertoire, A
number of tunes in the collection were learned
from the playing of Micheal Queally and Noel o
Donoghue. His time spent studying under Paul
Mcgrattan at the Ceoltoir traditional music
course also influenced a number of additions to
120 Irish traditional tunes.
He also notes in the case of the Blackbird that
the notation is a particular version of the
tune, as played by piper Paddy Kennan. A lot of
the tunes are referenced from the tune-book of
all tune-books, O'neills Dance Music of Ireland,
and alternative names are given, did you know
The Galway Rambler is also Known as Lord
Wellinghton's.
Whelan included a list of references for the
traditional music student, including
publications, websites, music shops in Ireland.
organisations, radio stations and summer
schools. the book is backed up by three CDs of
the tunes collected in the book, with Gavin on
whistle ably accompanied by Gavin Ralston on
guitar. It is obvious that Whelan put a lot of
personal effort into the book and this makes it
enjoyable to peruse, both for the tutelage and
for personal insight into what influences one of
Irelands finest whistle players.
........................................................................................................................................
November 2010
Bringing Trad To The Masses
A Tallaght musician
is getting ready to launch his new book 120
Irish traditional tunes, In the Belgard Inn this
Sunday.
Belgard resident
Gavin Whelan 31 has being playing and performing
traditional music since he was young- with his
instruments of choice being the tin whistle and
uillean pipes.
Over the past ten
years, while traveling around Ireland and
further a field, Gavin noticed the need for a
book which served both tin whistle beginners and
those wishing to enhance their catalogue of
tunes.
So after 12 months
of hard work he produced 120 Irish traditional
tunes' which is accompanied by three CDs. The
musician explained. There is something in this
book for everyone- for beginner trying to learn
tin whistle or those simply wanting to brush up
on their repertoire of tunes. It is also the
only CD that I know of that plays their tunes at
both slow and an at normal speed, which is great
for people learning.
In 2001 this
innovative resident who also teaches music at
festivals and in schools-established his own
record label, Tallaght Records.
Since than, he has
released three CDs under the label now his
music/book combo.
Gavin continued. I've been working on the third
book for so long it's great to see the finished
product. It really is a great guidebook and I
hope people will come along to the launch and
session on Sunday.
Gavin takes part in
a weekly Sunday session that takes place in the
Belgard Inn which kicks off at 1pm.
A host of musicians
from the Tallaght area get together to take part
in the sessions, which coincide with the launch
of Gavin's book.
Gavins bok can be
purchased in Claddagh Records, Monastry music,
Clondalkin, McNeils on Capel St, Eason Bookshops
and from www.gavinwhelan.ie
........................................................................................................................................
GAVIN
WHELAN: In Full Flight
PETE FYFE, folking.com
Gavin is without doubt one of the finest
exponents I have heard of the traditional tin
whistle and from the moment you play the first
track Charlie Lennon’s “The Leitrim Lilter/Captain
Kelly’s/The Reel with the Birl” you know you are
in safe hands or, perhaps more correctly, that
should read ‘fingers’. His controlled breathing
and triplet perfect notation should have him
ranked alongside the talents of those that have
gone before such as Michael McGoldrick and, when
accompanied by Donnacha Moynihan (guitar), Colm
Murphy (bodhran), Dave McNevin (banjo), Aogan
Lynch (concertina) and the genuinely subtle
keyboards of Peter Eades the album drives along
at a cracking pace only really pausing for the
more contemplative slow airs “An Paistin Fionn/The
Fair Haired Child” and “Dark Lochnagar”. This is
the kind of recording I could quite easily
listen to the whole way through without getting
bored and in fact I’ve done just that while
writing this review.
........................................................................................................................................
GAVIN
WHELAN: In Full Flight
Tallaght
Records TACD03
Jem Hammond, Taplas Magazine
LITTLE can be said
that differs from my reviews of Gavin Whelan's
previous albums. It's fine; 13 tracks of
traditional Irish material, plus a few modern
tunes within the traditional idiom. There's
nothing revolutionary here, nor even
evolutionary; straight forward, unfussy
arrangements superbly backed by Colm Murphy (bodhrán)
and Donnacha Moynihan (guitar), the best tracks
being duets with Aogán Lynch (concertina) and
Dave McNevin (banjo).
We get two tunes on uilleann pipes – tasty,
especially the airs Dark Lochnagar and An
Paístín Fionn on a Grinter low F whistle –
fabulous sound and technique, with an exemplary
distinction between deliberate (finger) vibrato
and rock steady vibrato-less tone. Whelan's
playing is assured and complex without being
flashy, though he's still fond of his trademark
staccato triple tongued ornament – not overused.
Highly recommended.
........................................................................................................................................
REVIEW: Gavin Whelan 'In Full flight'
****
Micheal Quinn,
Songlines Magazine
Having taking a
five year gap between his first two albums and
forced us to endure a three year -wait noone
could accuse Gavin Whelan of exploiting his fast
-rising profile as the finest tin whistle player
of his generation. Happily In full flight finds
him back in the Mill studios of his native
Dublin and reunited with a crack team who
include the magisterial Colm Murphy on bodhran,
guitarist Donnacha Moynihan, Aogan Lynch
concertina peter Eades on Keyboard and
contributing a new and vivid colour this time
around. Dave McNevin on banjo.
There is a seemless
blend of traditional largely west
Clare-accented, tunes and new(eesh) material on
offer, clearly more musically mature and
technically assured, all nimbly held together by
a nuanced feel for the past and an incisively
intelligent approach to the tempernament of the
present.
Opening with a set
of reels kicked off by charlie Lennon's
infectious The letrim lilter Whelan sets his
srall out with a winning brio. moving through
hornpipes jigs, reels and the sublimely
melancholic air An Paistin Fionn with empeccable
ease.
He's no less adept
on the uillean pipes with the slow Scottish air
Dark lochhnagar making a haunting solo companion
to a lively brace of guitar-and bodhran jigs
pushing the whistle to extremes of high drama
and pulling back into his whispered intimacy.
Whelan makes a strong case here for being
regarded as the most eloquent, and certainly the
the most exlhilarating, whistle player in
Ireland at the moment.
........................................................................................................................................
Review: Gavin Whelan "In
full flight"
FolkWorld
Many Irish trad
afficionados make a start on the aul' penny
whistle, and if not giving it up already, moving
on to another instrument. But there’s a lot more
to this tiny instrument than the basics. Gavin
Whelan from Tallaght just outside of Dublin
stuck to it (to be honest, two tracks here
feature his uilleann piping), and even made a
career as one of only a few solo tin whistle
players. Gavin's third album of tin whistle
music is a display that there are lots of
different techniques you can learn to play
beyond the basics . The music featured is from
Dublin to Donegal, West Clare to Bull Run and
Britanny. However, the latter are exceptions,
it's mostly jigs and reels with the odd
hornpipe, fling and strathspey thrown in for
good measure. Furthermore, two slow airs, "An
Páistín Fionn" and "Dark Lochnagar". The tunes
are trad. arr. except some compositions by
Charlie Lennon (#34) and James Keane ().
Accompaniment is from concertina, banjo, guitar
(Donnacha Moynihan, keyboards and bodhran. Gavin
himself is in full flight (the album cover shows
his hand reaching towards the whistle in mid
air), this is one of the best you can get
considering the penny whistle. If anything is
cheap it's not his performance. Phrasing and
tone display a virtuoso on his instrument.
P.S.: Gavin has a
book of traditional Irish tunes in the pipeline,
soon to be released.
........................................................................................................................................
Gavin Whelan In full
flight album Launch
Derek Copley, Irish Music Magazine
Although they share the same name, there is no
family connection between whistle supreme Gavin
Whelan and the famous Whelan’s of Wexford st.
the only relationship they share is a love of
music, and no better place for Gavin to launch
his third solo album In full flight.
Arranged on a day when a lot of people needed to
let of steam, Friday, October 2nd, the day the
nation voted one again on the Lisbon Treaty, the
Tallaght- born musician had the task of
distracting everyone present away from the
diverse Treaty, and also kick start a typical
weekend of madness in Irelands capital.
And indeed he did, starting of with a
rip-roaring set of tunes, The letrim lilter ,
Captain Kellys and the reel with the birl- his
freestyle approach breaking through does launch
night nerves, settling into what he does best .
An attentive crowd slowly took up all the seats
available in the arena just after the beginning,
to cheer on and marvel at a style Gavin has
crafted over the years as a stalwart of both the
touring and session scenes, both on whistles and
uillean pipes. His partners in crime on the
night were Dominic Keogh on bodhran from the
band Morga, James Ryan on guitar from Na Bac,
though he would be joined at various stages by a
host of musicians - and dancer too!
Half way during the night Gavin started out what
was supposed to be a solo slow air on the F
whistle. However for any one standing at the
bar, it was evident that he was not playing on
his own, as the dish washer was humming along in
the same key - maybe this type of Whelan’s duet
is on the cards for the future!
Along with his family present for support, were
fellow musicians and fans alike, who were
treated to collaborators. First up was Deirdre
Smyth on fiddle, playing Follow me down and the
colliers reel. After that they tackled a set of
jigs - The Battering ram, Paidin O Raferty and
scattering the mud. Next up to the plate was
banjo wizard Dave McNiven, whose relaxed
demeanour is completely at odds with the
energetic, furious style of his banjo playing as
witnessed on the set from his album, The Yellow
Tinker, Mary McMahons and Ah! Surly.
As each musician joined Gavin they all stayed on
the stage to create a wonderful ensemble of
music, which than formed a back drop for one
Emma O Sullivan, Sean Os dancer extraordinaire,
who literally put in a dazzling performance, her
top glittering like a disco ball as she moved
about the stage with a mesmerising flair under
the stage lights.
Niamh Parsons, who had then arrived, made her
way to the stage, singing sgt William Bailey and
were are you tonight I wonder, to a hushed
audience. As Niamh finished up to a round of
applause, The band decided to give it another
whirl, with a couple more sets, accompanied by
the dazzling dancer, Emma, whose moves on the
night were undoubtedly the best to be had any
were in Dublin city that Fri night.
As the evening officially drew to a close, a
clearly elated Gavin wandered around still
buzzing from the performance, shaking hands,
kissing cheeks and sharing jokes with friends
and family, all in agreement of a job well done
and his third solo album well produced.
And from listing to the album it’s clear that he
doesn't hold back any of his onstage personality
when in the recording studio, as the album
carries over that free-flowing, fast paced,
eccentric wonderment of his playing on both the
whistles and uillean pipes.
........................................................................................................................................
In Full Flight
Review
Shelly Hayes, Tinehely Courthouse
Rising tradstar Gavin Whelan braught his tin
whistle and Uillean pipe skills to the
courthouse in 0ctober 2009, and his live
performance was every bit as exciting as and
accomplished as his recent album led us all to
expect with able backing from Deirdre Smyth
(fiddle) Dan Carollo (guitar) and Domnick Keogh
(bodhran)
........................................................................................................................................
REVIEW: Gavin Whelan
'In Full flight'
Siophan Long, The Irish Times
Gavin Whelan is a tin whistle player who
elevated his chosen instrument to rare heights
on his 2002 eponymous debut and his 2006
recording Another Time. This time out, he
emerges from the traps with Charlie Lennon's
sublime The leitrim Lilter like an attention
deficit firefly. Whelans rush continue's
through the jig Grainne's welcome, his pace
tempered by Colm Murphy's subtle percussion .
Gradually though, his cache of whistle tunes
nestle finds purchese in earnest. Whelan's best
moments are during his slow airs, and in his two
piping tunes were he flexis his musicial muscle
with style. His pairing of Connie O' Connells,
The Torn Jacket With O connels trip to
parlliment is a masterclass in free - spirited
ensemble playing with Donnach Moynihan guitar
and Peter Eades in Keybords
........................................................................................................................................
Review: Gavin Whelan
'In Full flight'
John Brophy, Irish Music Magazine.
An aptly named CD here. Gavin has pursuing as a
solo whistle player for about a decade, and if
there was an apprenticeship involved in that,
this is the job of journeywork, the proof that
he’s more than fit to be let out. More than that
it’s a very Irish production, it goes beyond
anything you can learn in a book. Its hard to
pin down . But at base it means that trad is
about people ad there shared love of making
music and seeing the world in a special way. Its
not conditioned by time or fashion, here we have
old tunes like O’ Connell’s trip to parliament,
(The yellow thinker and Ah! Surely-(This last
was surely a song - but were a are the words?)
and they are mixed in with tunes like Charlie
lennon’s The Flying Wheelchair.
Gavin’s two slow airs deserve tpo be singled
out. An Paistin Fionn and the Scottish Dark
Lochnagar, they are both examples of musicial
intelligence and good taste.
Special mention two the guest musicians,
especially Aogan Lynch on concertina and
Donnacha Moynihan on guitar, If anyone doubts
that the whistle is a fully paid member of the
community Of trad instruments, this collection
will soon have you on the right road.
........................................................................................................................................
Whistle player in
Full Flight
Tallaght Echo
For most school children learning to belt out a
few tunes on the tin whistle is a rite of
passage that must be endured before jacking it I
as a bad job but for whistle maestro Gavin
Whelan it was a turning point which set him on
the road to musical success.
From Belgard Heights, Gavin has just released
his third album of traditional whistle music, In
Full Flight and will launch if officially in
Whelan’s of Wexford Street on October 2.
Featuring 13 toe -taping high energy tunes,
mainly jigs and reels, Gavin makes the tin
whistle sing as he barely pauses for breath
delivering a beautifully honed production which
is a delight to listen to and will even appeal
to does who don’t normally find trad on their
radar.
Since graduating with a higher Natonal Diploma
in Irish music performance fro Ballyfermot
College of further Education Gavin -aside from
releaing his albums- has been actively involved
in teaching Irish music in primary schools and
is also and is also much sought after in music
schools, festivals, workshops and classes.
Ahead of the official launch of his album, we
had a chat with Gavin to find out more.
Tell us a bit about the making of the new album
Yeah well I recorded in different stages over a
period of about a year. I did a few trecks one
week and and than a few tracks the next. It was
mainly due to other commitments and funding it
it to be honest. I had a listed tback to the
master copy and I was really happy with it, with
the sound and the production and that.
Tell us about how you got started on the tin
whistle
Well my parents would have always gone to
sessions in and around town and I would have
gone to some with them, so I had that
connection. But than I did tin whistle in
primary school and I got really into it then. At
first it was hard butr than I just got this big
interest in it, We all had tin whistles in the
class but I had the connection of my parents
keep going at it, I did lessons in Aras Chronain
in Clondalkin and went to
Summer schools.
Do you remember when you relalised that you
could make a living out of this?
Yeah I kept going through secondary school,
entering Slogadh and different competitions and
than when I left school I did a diploma in Irish
music and I met people my own age who were
interested in the music and were the same as
myself so that spurred me on and it grew from
there, This is my full time job and my third
album now.
Why did you decide to start making albums?
The irst album was part of then course, at the
of it you had to to ;ut out a CD. And that I was
in a band for a while and when that was finished
there was a lot of material there that I wanted
to put on a CD as a solo player material I I had
been collecting for a while. This album than
again there was just a lot of material there and
keep the music going. There all traditional
arrangements, some that havent been played in a
while, but I like to put a modern sor of take on
them while keeping the traditional
Have you ever written any of your own music yet?
No, not yet, Im just concentrating on the
traditional tunes, there’s so much more that I
want to do
Why do you think that traditonal music continues
to be so popular?
Well I think Its because trends in music come
and
again but trad music never changes. There’s
always people who love to go in and listen to a
session. When you do a live gig
There’s always a crowd, that hasn’t changed even
with the recession, I think that fostets it and
keeps it going. Also when your teaching it, that
brings in a new generation of kids to love it
and keep it going.
Listing to In full Flight it sound like you
hardly take a breath/ Do you do any breathing
exercises or training to be able to play that
long?
That just gets built up over time to be honest,
practice make perfect!
Is the tin whistle a difficult instrument to
play?
A lot of people start on the tin whistle and
learn a few tunes and than go on to something
else the whistle used to be a basic instrument
you know, something you’d only start on, but
there’s a lot more to it than that, there lots
of different techniques you can learn to play.
Whats your Dream?
Just to continue to play music fulltime and to
release the Cds. I’ve had a good ten years so
far and I just want to keep it going. Id love to
get busier and do more teaching.
You set up your own Tallaght Records Label
why was that?
I just felt it gave me more options, I'm not
restricted and can do my own thing. I have more
control. Of course Its hard at the start because
your funding everything yourself, but its
working out, Its going quite well at the moment.
What's next for you?
I have a book of tradition tunes coming out,
It’s just about completed and It’ll be ready
early next year hopefully. Its has the
background to all the tunes and a Cd of the
tunes on them. It was a lot of research. Yes
there’s the notations of the tunes and making
sure im writing it down exactly as I p0laying
them and them the history of the tunes as well.
I love that though when you set yourself a goal
or a project and you see it finished, Its very
important to know the back round to a tune
definitely, I always like to have the
information on a tune where they came from,
what’s it about. Its nice to be able to tell the
crowd at a gig too, all about the tune and Its
story.
........................................................................................................................................
GAVIN WHELAN IS IN
FULL FLIGHT
John Brophy meets the whistle maestro Gavin
Whelan to discuss the new album.
Irish Music Magazine
Its been a couple a couple of years since we
met, but no matter. Thee are new places built
since and Im of to explore the new side of
Tallaght. Okay its only six mile fro Dublin as
the crow flies, or an hour as the tram travels,
but bit’s a different
Its up the foothills, colder most of the time
and it gets first pick of any train that comes
over the mountain.
If you look in the church yard, you can still
the baptismal front dating fro around 700 AD.
The local saints are are st Aengus founder of
the Culdees (ceile De) and st Mael Ruan whose
feast day was July 7th. This persisted in
folklore well into the 19th century as moll
Rooney’ Day - and ironically it was the clergy
that who helped stopit because of of the surfeit
of drink. Of course the name Tamhlacht means a
plague Memorial Stone. Some time round 300 BC
there was a lad parthlon (motern version bertie
who lived with his followers around these here
parts, but they were wiped out ny a plague.
(even than the health service wasen’t great).
So, armed with all the seanachas I arrange to
meet Gavin Whelan at a café called the Interval.
A lovely place, linked to the foyer of the new
civic theatre, but its not a pub and your not
going to hear stories of how we had a hard night
on the lattes, even though we avoided the hard
stuff (cappuccinos). But a nice place to talk to
Gavin about new CD In full Flight.
The title was given to him by his father and
indeed is an accurate description of were he is
at the moment.
For the album though, the idea of a hand
reaching towards a whistle in mid air seemed a
great idea, but it took a full day in the
photographic studio of Hugo Morris to realise it
to everyone’s satisfaction, an along the way
Gavin found out a few of the tricks, Like
invisible fishing line, that real photographers
use. No they don’t keep chucking a whistle in
the air-Its much more scientific than that, and
dont bother to see the fishing line - it really
was invisible.
SO what have you been doing with yourself since
last we met!
Well the Cd has being out and finished since
May, but its getting the official launch
treatment on October 2nd in Whelans of wexford
street in Dublin, and the day after that its
getting a repeat in Tinahealy, Co Wicklow, which
is now an Arts centre. He’ also slotted in for
the Feile Frank Mcgann in Strokestown, From
October 8th to 11th ( its my job to supply the
meanderings. The big house in strokes town once
had an owner who hated dancing but the spouse
nagged him into supplying a ballroom.
Which he did, but had the floor planks laid
crosswise so that people preferred to sit and
listin rather than battle with a bad floor.
Truly woman are from Venus and some woman are
fierce crafty hoors)But back to Gavin A little
later on, on October 24th hes having a workshop
followed by a concert in Aras Chronain the Irish
language cultural cenre in Clondalkin Village,
just down the road from his own patch . The
diary is starting to fill up hes confident
enough to know that it will.
The last thing big thing though was teaching at
at a summer school in Tubbercurry, Co Sligo-
theres a lovely sculpture of three musicians ion
the fair green, just in case you dident notice
what the prevailing wind(instrument was)
Normally, says Gavin his pupils/instructees are
adults, but this time, he had a class of
children aged eight and upwards, his face breaks
out to a happy grin as he savours the memories.
Weather it’s the air or the water , or just the
strength of the tradition, the kids were better
than the adults. They could almost give you it
straight back, as soon as you played one for
them.’’ True for you wasent it the famed Dr
Suzuki who proved to his own satisfaction that
young babies can recognise tunes they heard
before they were born? Anyhow, Gavin’s teaching
experience was rewarding very rewarding and
three hours per morning everyone paid excellent
attention. Well done!
For the current CD he has Aogan Lynch on
concertina, Dave McNevin on Banjo and Colm
Murphy on bodhran. Peter Eades plays keyboards
and also helped with the production. Gavin comes
back several times with praise of Peter It takes
a special kind of person to listen to what you
do to have the technical expertise to give you
what you want and than to actually do it, Peter
is that person.
Gavin is someone who knows what he wants to say.
Sometimes it comes easier on a whistle than with
words and, and being a paid member of the
chattering classes, I have to be careful not to
put words in his mouth. So when I ask him about
his own record label Tallaght Records, you don’t
get an instant answer. But he does agree that it
would probably be impossible to get the level of
artistic freedom that he needs, If he were to
work inside a big organisation. it’s the same
story as well with many musicians and is very
understandable.
Gavin, though is a musician of strong mind and
great tendency of tenacity of purpose. Its now
ten years and more since he decided tp launch a
career as a solo whistle player , and not to
join a group. Of his generation he knows of
nobody else doing it. Obviously there are
wonderfull players like Mary Bergin and Sean
Ryan, and the instrument id taken more seriously
as any other implement, especially Stateside.
The airport shops and souvenir outlets are
selling the packaged deal- how many of them are
ever played? But serious players will look for
Quality. Most of the time he uses whistles by
John Sindt of New York, but for the slow airs -
An Paistin Fionn on the album- he has a low F
whistle made by Mike Grinter. Mike is due in
Strokestown for the festival
So the two pillars of his work for Gavin are
recording and festivals. I love the whole
process of recording. He says. This goes all the
way from identifying the tunes two showing of
the CDs in concert. And at the end of it, theres
normally a bunch of tunes that havent been used
and are still there, fermenting in the bottom of
the barrell . So, like any good brewer, what do
you do but fill it again?
The choice of tunes is leaning towards the
established side. There are tunes like the
yellow thinker and Ah surly! Which are out of
McNeills- he had the 1,850 but he far prefers
learning from other players. And that’s were
festivals come in, they help keep the humanity
in the music . If you are gigging with a group
on tour you can meet someone for say five
minutes after a show . it’s a lotbetter than
noting but at festivals you get to relax, get to
kow people and there tunes. He’s very instant
that the provenance of a a tune, and any related
folklore are supplied for the listener.
So how many tunes has he got? Never enough,’’
He’s been asked that one before).
And theres one other thing hes got going on the
pipes. There’s a warning for all whistle
players. Get yourself a concert flute or he
pipes . Will get you and your in for the 21-
year learning curve. Gavin has succumbed- he
playes the Scottish song Lochnagar on a set made
by Donnacha Keegan… I wonder were his next album
will fly to?.
........................................................................................................................................
Passion, power and flair combined
By Tim Carroll, FolkWords
Traditional music endures while other fashions
may come and go – Gavin Whelan proves without a
doubt why the music of tradition persists. He
also proves that in the hands of a master the
whistle can take the lead with flair. There's no
unearthly longing for the past or worship of the
'old ways' in his playing it's just bloody good
traditional music, bang up-to-date and played
from the heart.
If you can't get along to a gig, then the CD
'Another Time' gives you get a classic
opportunity to hear Gavin at his best. The album
also features a fine group of musicians that
lend their skills to Gavin's playing. They
include Donnacha Moynihan (guitars) Colm Murphy
(bodhran) Zoe Conway (fiddle) Eoin O'Neil
(bouzouki) Finbar Naughton (mandolin, fiddle)
Aogan Lynch (concertina) Gavin Ralston (guitar)
and Peter Eades (keyboards). And just to prove
the breadth of his talent Gavin plays uilleann
pipes too.
Backed by the strings, skins and keys of his
fellow musicians, Gavin weaves the whistle
around a selection of jigs, reels, hornpipes and
airs with such dexterity you just know the
whistle is in his blood as well as his fingers.
That Gavin can extract such power and expression
from the instrument is statement enough of his
skill, the fact that he adds an untapped sparkle
to traditional tunes shows his talent. From slow
airs that drag tears from your eyes to jigs and
reels that won't allow you to sit still, Gavin
enables the smallest of instruments take on the
largest of mantles.
In some circles the whistle is thought of as a
'toy' - not true any more. Listen to Gavin and
you'll realise the whistle is become far more
than a plaything. It's also supposed to be easy
to play – not true either. Just try to match his
abilities and you'll never think like that
again. This man ranks among the great whistle
players of his own or any other generation – and
that my friend is undoubtedly true!
........................................................................................................................................
'Another Time' Review
Vic Smith, The folk Diary
Most uillean pipers seem to make the pipes their
main instrument though they may play a bit of
tin whistle on the side; with Gavin it seems to
be the reverse. On the evidence of this album he
is mainly a whistle player - and a remarkable
one at that. It is clear that a great deal of
thought has gone
into every aspect of this project. The tunes are
well chosen for their interest and variety -
everything from reels played flat-out but with
great control to an exquisite interpretation of
the song tune "An Bonnan Bui" - and he is given
great support from his two main accompanists,
Donnacha Moynihan in guitar and Colm Murphy on
bodhrán. Amongst the other musicians that he
pairs the whistle with, there are notable
contributions from Zoë Conway on fiddle and
Aogán Lynch on concertina.
........................................................................................................................................
'Another Time' Review
P Cousins, French Trad Magazine
Often considered like a minor instrument, the tin
whistle is at the base of Irish Music, an
instrument universally recognised thanks to
millions of musicians, Even if the fiddle, the
accordion or the Uillean pipes seem to be the
instrument some musicians have voluntarily
chosen to devote themselves to the tin whistles,
Among them Gavin Whelan from Tallaght in the
Dublin suburbs, he is offering us a second album
Another Time on which he proves to have
potential and Talent, almost incredible for such
a young man, Thirteen traditional reels, Jigs
hornpipes Highlands, A lot stand out but
performed with such coolness that gives them
another lease on life, for the whistle to appear
at its best.
Gavin has surrounded himself with
musicians Zoe Conway, fiddle Colm Murphy bodhran
and Aogan Lynch concertina, These are some
amongst so many Gavin has a great repertoire
from musicians like Willie Clancy, Joe Derrane
or Phil Cunnigham, Donnach Moynihan and Gavin
Ralston's guitars guarantee the rhythm while
Colm Murphy's bodhran carries out fierce tempo
beside the whistle. Not a well known musician at
this side of the Atlantic but of whom you will
hear of one day or another.
........................................................................................................................................
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
STRIKING UP A TUNE
Cover Article in the Tallaght Voice
Tin Whistle player Gavin Whelan speaks to Kathy
Masterson about his music, his
forthcoming third album and his love for
traditional Irish Music
Like many children in primary school, Tallaght
native Gavin Whelan began learning the however
unlike most, who struggle with it for a couple
of months before relegating the instrument to
the back of the cupboard. Gavin has turned it
into his occupation. The talented musician has
played in festival all aver Ireland, and has two
highly praised solo albums on his own record
label. He is now working on material for his
third CD, and on a live DVD, both of witch he
hopes to release next year.
Gavin explains how it all began, I started
playing the tin whistle in primary school, the
whole class got tin whistles and learned how to
played them. I was lucky that my parents were
mad into music and they always brought us to
sessions around the Dublin music scene to
singing session and Irish music session and
thing like that. So when I started playing the
tin whistle, I got into it in a big way I was
lucky i had my parents behind me, I kept going
through it in secondary school, than when I left
school I continued on with it.
Gavin’s parents were instrumental in fostering
his love of traditional music and the family’s
frequent trips to the west of Ireland had a huge
influence on his music.
Traditional music was always there in my house,
my dad plays a bit of banjo and mandolin, so
he’d always be playing tunes around the house. I
was lucky that my pa4ent always took us down to
Doolin Co Clare as well. I was playing ballads
for a while just songs and tunes, but my Dad
brought me down to there one time and it just
opened me up to all these traditional music down
there on the west coast, And for me it was
great, I didn't know what was going on, I taught
this is completely different. So than I got
loads of tapes and started recording tunes from
around that area I brought them back to Dublin
and started to learn them off. That’s when I got
into it in a big way, reveals Gavin.
As well as musicians from the west coast of
Ireland, Gavin al0so took inspiration from well
known tin whistle players like Mary Bergin and
Sean Ryan, two great whistle players. Mary
Bergin’s album came out in 1979 when I was born
but its still one of does albums that you can
listen to over and over again and it still sound
like it was only played yesterday, it still
sound fresh, So I listened two that and started
getting bits and pieces and I taught that that
was the type of recording that I wanted to do. I
just wanted to keep it simple good tunes that
were played well I went for that sort of style.
Gavin also finds ideas music in his daily life,
Its just a day - to-day stuff really. Every time
I wake up there's something new there, like a
new tune that iv taught of. It just comes from
every were like other musicians in general,
people out there that playing, listing to old
recordings, new recordings and new artists that
are around. You could just be out some night and
something hits you there's always something to
take inspiration from. After finishing school,
Gavin enrolled in the Ceoltoir music course in
Temple Bar to hone his skills, while doing the
course, he played in bands for some time before
deciding to go it alone. He says I decided to do
a solo album because I had a lot of material
that Id’ been collecting over the years going to
festivals and stuff. So than I released my first
CD in 2001
It was while he was gearing up to released his
debut album that Gavin decided to set up his own
record label Tallaght Records. I set up my own
record label first because I was recording a
solo album, but than as it progressed I used it
promote my other solo stuff, and over the
distribution and that kind of thing, especially
now that I want to bring out further releases
this year. That it works out well.
Iv just finished an album that's going to be
released next year and I'm hoping to expand it
in the next couple of years and have more
releases coming out. he explains. However at the
moment, Gavin has no plans to enlist any other
upcoming artists on his own label, Its an agent
as well for myself. But you never know in the
next couple of years when I get myself
established as a record label I might star
taking on other local artists.
Gavin is currently taking a break from live
performances to concentrate on the recording
rather than the live performance side. I love
working on tunes, I might be walking on the
street and an idea might come into my head, or
at 2 o clock in the morning I might get an idea
and write it down, than ill put it on my
computer and think of arrangements- that way you
build up a repertoire and it keeps your music
fresh instead of doing the sessions all the
time.
Its nice when you can get in the studio with
people that you like playing with and putting
down your own music. It keeps the tunes fresh
and keeps me busy. I just started doing a bit
more recording with the pipes. Gavin is modest
about the success of his previous two solo
albums, the self titled Gavin Whelan released in
2001 and Another Time released in 2006, iv got a
good response from the albums, there Doing quite
well. I’ve been doing a fair amount of gigs
since the second album came out they got good
reviews in the Irish Times and stuff like that’’
The albums received rave received rave reviews
across Ireland the UK and the States. The Irish
times said of his first album Debuts seldom come
as fresh and as vibrant as this you whistle
player Whelan is a formidable talent. Bare-
boned and embellished in all the right places .
fingers crossed he can hang on to his free form
delivery after word gets out of his remarkable
debut.
His second album also hit number 4 in folk radio
U.K's top 20, the radio station described Gavin
as a magician when it comes to playing the tin
whistle and uillean pipes. Gavin’s relatively
recent foray into playing the uillean pipes
began as a hobby but it is now something he has
successfully integrated into his performances.
He reveals The tin whistle is my main instrument
but in the past couple of years iv been playing
the pipes more and started into it. now I play
them just as much as the whistle. I’ve done a
couple of sets on the pipes on the new CD. After
I've been playing the whistle for quite a while.
I heard the likes of Paddy Keenan and fell in
love with the instrument straightaway. I
pestered my parents for ages and lucky enough
there was a pipes maker who lived in Ballyfermot
were my parents are from and they put an order
for the set of pipes. I started playing them as
a bit if a hobby but now I'm playing the two
instruments. It varies it up a bit.
Especially when your doing live gigs and stuff
like that its nice to be able to change.
There are does that believe that Irish culture
and music are swiftly becoming extinct, however
sees a bright future in store for traditional
music I think there's certainly a revival in
Irish traditional music scene at the moment, you
only have to go into town and you can see the
amount of people in pubs listening to Irish
music. Thank there are all the festivals and
workshops around the country at the moment.
There is still a big market for Irish
traditional music. The Temple Bar Music Festival
was just on in January and that was packed out,
so I think its packed as ever.’’
In his experience, the genre is gaining
recognition among you people. It is becoming
more popular among you people, There's a new age
of people coming up there playing all over the
place. The Ceoltor course that I did in Temple
Bar is very popular, there's a new age of young
musicians coming up that are mad for tunes and
get out there and play, which is great. Gavin
certainly has a busy year in store a she is
currently working on his third album as well as
a DVD out on my own Record label. That's the
biggest thing I want to do at the moment, just
to release some of my own music on my own label
and to hopefully be able to tour with that in
the future and to expand that. After that I hope
to start getting into touring.
While Gavin feels he is very fortunate to devote
all his time to his passion for music, he admits
that he is passion for music, he admits that at
times it can be difficult. There are times that
I think’’ Why am I doing this? Do I really want
to be doing this in the next 30 years? but than
you do a good gig and come home and you think
yeah that's what I want to do. It keeps me
going. Im lucky to be able to do that, after 12
years to be able to play full - time on a
professional basis, because I never taught that
at this age, Im 29 this year and iv been doing
this since I was 17. Its starting to go well but
you have to put in a bit of work at the
beginning.’’
There are times that I think ’why am I doing
this? do I really want to do this for the next
30 years? But then you do a good gig and come
home and you think yeah, that's what I want to
do’.
........................................................................................................................................
Live Review
The ARENA, IL GIORNALE DI VERONA (VERONA
PAPER)
Classic Irish folk has the energy of Whelan, a
long series of jigs, reels, polkas, and slow
airs meet in a set that conquers the public.
Ireland rich musical heritage I particular the
one that finds its root in the danceable tunes,
between the stamping of feet and a pint of beer,
can consider itself safe as long as the Green
island continues to churn out virtuoso and
passionate young musicians like Gavin Whelan who
played in Costa Grande ( a picturesque village
on the hills above Avesa, the birth place of
foundation of Exodus of Don Mazzi, the organizer
of an appreciable summer festival) they also
played in San Giovanni Lupatoto for the closing
night of the traditional manifestation of San
Giovanni Respira' (''saint john breathes')
In the poetic nature of Gavin who has twp albums
of his own and one in production, and his
companions amongst whom the fiddle player Daire
Braken with his outstanding presence and his
instrumental techniques, there might be noting
innovative. Still within the bounds of a well
established tradition there is space for a
certain creativity which is clearly expressed .
Thanks to his profound technical knowledge, by
Gavin the group leader through his tiny modest
whistle by Braken the fiddle player.
The long series of jigs reels polkas and slow
airs is well able to capture the attention of
the audience in particular the fast tunes with
there strong rhythmic component and a clear
component and a clear connotation from different
styled of the Green Island
To join the band was the singer and guitarist
Danny Moran from Scotland who, in the delicate
tones of Nick Drake sang two Irish love songs
Searching and the famous and beautiful Sweet
thing from Astral Weeks of Van Morrison
........................................................................................................................................
Gavin Whelan: Another Time
****
David Burke, ROCKnREEL
Lets be candid here the tin whistle a bit like
the recorder. just isn't sexy. its one of those
rudimentary instruments, the sensible jumper
compared to the fiddle's skinny-fit T shirt. But
Gavin Whelan might change all that. he's got a
bit of soul. has Gavin, And he plays the
considerably sexier Uilleann pipes as well.
Another time is his second album and the tunes a
lively mix of jigs, reels and hornpipes a couple
of slow airs to bring respite to the proceedings
-are giving pelter buy some solid backing from
the likes of Donnacha Moynihan, (guitar) Colm
Murphy, (bodhran), Eoin O Neill, (bouzouki) and
Aogan Lynch, (concertina) unfair to single any
of the tunes out nevertheless Joe Derrane's and
the Trip to Cullenstown fair set the pulse
racing. while the 'chilling Anach Cuain -
composed by blind Mayo poet Antoin O Raiftearai
about a drowning tragedy on lough Corrib in 1829
- is profoundly sorrowful.
........................................................................................................................................
Gavin Whelan Another Time
JB - Sing Out Magazine
In the age were the whistle has become less
popular in the Irish traditional spectrum,
Dubliner Gavin Whelan continues to fly the flag
in his own quiet way. This his second release,
the first, Gavin Whelan , dating all the way
back to 2001. Whelan has been busy in the
interim however running his own label, touring
internationally, being heavily involved on the
Irish teaching circuit and earning the prestige
of performing on Irelands Music Networks Next
Generation tour with other leading young trad
musicians. Some of those young artists appear on
this album, among them Zoe Conway, Aogan Lynch
and Donnacha Moynihan.
This is Irish music the way it should be natural
and impulsive,. Whelan is a gifted musician
surrounded here by equally capable peers, all
combining to create a record that is not quite
perfect but all the more enchanting for not
being as processed or 'clever' as many trad
recordings have become. Whelan's music is not
staged in any away. And one can picture him
playing at a session in his local pub as he does
on this album. In my opinion, that is a quality
not to be undervalued, particularly with so many
Irish traditional 'super groups' dominating the
international markets. Take the set of jigs ''
Joe Derrane's/ The Stolen Purse/The Home
coming'' there is an energy here that just leaps
out of the CD player and depicts a genuine joy
and enjoyment for the act of playing. Whelan
turns his hand to the pipes on the following
track, where he meets fiddler Zoe Conway in a
sturdy and surprisingly dexterous display of
ability. The Hunt is an altogether more delicate
affair, the mandolin lending a delicate
sweetness to this well known hornpipe.
........................................................................................................................................
Another Time Review
Alex Gallagher, Folk Radio UK
Another Time’ is the second album from Gavin
Whelan. Gavin is a magician when it comes to
playing tin whistle and uilleann pipes. He is
certainly one of the finest young musicians I
have heard for some time. I came across him on
MySpace. When I received his album and listened
to it, I couldn't believe I'd never heard of him
before. He has already made an impact in the
short time he has been playing on the station by
reaching number 4 in Folk Radio UK's Top 20!
The album is a great mix of both dance tunes and
slow airs. It has been well crafted and well put
together. It is clear when you hear Gavin play
that it's not just his great technical ability
that make him stand out but also the enthusiasm
and emotion that he puts into every tune. He
certainly is a great young Irish talent that the
world is going to hear a lot more about.
........................................................................................................................................
Traditional Tallaght tunes
Michael Storey, The ECHO
Who said trad music isn’t Cool?
With the second Temple Bar Trad festival kicking
off on January 25th Tallaght musician, Gavin
Whelan is rearing to go. Gavin from Belgard
Heights in Tallaght has been playing traditional
music from an early age and is well regarded as
one of the finest exponents of the tin whistle
around.
Gavin will be playing three dates as part of the
Temple Bar Trad festival and says he is looking
forward to turning the young generation into
trad music. Gavin told the Echo. I spent some
time teaching tradition music in schools around
Ireland and I really enjoyed it, its great
seeing the kids getting into it. There’s great
enthusiasm from the younger people towards
traditional music’’.
It’s not just the young people Gavin is
spreading the trad message to, he recently
returned from a Europe where he played gigs in
Italy and in Germany. Gavin said ‘’ I played
gigs in Verona and Hamburg and the reception was
brilliant, they are still mad into it. We’ll be
going back there in the summer’’ Gavin’s love of
trad music stemmed from his regular trips to
County Clare as a child. He learned to play the
tin whistle at school, quickly surpassing his
schoolmates. As he visited Clare more frequently
Gavin learned tunes from Micho Russell, the
renowned whistle player from Doolin. Gavin
released his self-titled debut album in 2002 on
his own label Tallaght Records label and his
latest album; “Another Time” came out last year.
Gavin told the Echo “I didn’t get music time to
tour last year because I was trying to get the
album out but now that its out its going very
well’’
........................................................................................................................................
Another Time Review
Folkworld
Heading on to the east coast of Ireland. Gavin
Whelan is a young whistler and piper from
Tallaght, Dublin, and "Another Time" is his
second album. He already is regarded widely as
an outstanding performer on the tin whistle. His
playing is straightforward and eloquent. This is
a band album and Gavin is assisted by fiddler
Zoe Conway, guitarist Donnacha Moynihan (Calico,
and bodhrán player Colm Murphy (De Dannan)
amongst others.
........................................................................................................................................
Another Time Review
by Mike Wilson, Rambles.NET
13 January 2007
The tin whistle (or pennywhistle) is such a
simple instrument, but in the right hands it can
be used to stunning effect. Dublin native Gavin
Whelan possesses such a pair of hands, and on
Another Time -- his second album -- he deploys
his skills across a breadth of traditional
tunes.
The opening set of reels, "The Stone in the
Field/Ambrose Maloney's/The Small Hills of
Offaly," demonstrates a tour de force of
whistle-playing, with Whelan skipping
effortlessly from note to note and the
enchanting sound of the whistle cascading from
your speakers. On this track and the set of jigs
that follow, Whelan is backed up by Donnacha
Moynihan's simple but rhythmic guitar
accompaniment, and Colm Murphy's outstanding
bodhran provides a phenomenal heartbeat to the
tunes. The bodhran often gets a fair bit of
flack from traditional music aficionados, but
when played with the flair and talent
demonstrated here, it makes a mesmerizing
contribution.
There is just one occasion on Another Time where
Whelan chooses to ditch the whistle in favour of
his uilleann pipes -- the set of reels "Paddy
Mills/The Connacht Heifers." This track benefits
from a particularly sparse arrangement, with
Whelan's pipes accompanied solely by Zoe
Conway's fine fiddle playing -- indeed it isn't
even until the second of the tunes in this set
that Whelan deploys the drones of his pipes.
However, Whelan and Conway both do a fine job
filling all the gaps on these tunes, producing a
satisfyingly full sound from their combined
instruments.
Another Time isn't just a collection of jigs,
reels and hornpipes -- there are also a couple
of winsome slow airs that demonstrate the
expressive nature of the whistle when a
relatively restrained technique is employed. I
found "Anach Cuain" to be the most engaging of
the slow airs -- a mournful tune that tells the
story of a fatal boating tragedy on Lough Corrib,
perfectly evoking the emotions of loss and
longing that such an incident would stir up.
The sleeve-notes are informative, with a brief
description of the history of each tune, which
always adds considerably to my enjoyment of this
type of music. Whelan is more than just an
accomplished exponent of the whistle, displaying
also an impressive knowledge of the tradition.
There are no tricks here or technical wizardry,
just plain and simple traditional music, played
exceptionally well -- exactly as it should be!
........................................................................................................................................
Another Time Review
Steve Dieterich - Celtic Airs radio Programme,
CT USA
I've just previewed Gavin Whelan's latest CD
"Another Time" for airplay on my radio program
"Celtic Airs". It's an excellent whistle album,
with just enough sympathetic support from a
group of talented 'side men' to flesh it out and
make it appealing for repeated auditions!
There's something for everyone from beautiful
slow airs (Anach Cuain) to rousing sets of
reels. Gavin even steps out for fine set of
reels on uilleann pipes (Paddy Mills'/The
Connacht Heifers) just to prove his versatility!
Add it to your play list as I've added it to
mine!!
........................................................................................................................................
Gavin Whelan - ANOTHER TIME
(Tallaght)
David Kidman, NethRhythms
It's been a while since this young south-Dublin
(Tallaght) born tin-whistle virtuoso's
scintillating eponymous debut CD, which when I
finally got round to hearing (and reviewing) it
earlier this year I somehow got confused and
erroneously labeled his second (for which I must
now make an apology). But it was probably an
easy mistake to make, for such, no doubt, was
the level of expertise and maturity in his
playing even then - and Gavin's still only 27!
Anyway, there's cause for celebration now, for
here's Gavin's "true" second CD, which is at one
and the same time a continuation of the first
and a major leap forward. In the first sense,
Another Time delivers another excellently-chosen
and well-presented sequence of not just reels
but jigs, hornpipes, highlands and slow airs
too: a truly rounded selection that demonstrates
both the enormous breadth of the "bottomless
pit" of available material and Gavin's expertise
in arranging and playing in a healthy variety of
moods and tempos (something which many listeners
persist in believing the humble tin-whistle
incapable of!).
And in the second sense, Another Time takes
Gavin's skills into another dimension of
expertise as not only does he play even more
breathtakingly than before and is showcased in
ever more ambitious settings (which, however,
proudly retain the traditional session feel that
marked the first album) but also he gets to play
the uilleann pipes (hurrah!). Now the sprightly
opening set of reels certainly has the "more of
the same but even better" feel about it, as it's
very similar in style and execution to
comparable tracks on Gavin's first album.
Nothing at all wrong with that of course. But
it's one of the many delights of Gavin's
playing, that he can make "just another set of
reels" sound completely fresh, as he proves with
his unhurried yet still joyous tempo for the
Mountain Lark/Paddy Killoran's/Hut On Statten
Island reel-set (track 3).
Once again, as the album progresses, I'm
marveling afresh on each track at Gavin's
supreme dexterity, his exemplary breath control,
his clean and precise intonation that never
sacrifices musicality at any cost, and that
delicious sense of joy in his playing that
bounces back and forth between Gavin and his
fellow musicians. A good example of the latter
trait is the hornpipe The Hunt (track 9), where
the interplay with fiddler Finbarr and
bouzoukist Eoín is a constant delight. For once
again Gavin's surrounded himself with a tight
little pool of brilliant young players, all but
one of whom (keyboardist Peter Eades) had
already lent such a distinctive sound to Gavin's
first album: the roster comprises Donnchadh
Moynihan and Gavin Ralston (guitars), Eoín
O'Neil (bouzouki), Colm Murphy (bodhrán), Zoë
Conway (fiddle), Finbarr Naughton (mandolin,
fiddle) and Aoghàn Lynch (concertina). Zoë's
wonderfully spirited duet with Gavin's pipes on
the Paddy Mills/Connacht Heifers set (track 8)
is tremendous, and a definite highlight of the
whole album. But I also really liked Gavin's way
with the slow airs, particularly his heartfelt
rendition of The Yellow Bittern (definitely not
a case of "twice shy" there!). Gavin also rings
the changes from his largely traditional
approach to the tunes with a couple of
unexpectedly syncopated arrangements which work
very well - like the hornpipe set at track 12.
This is another really exhilarating, enjoyable
and repeatable release from Gavin, one that
restores the good name of traditional Irish
instrumental music to those who may have given
it up after years of flashy sessioner-products.
I've only one complaint (and that a very minor
one) - the text of Gavin's excellent booklet
notes (where he's admirably meticulous in
crediting his sources) is virtually unreadable
in the middle panel of the three (insufficient
contrast with the white print on beige
background!).
Otherwise, this finely-presented package is a
real credit to Gavin - as is his superb
website...
www.gavinwhelan.ie
........................................................................................................................................
Gavin Whelan “Another Time”
William Ramoutar - Irish Ways Radio Programme (WFCF
88.5fm Florida)
No meanderings through quiet Country roads on
the whistle here! This is taking the Country by
storm! He is superb at taking the tunes from
great masters of Irish music, such as Tommy Reck,
Paddy Taylor, Séan Ryan, Willie Clancy, Joe
Derrane, Christy Barry and even newer generation
ones as Kevin Crawford, Frankie Gavin etc.
Turning the tunes on their head and giving them
a new full head of steam to appeal to new
audiences and maybe the young, who will go on to
become disciples and musicians of this music we
call traditional.
And yet there are such tender treatments of some
tunes that their time seems to have expired, as
not so many people look to record, or play them
anymore.
Listen to his version of Anach Cuain. It would
bring tears to the hardest of hearts. I have to
thank him for this one, as I can look at this
marvelous old tune as if I had never heard it
before. The sadness of the incident that
inspired it’s composition is there for all to
behold. Sheer history in the making this is.
I cannot imagine anything better than the way he
is playing now and yet, I know I thought
similarly, when I heard his first self titled
release in 2001.
Another added advantage of CDs is that now,
unlike in the old days, when you listened to
music on your vinyl albums, being able to hear
where the Artists paused for a breath and from
this, you can learn much more from the
technology. Many question it’s authenticity as a
vehicle for the true sound of the music, but if
you learn more from it, what more can you ask.
Gavin is a true interpreter of absolute gems of
traditional tunes, as you can tell from his
respectful treatment of these tunes and his
ornamentation, where, if he wanted to show where
really his extraordinary musical talent has
reached, he could head off into the
stratosphere. However, through the intricate
weaving of notes and flowing from one tune into
another, he shows the true beauty of so many of
the tunes. His sheer restraint in not
overplaying, yet displaying the tunes in the
manner you know their authors must surely have
meant.
Did I mention he plays the Pipes? No, well yes,
he does. He has a great set with one of the new
ingénues of “The Music”, Zöe Conway. In fact,
his choice of accompanists on this cd is second
to none.
If there is something amiss with this new
effort, I dare someone to point it out to us.
People buy music for many reasons nowadays. To
drive with, to relax by, to even work with.
There is no excuse for you not to buy this. The
music presented here will stay with me for a
long time. There is something here to listen to
every day.
Another Time may be the title of the album, but,
Forever in Time, might be the true extent of
it’s longevity.
I live in Florida now and have done so for over
20 years, but this fellow's music would make me
want to move back to Tallaght. Good Man Gavin!
You’re a Star!
........................................................................................................................................
Another Time Review
Eight/Ten, Sarah McQuaid, Hotpress
Another Time is the second solo album for
whistle player Gavin Whelan, a Tallaght native
who released his self- titled debut in 2002.
Whelan has a lovely style that combines
smoothness and fluidity with solid rhythm, and
it’s well served by the spare arrangements here.
Particularly nice are the two tracks with Aogán
Lynch on concertina and Calico’s Donnacha
Moynihan on guitar, there’s also a terrific
unaccompanied duet with fiddler Zoe Conway (who
used to play with Whelan in the band Dál Riada)
that’s also the track on which Whelan plays
uilleann pipes instead of whistle. He’s no
slouch on the pipes, and it’s a pity he doesn’t
make more use of them. Guitarist Gavin Ralston
provides a beautiful chordal counterpoint to an
instrumental version of the old song ‘The Yellow
Bittern’ while Keybords courtesy of Peter Eades
on the slow air ‘Anach Cuain’ are spine –tinglingly
effective (which coming from this confirmed
synth-hater is high praise indeed).
........................................................................................................................................
Another Time Review
[4/5]
Conor Smyth - Connected
We’re not exactly renowned for our coverage of
Irish music here at connected, but that’s not to
say were averse to it, and to give credit were
its due, this is a very good record. Out on
Tallaght Records, Another Time’ sees Gavin
Whelan arrange no less that 29 jigs and reels
into 13 single tunes. Gavin’s a fairly well
known whistle player and uillean piper on the
Dublin scene and he’s ably assisted here by
Donnacha Moynihan (guitar) and Colm
Murphy(bodhran), among others. The arrangement
and mastering cant be knocked, providing a pacy
and entertaining slice of traditional Irish
music, with each song accompanied by a footnote
explaning its orgins. Gavin posses a great
appreciation of the workings of traditional
music and is highly recommended live.
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Gavin Whelan – CD Launch
‘Another Time’ WHELANS
Brian O’ Gaibhin - Irish Music Magazine
21st August, 2006
A packed Whelan’s of Wexford Street were treated
to a soul lifting evening of one of the finest
traditional music nights witnessed in Dublin in
a long time. Gavin Whelan (Whistle), Donnacha
Moynihan(guitar) and Tristean Rosenstock, (bodhrán)
enthralled the audience with a fantastic evening
of what can only be described as honest to God
pure traditional music. The evening began with
some fine singing from Phil Callery with backing
from the audience who were fortunate to get onto
Whelan’s that evening. As everyone waited for
one of the finest young exponents of the tin
whistle to take the stage there was an
atmosphere of anticipation and excitement that
was not to be disappointed.
One could not have better scripted rhythm filled
the room with Tristean on the bodhrán and
Donnacha Moynihan on guitar and than it all just
happened. Gavin Whelan filled his lungs and
began what only can be described as probably one
of the finest set of pulsating set of reels to
grace any stage. I have heard Gavin’s playing
being described as ‘simple and unpretentious and
his fluent approach to jigs. Reels, hornpipes,
highlands and slow airs is expressive, tasteful
and beautiful ,placing him in the ranks of great
whistle players such as Mary Bergin, Sean Ryan
and Micho himself. Never has a truer word been
spoken. And it just got better another set of
up-tempo reels, followed by a wonderful
selection of jigs. With an eager audience
shouting for more, Gavin once again changed the
dynamics of the evening bringing a mystic calm
to the full Whelan’s with hypnotic rendition of
‘An Bonnán Buí. Just when we taught it was all
over Gavin returned to the stage with Tony Quinn
on bodhrán, Barra Mcillester on flute, Danny
Moran on guitar/singing, and Andy Leighton on
fiddle for an impromptu, rhythmic set of reels
and jigs which was accompanied by a yelping,
toe-taping exited audience in Whelan’s. It was
one of those nights that you just didn’t want to
end.
To some it all up…. If you haven’t
heard…listen..
If You haven’t seen…go enjoy now ….pick up a
copy of his new album entitled ‘Another time’
And treat yourself to a rare wonderful talent of
traditional Irish Whistle playing a breath of
fresh air. Go fada buan thú Gavin agus chuid
ceoil...
........................................................................................................................................
Homegrown talent
Tallaght whistle player launches second album
The Tallaght Echo
A young Tallaght man, who is making waves in the
world of traditional Irish music, took his
biggest step yet when he launched his second
album last week.
Another time which follows his self –titled
debut album Gavin Whelan’. Was launched at a big
hooley in Whelans last Monday night (August 21)
Gavin, who is just 27, and was born and raised
in Tallaghts Belgard Heights, has established
himself as one of Irelands most prominent
traditional musicians,
Gavin’s instrument of choice is one of the
easiest on the ear and probably has the most
history and tradition – the tin whistle.
But while a traditional band is not complete
without a tin whistle player, Gavin has greater
ambitions – he wants to get the whistle
established as a solo instrument and travelling
the world wooing crowds with his talent.
He said ‘’I have been working really hard
recently, pushing the album. I hope it will be a
success and help me establish myself as a solo
artist. If I am solo, I can choose who I want to
work with and will give me so much freedom.’’
Musical freedom is clearly very important to
Gavin, as he set up his own record label-
Tallaght Records. He said I taught setting up my
own label would give me a lot more scope and
freedom in the type of music I could record and
the people I could work with.
Considering the fact I am from Tallaght and
lived here all my life. I wanted to get that
into the name. So I went with Tallaght records
it says it all really,’’
Bu t despite the fact the album is not out on a
major record label, it will not be hard to get
your hands on copy, An other time will be
distributed by the well known Irish music
company Claddagh Records, and will be available
in all the major record shops.
Gavin started working on the album three years
ago and it has taken up so much of his time that
now he cannot wait to get back playing again.
He said I’m doing so music work on the album
that playing comes last. So I can’t wait to get
back into it and start touring Ireland again.
And break into Europe and America too.
........................................................................................................................................
A TALENT FROM TALLAGHT
John Brophy meets up with Gavin Whelan on
the release of his new album.
Irish Music Magazine - September 2006
The summons came from high? Or maybe it was left
field, Gavin Whelan has a new CD for launch, and
we’d better have a chat a chat with him about
it. Sir. So I duly
Phoned Gavin in the damp month of July, and the
voice at the other end said; ‘I'm
Teaching a class at the Willie Clancy week, call
back in a half an hour.’’ Which I did. Feeling
very silly that I should have known that in the
sacred week of the summer the only possible
place for a whistle player to be was in Miltown
Malbay. Now one thing we all know is that the
music happens best in its own good time, and
those who play it are of like temperament . So
it’s about a week later that we managed to get a
quiet place in Tallaght, with a view a view over
the hills. there is the Hellfire Club, now
surrounded by pine trees it was once the venue
for some pretty good parties, you can see the
big TV mast on Kippure, this is near to heather
and the boggy hills, its were the old poems say
Fionn Mac Cumhail and his mates used to hunt
wild boar, and its were Gavin calls home.
Its also a new town, just 35 minutes from city
centre on the new light rail system, and the
ambient music is far more likely to be the
heaviest of metal rather than sean-nos. and from
this paradoxical environment, enters Gavin who
is determined to make the whistle acknowledged
as a solo instrument in its own right and
determined to make a career of playing and
teaching it. Even after a few minutes talking
and a quick look at the track list are enough to
convince anyone that Gavin is in great shape to
do it. On first listing, you can feel the sinewy
strength of the playing, and the understanding
that comes from years of listing to and playing
with musicians for whom the tunes are as natural
as breathing, It also proves the point that you
can listen to recording and learn from them, but
basically traditional music is about meeting
people. Learning from them and the sharing the
experience of playing together. And it’s a mark
of the real player that he is always meticulous
about giving the provenance of a tune.
Gavin has two tunes from Paddy O Brian, The
Small hills of Offaly and the Trip to Bantry.
From Phil Cunningham, he has the Hut from Staten
Island and Hogties. He Also has the Swan
composed by Sean Ryan and The Homecoming by Eoin
O'Neil Paddy Mills composed by Paddy Mills,
Whilst Pip Murphy is author of The Trip to
Cullenstown. Gavin sees the second CD as a
logical follow – on from the first there were
plenty of tunes which he had played once, but
which kept forcing themselves back through the
memory barrier and by their persistence they
demand to be recorded.
In an analogous way, the musicians guesting on
this collection are people whom he has come to
know over the years, and who share the happy
security of a common vibe. There’s Zoë Conway on
fiddle, Finbarr Naughton on mandolin and fiddle,
Donach Moynihan and and Gavin Ralston on guitars
Eoin O'Neill on bouzouki, Colm Murphy in bodhran,
Aogán Lynch on concertina and Peter Eades on
Keyboards. Gavin himself was producer, and he
also is his own manager . For Gavin, the freedom
of choosing the tunes to be played and who will
play and when, are essential ingredients of his
own vision. So is having is own label, Tallaght
records, But there’s also the work of managing
the website (www.gavinwhelan,ie) When we spoke
he was looking into getting it organised to
include details of the new arrivial. A new CD is
a bit like a baby? It needs undivided care and
attention.
And how did you survive the Willie Clancy week?
I asked him. Well, he loves giving classes and
workshops, and there are still pupils coming all
over the world to learn about our music . He has
definite views about concentrating on tone and
technique? it’s more important two find out how
two do things right. Otherwise a player will
arrive able two play say ten tunes and leave
with another ten but all played badly as the
first lot. It’a far more valuable to learn by a
simple correction you can stop making all does
unpleasant sounds and provide a rhymitic and
convincing performance, even on such small
repertoire.
Nowadays he is playing whistles made by John
Sindt in New York. For a long while he stuck
with the Generation, Did you ever try the
susatos? I ask. (from my own experience the
curved fipple gives extra volume needed for a
session).they need a lot of control not to sound
shrill at the top end, In a session its not
necessary to be actually to be heard but for the
whistle tone to blend in with the overall sound
and make its own contribution. On this CD it
comes through especially on the tracks with
concertina. But now a trade secret, he uses C
whistles on the two slow airs, but a lot of the
fast tunes are up in Eb, He loves the bit of
extra shine and brightness that comes from going
up the semi tone (string players please bring a
capo). Was he tempted to move on to the concert
flute? No not really. He does play pipes
occasionally, his set is from Donnacha Keegan
from Leixlip, and he has one track on this
album, a duet with Zoë Conway, which sounded
fine so he chose to include it. But his whole
inner wear revolves around the sound of the
whistle, Gavin played with Micho Russell and it
was in Co. Clare that his ear was opened to feel
the pace of the music that comes through on the
album, He acknowledges a debt to Paul McGrattan
for many tunes, and also to the Irish
Traditional Music Archive, which he describes as
Dublin's best kept secret. If ever there was a
place to get side tracked the ITMA is, and he’s
really looking forward to its move down the
street to bigger premises, For inspiration he’s
grateful for the lead given by players like Mary
Bergin and Sean Ryan in proving that the whistle
isn't just a toy or tourist souvenir. Now he’s
determined to that it can be a principal solo
instrument.
It’s only four years since we here in Irish
Music nominated him as best traditional
newcomer, in 2004 he was invited by Music
Network to headline the Best of Irish, the New
Generation tour. With him were Zoë Conway,
Donnacha Moynihan and Aogán Lynch and now there
back on this album. By now he gas a fair few
festivals under his belt, all the way from
Finland to Tel Aviv. Yes folks Irish music is
big in Israel (like every were else). He also
has great memories of the 2003 music of the
Northlands tour, that went across Scandinavia in
a large bus. They performed in Finland, Sweden,
the Faroe Islands, England, and finished at the
Glor centre in Ennis. It was an international
tour with Chris Wood on fiddle and vocals from
England, Angelika Neilson, fiddle from the Faroe
Islands and Synnoves Bjorset on Hardanger
fiddle? Yes, she’s from Norway. There are two
other people to thank, Gavin’s parents, Tell me,
'did they ever tell you to forget the music and
get a proper job' No, says Gavin, "they were
also enthusiastic and believed in what I was
doing." And this CD proof that there faith is
being amply repaid.
........................................................................................................................................
Gavin Whelan - Another Time -
Tallaght Records
Siobhan Long - The Irish Times.
Tin Whistle player and piper Gavin Whelan
launches headlong into his second solo album
with a pair of tunes sets that rattle and hum
towards a heady crescendo that’s hints a frantic
pirouetting towards oblivion. Thankfully, wisdom
prevails, and Whelan lowers the temperature
palpably with a throaty fiddle introduction from
Zoë Conway on the reel set, The Mountain Lark. A
textured backdrop of bouzouki a and mandolin
alongside Whelan’s feisty piping on Paddy Milla
are proof positive that he has more on his mind
than a mere flexing musical muscles, The jig set
bookended by Joe Derane’s and the Homecoming
(the latter composed by bouzouki player Eoin O
Neill) captures the agile flightiness of the
whistle, amid a repertoire bursting at the seams
with originality, vim and no small amount of
vigor.
........................................................................................................................................
Another Time Review
Sean Laffey - Irish Music Magazine.
Firstly the selection of tunes is admirably
wide, only 5 sets of reels from the thirteen on
offer. We get hornpipes, jigs, a hornpipe a
highland and two slow airs, the wider the remit
the better, it is for the musical community and
of course extends its appeal to those hunting
for new tunes. Secondly the production, this is
cut glass, shining crystal, full. Reflecting all
the colours of the instruments, each track sings
out from the CD player. Whelan surrounds himself
with some if the best players around and they
bring there won unmistakable energy to the
project. Consider that he has Zoë Conway(fiddle)
Eoin O Neill (Bouzouki) Colm Murphy(bodharn),
Aogán Lynch (concertina), Gavin Ralstan
(Guitar), Finbarr Naughton (mandolin/fiddle),
Peter Eades(Keybords), and Donnacha Moynihan on
(guitar), and you see how success all over it.
Whelan restricts his palette to mainly duo and
trio combinations what we get are little cameo
pieces, Where all the instruments in the
ensembles are allowed to shine out. On “The Buck
from the tree” hornpipe Eoin O Neill can build
an intricate bouzouki back line, whilst Whelan
delivers up front on the whistle melody . The
ability for the whistle to blend and contrast
with other instruments, whish is often lost in
pub sessions, is addressed here, his”McConnell’s
Highland” pairs beautifully in the unison
introduction with Aogán Lynch’s concertina and
is given extra weight in the bass my Moynihan’s
guitar on the “Laccaro Reel” which kicks this
selection into a stronger and more menacing
gear. The slow air”Anach Cuain”, works against
the cloth of a sensitive Keyboard accompaniment
from Peter Eades, you may mock electric
technology in trad music, but such a combination
would not have been as effective with a regular
piano( you’d need pipes or a cello).
I particularly enjoyed the whistle and bodhrán
accompaniment on “Paddy Taylor’s”, Colm Murphy
following each twist and triplet of the tune and
not a hint of top end tipper pyrotechnics which
are now becoming all two frequently applied
without thought to many trad albums. I’m a big
fan of Eoin O’ Neill’s bouzouki playing and he
plays a master class on “The Mountain Lark”
which builds to a full band sound as the
selection closes with the “Hut on Staten
Island”, ‘tis my favourite track OK?
This is Whelan’s second album and the whistle
player from Tallaght continues to impress!
........................................................................................................................................
Another Time Review
Mich Gulbrand Nielsen
www.michn.dk Denmark
When I heard Gavin Whelan’s debut CD I was taken
aback by the wonderful music he makes on his tin
whistle. It’s is simply amazing how such an
insignificant looking little thing can be turned
into a powerful musical instrument in the hands
of the right person. I know I have said this
before, but it is still true on Whelan’s second
CD Another Time.
Although most tunes on the CD are jigs and
reels, Whelan proves that he also masters slow
airs on the very evocative Anach Cuain. Peter
Eades plays wonderfully subdued keyboards on
that track. He is just one of many great
musicians who have joined Whelan to make this
CD. Most of the musicians backing Whelan were
also on his first CD. It’s a recipe that worked
so well, so why change it? The only thing
different from his first CD (apart from the
tunes, of course) is the inclusion of the pipes.
Whelan is a fine piper and I wish he had
included just a couple of more tracks where he
plays the pipes. I love listening to his duet
with Zoë Conway on Paddy Mill’s/ The Connacht
Heifers.
There are not many “solo” tin whistle CD’s out,
so when one comes out and it is of such high
standards as Another Time, there’s no excuse for
not buying it.
Tallaght Records TACD 02
........................................................................................................................................
Another Time Review
Claddagh Records
This is the 2nd and superb album by Tallaght
born Tin Whistle player. Gavin Whelan is widely
regarded as one of the finest exponents of the
tin whistle. In 2002 Gavin released his solo
album, to rave reviews on his own label, simply
titled 'Gavin Whelan'. This time around he
revisits the same excellent formula by using
similar musicians. It features Zoë Conway,
Donnacha Moynihan, Finbarr Naughton, Aogan
Lynch, and Gavin Ralston amongst others. These
musicians are like himself, in that they are in
the first rank of the new wave of younger Irish
traditional musicians.
........................................................................................................................................
Gavin Whelan launches his long
awaited new album at…Whelan’s
Clondalkin Gazette
Whelan’s of Wexford was packed to the rafters on
Monday night for the launch of Another Time, the
haunting new album from one of the leading
exponents of the tin whistle, Gavin Whelan, The
Tallaght man has fast been making a name for
himself with his chosen instrument and his
simple unpretentious approach to jigs, reels,
hornpipes, highlands and slow airs.
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