Diamond Mountain Sessions
Born in County Clare, Sharon Shannon is a charismatic musician who is equally at home on button accordion or fiddle. This set commences with Galicia's reveredgaita(bagpipe) virtuoso,Carlos Núñez, leading a mazurka-like tune that morphs into what sounds like a syncopated Spanish-Irish jig. There are Francophone references throughout the album; "Galway Girl" (sung bySteve Earle) and "Say You Love Me" are Cajun-flavored barroom stomps, while "The Pernod Waltz" would be a perfect fit in Quebec. The vocal soloists--Earle,John Prine, Liam O'Maonlai, John Hoban, Mary Staunton, Dessie O'Halloran, andJackson Browne, are either idiomatic or else so far beyond that it ceases to matter. Other notable participants include the Woodchoppers (Shannon's touring band), theHothouse Flowers, andDonal Lunny(the Quincy Jones of Ireland.) Even amid so much talent and variety, "Fire in the Bellies," which features the robust fiddling of Liz and Yvonne Kane, demands repeated hearings.--Christina Roden