Celtic Reflections: Misty-Eyed Morning
Growing up in Britain, Whelan won seven button-accordion championships in Ireland and moved to the U.S. in 1980 at age 20. He's not only a quick-fingered player but quite a melodic composer as well, and he wrote a dozen of the 14 tracks onCeltic Reflections. The most successful numbers are the most traditional, for on those Whelan and such old pals as Patrick Kilbride, Seamus Egan, and Jerry O'Sullivan put the bright themes through one bouncy variation after another. Less successful are the synth-soaked mood pieces.--Geoffrey Himes