The Jordan TW Trio have recently released this fine document of their live performance at The Cedar House recording studio and venue.. Located in North Sutton, New Hampshire, Cedar Wood, owned by Gerry Putnam, have added a concert series and he and the trio decided last minute to record the material which became this live CD. Produced by trio leader Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki, Puthan handled the editing, mixing, and mastering. The result: brilliant interpretations of the The Jordan TW Trio’s Celtic standards and Celtic influenced originals.
Opening number, “Georgie’s/BucksOf Oranamore/The Mountain Road” commences with a mellow, pretty fiddle melody from Tirrell-Wysocki, a line that bounces merrily over acoustic guitar and upright bass. That fiddle eventually thins out into a sweet line that contrasts beautifully with the crisper acoustic guitar. A lively eruption into a livelier melody and rhythm. The listener can picture the locals in a centuries old town having a merry time at a barn dance.
“Mick Ryan’s Lament” centers on Tirrell-Wysocki’s raw, husky croon. He sings handsomely over a chugging acoustic guitar strum and a bulbous rhythm. More melodic acoustic guitar notes add to the forlorn emotion of this tale and make for a pleasant instrumental break. One can feel the history in this tune as it hearkens back to all of the Celtic idioms of yore.
This trio is rounded out by guitarist Matthew Jensen and upright bass player Chris Noyes. These two players fit their instruments around the fiddle lines as comfortably and smoothly as an warm pair of gloves.
A gentle folk song, “From Clare To Here” features Tyrrell-Wynsocki’s sandpapery vocal, over a warm acoustic guitar chord progression, practically breathing the harsh history this music hales from. He makes one feel his nostalgic longing for another place. Each verse ends with a bittersweet tenderness and that vocal, combined with that acoustic guitar, feels like the only beacon in a dreary vista.
“Cup Of Tea/Catharsis” is a brisk affair, with Tyrrell-Wysocki’s fiddle bounding and racing its way through a sparse sonic landscape of acoustic guitar. To hear both instruments prance along, side by side, like gazelles in the woods, is a treat for the ears, a suspenseful race of notes. Pure urgency is in the air as the players are constantly unreeling the action packed tune.
A somber mood comes from a down tempo fiddle on “Neil Gow’s Lament For His Second Wife/Calum’s Road/the Virginia.” Tirrell-Wysocki gives us a glimpse into Gow’s aching heart while he faces a heart wrenching loss for a second time. The fiddle bows and presses something mournful but respectful, a minor key series of fiddle notes that make us picture Gow forcing himself through his days as dreariness envelops him. This segues into a zippier tune in which the fiddle practically whistles out a thin, brisk melody, a perfect foil to an acoustic guitar which races beside for a thicker run of notes.
The more acoustic guitar driven “Padday’s Lament” gives Tirrell-Wysocki’s vocal a warm place to stand in. About an Irish American civil war soldier, the lyrics lament the horrors of war which ring especially loud for those Irish immigrants who fled their own barren landscape for food and opportunity. Wishing to be back in “dear old Dublin,” the lyrics, and the voice singing them, really puts the listener in the moment.
On everyone’s list of favorite Irish songs, “The Wild Rover” gets a special send up here. Tirrell-Wysocki’s history tinged vocal timbre brings the celebratory feeling home. All of the rippling acoustic notes here carry this warm sing along to the live audience present for the recording and for those of us hearing it on our speakers.
“Charley Murry’s Waltz” feels like a lament. The fiddle melody is dipped in more than its fair share of sorrow. Tender acoustic guitar notes unfurl around it with considerate accents. To hear that fiddle move its way around with a longing for something lost, and, to hear that acoustic guitar gently toss in mellow chords and motion is to feel what this piece is all about.
Campfire song “I Feel So Near” is an intimate number. Sparse, understated accompaniment from an acoustic guitar gives Tirrell-Wysocki’s voice a warm home as he conjures closeness and all that it offers. This one ambles along with an amicable tone, something that moving with the kind of warmth it gives off.
Back to a brisker pace, “Red-Haired Boy/Killavil/Dinky Dorian” will make any listener want to dance a jig or maybe even learn how to step dance. Its bouncy, uptempo notes will keep everyone on their feet at the local pub when this Celtic trio entertains during the holidays.
“Drunken Lullabies” is as lively as its title portends. Tirrell-Wysocki’s rhythmic pace is so fast here that only step dancers and tap dancers could move their feet to this unstoppable beat. Harmony vocals lend a historic charm to this piece, as it reminds us that many would sing along to these tunes in days of old.
The most haunting track on this live CD, “Star Of The County Down” features the Vernon Chorale, a choral so rich in ethereal tones that one might think one is going to heaven. In fact, heaven just might be this choir juxtaposed with the mournful fiddle wail and its carefully picked acoustic guitar companion. There are so many good things going on in this piece that each pulls at the ear with equal force.
Closing out track “Parting Glass” feels like goodbye for now as harmony vocals thicken a bittersweet melody line. It’s a fine acapella number that inspires as much feeling as the accompanied songs.
The Jordan TW Trio offer a lot of memorable moments on this Live At Cedarhouse CD. The songs are endearing and the sound quality is strong. We can only hope that the folks at Cedarhouse continue to set up for more recordings at their studio venue.
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