Both Irish fiddler
Martin Hayes and the string quartet
Brooklyn Rider have experimented with cross-genre fusions on their own, making this collaboration something of a natural thing. It is well-formed, musically expert, and highly evocative, not simply because of the lovely tunes involved but because of the intelligent sequence of events. The collection is firmly rooted in Irish traditional soils, with 10 of the 12 tracks based on Irish traditional tunes (the other two are the opening Maghera Mountain, by
Hayes himself, and Bob and Bernie, by
Peadar Ó Riada, son of
Sean). That orientation is clearly stated upfront, with
Brooklyn Rider playing a largely accompanimental role in the first few tracks. Then things open up, with arrangements by
Brooklyn Rider's
Colin Jacobsen and
Nicholas Cords as well as other composers. The tunes get atomized a bit, and the quartet takes part in their participation in various ways, but they don't tip over into avant-garde territory. The fascinating title track (sample The Butterfly) comes the closest. Other accompaniments are minimal, like Ship in Full Sail, arranged by
Kyle Sanna. Overall the tone is brisk, but sentiment, as in the finale Hole in the Hedge, is not excluded. The album is beautifully recorded, represents something of an Irish-American fusion, and suggests many new avenues of collaboration. Of interest and recommended both to contemporary quartet buffs and fans of the likes of
Chris Thile. ~ James Manheim