The Spilled Pint

Dale and Darcy Cahill are joined here by long-time friends Neil Rossi and Will Patton to produce an interesting project of mostly Irish/Celtic flavored instrumental medleys.  

Rossi and the Cahills have been playing together for over 15 years in the New England area and are often joined by Patton on bass. Dale plays guitar, Darcy plays fiddle and viola, while Neil plays fiddle, mandolin and banjo. Guests on this project include Kevin Burgett (uilleann pipes, tin whistle), Lucy Andrews Cummin (harp), Liam Hart (flute, tin whistle), Deirdre Lockman (fiddle), and Corey Purcell (bodhran, accordion). 

While the group includes bluegrass, Americana and roots music in their repertoire, it is the fun of performing jigs, reels and waltzes that has prompted them to create this album. Rossi is credited as the writer of these tunes and each cut is a medley of similar-sounding creations which often feature twin fiddling accompanied by the other instruments. 

Selections include “Cat By The Stove/Cal Owen’s Jig/Dave Fuller’s,” “Donna’s Waltz/Alden’s Waltz,” “Hawk In The Meadow/Laufman’s Reel/Rick Lee’s Reel,” “New Moon Waltz/Snow Pines,” “Fegy’s Farewell/Farewell To Winter” and “Snows Of January/Thrush By The Stream/The Last Cut,” just to name a few. 

For each grouping the project’s liner notes give a description of how Rossi came to create them, which is fun to read. This is a very good release from the Cahills.