Red Knot
Reviews from the Atlanta Celtic Quarterly
Red Knot

All reviews by David Marcus unless otherwise noted.
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Album Cover Smooth and Lively
The Dangerous Reel: Mike Rafferty, flute, whistle, uillean pipes; Mary Rafferty, button accordion, flute, whistle; with Gabriel Donohue, piano, guitar, bodhrán) Kells Music KM 9509; 20 tracks, 52'11".
Track listing & Ordering Info
Lovely and lilting, this father-and-daughter album sounds as if it was made by two old friends who have been meeting for sessions a couple of times a week for many decades. They seem the kind of people who are comfortable with each other and communicate without a lot of words, telling stories with music and laughing about old times. Mike was born in 1926 in Ireland and though Mary (who appears with Cherish the Ladies) was raised in East New Jersey, their music is the music of East Galway.

In Mick Moloney's words: "The music of East Galway has a leisurely, animated swing that is subtly understated, It is actually more of a pulse than a swing ... the lilt of their music [is] so compelling and infectious that I have always felt within minutes that I was back in Woodford or Loughrea." Mike learned to play from his dad; he passed on the love and the gift to his daughter. I wish I'd had a relationship with my father like that. Grade: A-.

David Marcus  
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The Atlanta Red Knot Celtic Quarterly