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His debut album Gavin Whelan, self-issued in
2002, has him recording with a plethora of
musicians both well-known from associations with
bands like De Dannan, Danú, and Slide, and
session players like Eoin O'Neill, Ian Lambe and
Zoe Conway. The music is as hot as Whelan's
energetic playing and his enthusiastic
accompanists - Colm Murphy flakes some mighty
bodhrán on Seamus Connolly's and Eoin O'Neill's
bouzouki adds subtle undercurrents to James
Byrne's Highlands. Brogan's Ferry has Whelan
joining fiddler Zoe Conway, Ian Lambe and Eoin
O'Neill for a track redolent of a good session.
His solo spots are equally momentous especially
'Bean Dubh an Ghlenanna' where his restrained
playing transmits the necessary melancholia
devoid of technical overkill. Gavin Whelan's
music and his application is passionate, fiery
and most of all, he plays like he means it.
There is a hunger here that same hunger that
Shannon and Gavin had when they were first
kicking up the dust. Gavin Whelan is an album of
passionate traditional music enhanced by a soul
and gumption that many bigger leaguers lack.
Gavin Whelan is a name worth remembering.
The Green Man Review
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Gavin Whelan: Timeless Magic - A young Artist
with both talent and dreams.
Everybody understands that music in Ireland has
huge big value, different
generations produce great musicians, and Gavin
is now to be considered to be
one of these.
This is one album that collectors who love irish
music must buy.
Alfredo De Pietra, Keltika Magazine
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It's usual to say that a lot of Irish musicians
begin with the tin whistle and after that a
change of instrument. Gavin Whelan proves that
this instrument is just as important as the
others.(fiddle,guitar bodhran....)
The playing of Gavin is brilliant, traditional
and in the same time actual with a young
touch.This CD is great, Gavin is having the same
succès as others like(Sean Ryan,
Mary Bergin...).
Gavin is an amazing example of what it is
possible to do with a"simple tin whistle"with
magic fingers.
Yann-Erwan programme"le petit jus Irlandais" on
www.radio-bro-gwened.com
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Gavin Whelan - GAVIN WHELAN (Own Label)
One of Ireland's leading young exponents of the
tin-whistle, south-Dublin-born Gavin's first
(eponymous) CD is a delightful sequence of
tune-sets played and arranged with taste and
imagination. The tunes he plays originate from
various sources, but mostly from Co. Clare,
although Gavin's careful to credit his own
sources as well as any compositional credits
where known. The recording is as clean and clear
as Gavin's fabulous playing, and he's
accompanied stylishly (and admirably
selectively) by some of the great young
high-profile names from today's thriving Irish
traditional music scene: Colm Murphy and
Donnchadh Gough (bodhráns), Eoín O'Neil and Mick
Brodrick (bouzoukis), Ian Lamb, Gavin Ralston
and Donnchadh Moynihan (guitars), Zoë Conway
(fiddle), Finbarr Naughton (mandolin) and Aoghàn
Lynch (concertina). (Mick and Zoë had been
members of Gavin's original band Dal Riada.) But
what a discovery Gavin himself is - I know of
few tin-whistle players whom I could sincerely
describe as permanently exciting, but Gavin's
one of them, no doubt about it; the fluid, and
yet mellifluous, precision of his fingerwork is
fascinating, and I never once tired of the tone
of his instrument even though it's inevitably a
major presence throughout the CD. Tracks 2 and 8
are whistle-and-bodhrán duets (with Colm) that
just demand to be repeated at once, while track
4's Highlands set is delicacy personified and
the fleet-footed mandolin and bouzouki work
provides the ideal foil for Gavin's marvellous
dexterity on the set of hornpipes (track 9). The
relatively few tracks involving more than just
two or three musicians fly by like nobody's
business, deftly yet without any sense of undue
hurrying, with every strand of the texture
limpid and uncluttered. Faultless playing, but
that definitely doesn't mean soulless. I'm not
exaggerating when I say that the whole album is
one of the most purely enjoyable releases of
Irish traditional instrumental music on the
market today.
David Kidman, Net Rythms.
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This is the liveliest tin whistle CD I have ever
heard. Gavin Whelan breathes life into a whistle
indeed. When you hear the first cut of Reels:
"The Blackhaired Lass"/"The Mountain Top"/"Paddy
Faheys" it is not that you want to get up and
dance, as indeed you do, but that the whistle
itself does have a life of it's own. And Gavin
Whelan keeps up the pace throughout right to the
end with "Michael Relihan's"/"Gan Ainm"/"Paddy
Touhey's." Even the "quiet" pieces, such as the
beautiful "Beann Dubh An Ghleanna" have that
energy. This says much of the man Gavin Whelan
as well as the musician.
Along with a great team of supporting musicians,
who also have a great spark
of life in their performance here Gavin Whelan
has created a CD that his
parents, who the CD is dedicated to, should feel
proud of. -AK
Celtic Beat Magazine
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On first listening to this album by Irish
whistle player Gavin Whelan the first word that
popped straight into my head was "virtuoso" ~
what a talented player Gavin is and what a great
re-interpreter of traditional Irish tunes he is
too.
Most of the tracks feature between 2 and 4 tunes
segued/welded together to form a single piece ~
a trick used by many traditional Irish musicians
and one that works well here.
Backed by various traditional instruments, it's
on the fast-paced tunes that Gavin's playing
really stands out ~ just listen to the intricacy
of his playing on track 5 "The Eel In The
Sink/"Mamma's Pet"/"Miss Langfords". That said,
Gavin is equally at home on the slower paced
"Slow Airs". He shows a real delicate touch on
track 6 "A Hiuadai Pheadair" ~ this tune reminds
me a
bit of some of the music featured in the recent
"Lord Of The Rings" trilogy of films.
The problem with featuring an album that focuses
solely on one instrument is that the music can
start to sound a wee bit "samey." Gavin neatly
avoids falling into this trap by featuring
different combinations of acoustic instruments
on each track ~ fiddle and bouzouki on one tune,
concertina and guitar on another. This approach
works well as there's plenty of light and shade,
not only with the different pacings of the
various melodies but also with the variety of
instruments used to back them.
Of the tunes featured here, I particularly liked
tracks 1, 5 & 6 ("A Hiuadai Pheadair") being a
personal favourite. Other highlights include the
solo "Dark Woman Of The Glen" and "Tie The
Ribbons"/"The Girl That Broke My Heart"/"Devany's
Goat" but truth be told, there isn't a bad track
on the album.
Gavin has chosen some highly memorable/melodic
(and as mentioned above) intricate tunes to
showcase his undoubted abilities as a fine
whistle player. Musically, I was also impressed
with Zoe Conway's fiddle playing, Donnacha
Moynihan's gutsy acoustic guitar work and Colm
Murphy's tireless bodhran bashing!
"GAVIN WHELAN" is a highly entertaining album,
immaculately performed by a group of talented
musicians ~ which goes to show (yet again) what
a wealth of traditional talent there is in
Ireland!
"GAVIN WHELAN" was reviewed by Dave Walmsley
Star Ratings: ****
Fair Oaks Entertainment
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GAVIN WHELAN
From the word "go", on the CD of this wonderful
artist Gavin Whelan, you get the idea, this
lad's been around the block. Although still in
his early twenties, on one of the least
expensive of instruments, his tone on the
Generation whistles is exquisite. Excellent
interpretations of so many traditional tunes,
it's hard to single out one and the seemingly
effortless playing belie the fact that this is a
consummate artist at work. All the tunes are
superb examples of fiddle, whistle and pipe
tunes, and his talent never lets him down.
While the liner notes on the CD tell us the
origins of the tunes, who wrote them, who played
them; who he learned them from etc, Gavin could
hold his own in any company.
Whether the selection is a set of reels, jigs or
an air they are all given the respect they
deserve as they are all great tunes. He is a
fine musician.
He has surrounded himself with as good a band of
people as you could find. Both Donnacha Gough
and Colm Murphy are masters of the bodhrán and
Eoin O Neill is a musician's musician. Zoë
Conway is a young fiddle player who is going on
to great things, count on it. Also the
guitarists, mandolin, concertina and bouzouki
player all deserve mention, but it is Gavin
Whelan's CD and when you hear it, you'll know
why.
Although released in 2001, this CD, for any
serious collector of Irish music, is a must
find. You won't be disappointed.
William Ramoutar
IRISH WAYS PROGRAMME WFCF RADIO, ST AUGUSTINE,
FLORIDA U.S.A.
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Gavin Whelan, Gavin Whelan (Tallaght, 2001)
In these days of very heavily, sometimes
over-produced records and hordes of big-name
guest appearances, it is great to see a
traditional music player getting down to the
roots. The tin whistle is a musical instrument
that is all too often overlooked when we think
of music. Yet it is an instrument that is
relatively inexpensive and easily portable, and
if you listen to Gavin Whelan you will realize
it can be a magical item.
This CD gives us 15 examples of great
traditional sounds that come primarily from an
instrument that we all probably think we could
play -- but when you hear an expert like this
you realize it is just a thought.
He starts in Donegal with a set of reels that
lays the tone of the album -- good, clean, clear
and addictive. He later launches into a series
of jigs, reels and slow airs that traverse the
country. I particularly enjoyed a set of
Highland reels and the slow air "Dark Woman of
the Glen."
This CD will have many people wishing they could
play like this and dreaming of producing a tin
whistle from their inside pocket at weddings,
wakes and funerals to enthrall the crowds.
Unfortunately, most of us do not have the talent
of Gavin Whelan, so keep dreaming.
This album reminds me of the complex simplicity
of Irish traditional music. What sounds like an
impromptu tune has a history, has often evolved
from another instrumental incarnation and is
played with subtle backing of guitars, bouzouki
and bodhran to weave the spell. For those who
like Irish traditional tunes well played, this
is a must-have album.
by Nicky Rossiter Rambles.net
24 September 2005
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Whelan Delights With trad tunes
TRADITIONAL tunes to warm the heart, when
leading traditional tin whistle exponent and
respected teacher Gavin Whelan takes the Lobby
stage on
Saturday.
He will be joined by Tony Byrne (guitar/vocals)
and Tony Quinn (bodhran). Dubliner Gavin spent
Time in Doolin learning from the late Micho
Russell.
Indeed there are echoes of Micho in his playing.
He was a member of Dál Riada along with such
fine young peers as Zoe Conway and Mick Brodrick,
both of whom guest on Gavin’s debut solo album,
simply titled Irish Traditional Music, on his
own Tallaght Records.
The CD, like Gavin’s chosen instrument, is
simple and unpretetentious but his fluent
approach to jigs, reels, hornpipes, highands and
slow airs is expressive, tasteful and beautiful,
placing the 23 year old in the ranks of great
tin whistle exponants such as Mary Bergin, Sean
Ryan and Micho himself.
Also guesting on this production are Eoin O
Neill (bouzouki), Ian Lamb, Donacha Moynihan and
Gavin Ralston (guitars), Colm Murphy and
Donnacha Gough (bodhrán), Finbar Naughton
(mandolin) and Aogán Lynch (concertina).
Paul Dromey - The Evening Echo.
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The tin whistle is a musical instrument that is
all too often overlooked when we think of music.
Yet it is the one instrument that is relatively
inexpensive, easily portable and if you listen
to Gavin Whelan you will realise that it is a
magical item. This CD gives us fifteen examples
of great traditional sounds that come primarily
from an instrument that we all probably think we
could play but when you hear an expert like this
you realise it is just thought. From Donegal
with a set of reels that set the tone of the
album – good, clean, clear and addictive he
launches in a series of jigs, reels and slow
airs that traverse the country. I particularly
enjoyed a set of Highlands and the slow air
‘Dark Woman of the Glen.’ This CD will have many
people wishing they could play like this and
dreaming of producing a tin whistle from their
inside pocket as weddings, wakes and funerals to
enthral the crowds. Unfortunately, we do not
have the talent of Gavin Whelan so it will be
just a dream. This album reminds us of the
complex simplicity of Irish traditional music.
What sounds like an impromptu tune has a
history, has often evolved from another
instrumental incarnation and is played with
subtle backing of guitars, bouzouki and bodhran
to weave the spell. For those who like Irish
traditional tunes well played this is a must
have album.
Nicky Rossiter - Folking.com
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For you whistle fans---and we know you are out
there in your thousands---Dublin's Gavin Whelan
is out with his first album, appropriately
entitled, Gavin Whelan. We always felt that Mary
Bergin is the best whistle player in the world.
Here comes Whelan. This all-instrumental album
could have been so boring. 15 cuts of whistle?
But, no!!!! The guest musicians here give the
album a total ambient variety on each cut. Above
all is the wonderful playing of Whelan himself.
Bergin taught us all that the key to a great
whistle player is breath control. Not the number
of notes you can play in 30 seconds. Breath
control for the phrasing. Whelan's is wonderful.
He also understands the music and plays it
flawlessly. Style. Class. A winner. Surrounded
by a ton of great musicians, each set of tunes
is carefully thought out. The more I listen to
this, the better it gets. A sure signpost of all
great albums. This lad is a definite contender
for Newcomer Of The Year.
Find it. He will be around a long time. Big
time.
Rating: 3&1/2 Harps
Bill Margeson - LiveIreland.com
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We would wager a week's wages on our pet theory,
that in every house in Ireland there will lurk
at least one tin whistle. Down the back of a
sofa, in a kitchen drawer, corroding in a
cellar, attic or outhouse. Such is the
instrument's ubiquity, its role for many as an
"introductory" instrument that it's often
accorded little in the way of respect.
Whelan turns that vision of the whistle on its
head. A razor-sharp musical intelligence and an
infectious joie de vivre at one minute coax from
the few ounces of tin a soaring celebration and,
the next, a heartfelt and heart-searing cry of
anguish.
Whelan's ability is attested to by the roll-call
of quality musicians who've turned out to give
him their support. Eoin O'Neill (bouzouki), Mick
Brodrick (bouzouki), Ian Lamb (guitar), Donnacha
Moynihan (guitars), Gavin Ralston (guitar), Colm
Murphy (bodhran), Donnacha Gough (bodhran),
Finbarr Naughton (mandolin), Zoe Conway (fiddle)
and Aogan Lynch (concertina) at one time or
another lend their shoulder to the wheel,
colouring and inflecting Whelan's graceful,
powerful music.
Whereas Whelan is capable of gripping the
listener on his own - as in the opening reel set
and the haunting A Hiudai Pheadair Eamainn- he
obviously gets a kick out of duetting with
another melody player and nowhere is this more
evident than in his jig set with Aogan Lynch,
The Pipe On The Hob/The Piper's Chair/Na
Ceannabhain Bhana. No sooner has that track
finished than Whelan pulls out all the stops to
render a fluid and exuberant set of reels, The
Westwind/The Gooseberry Bush.
Whelan has every reason to be proud of his work,
and we all would have good reason to be give it
a listen at our earliest opportunity.
Pay the Reckoning
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The tin whistle is often underrated as an
instrument in Irish Trad Music. Although very
cheap and very simple, this little metal tube
can produce masterful music in the hands of the
right person. Such a person is Gavin Whelan from
Tallaght in Dublin and his CD, just named Gavin
Whelan, is proof of this. Beautiful whistling
from start to finish.
Many Irish musicians start out on the whistle
and then “graduate” to what they think are more
proper instruments. In fact, Gavin Whelan is
also a piper, but fair dues to him for sticking
to the whistle on this CD.
From the first bars played you just can’t help
tapping your foot in rhythm with the music.
Fortunately Whelan has not succumbed to the fast
playing which seems to be the norm among “young”
musicians today. He plays a steady whistle and
because of the lack of speed you can really
enjoy what you are hearing.
Don’t get this wrong and think this is a CD of
slow airs. In fact there are only two slow airs
on the CD but Whelan masters them as well as the
predominantly jigs and reels. Most of the tunes
are trad. from Co. Clare, but some have been
attributed composers such as Tommy Peoples and
Paddy Fahey, to name two of the greats.
Whelan is backed up by a number of other
first-rate musicians on fiddle, guitars,
bouzoukis, mandolin, concertina and bodhráns and
whether they are playing as “just” duos or with
the whole line-up the music is just brilliant. I
have enjoyed this CD immensely on my way to and
from work or just relaxing on the couch, ever
since I got it.
I can thoroughly recommend it.
(May 2005)
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Live Review. Beo Celtic Music Festivial,
National Concert Hall, Dublin
With an all but packed house, temperatures were
running high long before Galicia’s answer to
either Peter Pan or Jimi Hendrix (depending on
your particular mythological preferences),
Carlos Nunez made an appearance. It was a brave
Gavin Whelan who took on the stage armed with
noting more than just a few whistles and Liam
Meehan, guitarist for company.
Reeling an electric repertoire that owed
particular debt to Josephine Marsh, Whelan
shimmied from a magnificently grounded reading
of the slow air Bean Dubh an Ghelanna to a
mosquito-itch of jigs and Reels that scurried
ever more urgently skywards, their intricate
curlicues lost in the neither regions of the
concert hall.
Siobhan Long - The Irish Times.
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This is an exciting album of Irish traditional
music. Gavin Whelan can make the whistle sing
and his self-titled album achieves a purity and
simplicity of uncluttered excellence. The range
of material covered is impressive, too: no less
than 36 tunes over 15 tracks with sets of reels
and jigs predominating. Although the album is
mainly based on traditional tunes, nine of them
are credited to seven composers.
Whelan was born and lives in Dublin but many
visits to County Clare have evidently been a big
influence on his playing and selection of music.
He is ably supported by 11 musicians playing
bouzouki, guitar, bodhran, mandolin, fiddle and
concertina.
Colm Murphy and Donnacha Gough's bodhran playing
makes a significant impact on most tracks as
this instrument combines particularly well with
the Eb whistle Whelan favors. Other musicians
making their mark include Finbarr Naughton on
mandolin and Zoe Conway on fiddle -- both
instruments underpin the album's traditional
base.
From the opening set of reels this is music to
lift your spirits and even inspire some
impromptu dancing. Your imagination might well
transpose you to the pubs of Dublin or bars of
County Clare! Whelan's whistle playing is always
dazzling but appropriately paced and beautifully
phrased. As well as the typically fast tunes,
Whelan also displays mastery of the slow air
with two fine examples including the
unaccompanied "Bean Dubh An Ghleanna/Dark Woman
of the Glen" that highlights the lyricism of his
playing.
The album builds up in intensity through the
album much like a live gig or pub session. It is
particularly impressive when Whelan is joined by
four or five other musicians creating a
characteristically expansive sound in the jigs
and reels. Several of the highlights hail from
County Clare including the jigs "The Pipers
Chair" and "The Cliffs of Moher" (Clare version)
and the reel "Micheal Relihan's."
If you like your Celtic music acoustically
simple yet free-spirited, then this will be one
for you.
written by Andy Jurgis for - Rambles.net
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Gavin Whelan "Gavin Whelan"
Label: Tallaght Records; 2002; Playing time:
51.10 min
It's been a while since I received a record of
straight whistle playing, and what a way to
break the deadlock. Gavin Whelan is a young
whistle player from Tallaght, Dublin, not
exactly a hotbed of trad talent, but who cares?
On discovery of the youngster's talent, the
Whelan family would spend many hours on the
rocky road to Doolin, where Gavin played and
learned under people such as Micho Russell.
Further summers spent at the Willie Clancy
Summer school under the tuition of Sean Ryan and
Fintan Vallely reinforced Whelan's love, and by
his late teens he had formed the successful band
Dal Riada with young fiddler Zoë Conway. 2002
saw the release of this, his self-titled debut
album.
This is a record of unsullied, sturdy playing.
Versatile, strong whistling is the order of the
day, and the accompaniment of a series of
discerning guitarists and bouzouki players adds
just the right shade of vibrancy. The slow air
"A Huadaí Pheadair Eamainn" is a beautiful
example of what Whelan can do - he is confident
enough as a performer to let the melody stand
for itself, using only very subtle ornamentation
to make his mark. With regard to ensemble
playing, Whelan shines when paired with the
likes of Aogán Lynch on concertina or Zoë Conway
on fiddle, the drive of bouzouki and bodhrán
pushing either pair forward, the years of
Whelan's session involvement quite obvious.
There is no question that this is an album from
a player who will continue to excite for quite
some time. The future of the whistle looks
assured.
Jennifer Byrne - Folkworld
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"Debuts seldom come as fresh as and vibrant as
this. Young whistle-player Whelan is a
formidable talent. Bare boned and embellished in
all the right places. Whelan does particular
justice to the pair of jigs, Seamus
Connolly’s/Tommy Peoples with noting more than
Colm Murphy’s bodhran to bolster the flightly
whistle.his inpeccable phrasing is further
reinforced by Aogán Lynch’s concertina and Eoin
O’ Neil’s bouzouki on The Pipe on the hob set.
Clare tunes predominate, but Whelan somehow
makes them all his own with an enviable
lightness of touch. Fingers crossed he can hang
on to his free-form delivery after word gets out
of his remarkable debut."
Siobhán Long - The Irish Times
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"Until recently there were very few whistle
albums available, but all of a sudden were
spoilt for choice, Gavin Whelan who adds his
debut recording at the age of 22 to the pipeline
as created something formidable and to be proud
of. At a time when speed seems to be the essence
amongst young players it is refreshing to hear
Gavin’s steady pace, it is level and just right
I’d say. With this steady and traditional album,
Gavin manages to be himself on these well
tested, tried and often played tunes. Bodhrán is
the main accompanying instrument in the hands of
Donnacha Gough and Colm Murphy. It is crisp and
clean with the bouzouki and guitars adding
bouyancy appropriate for the lightness of
Gavin’s mainly Eb whistle. That pitch attractive
and always good for tunes is particularly sweet
on the whistle. He veers from it only once on
his version of the O Domhnaill Hiudaií Pheadaí
Eomonn. He is true to the song. Understanding
the air and obviously paying attention to the
words.
The tunes came from many sources and he mentions
them all, paddy Fahey, Tommy peoples, James
Byrne, Josiphine Keegan and so on, Gavin Learned
from masters like Sean Potts in Dublin and micho
Russell in Doolin. His influences than stretch
way beyond that with the west coast featuring
highly, ensuring that these old tunes sound,
crisp and clear in Gavin’s hands."
Ita Kelly - Irish Music Magazine.
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"The fourth whistle album this year- what was
there in the air in 2000? Yet this Dublin Player
ignores other’s lavish challenge and
presentation doggedly clinging to a
deceptive-simple undecorated clarity of tone
that is maintained with superb continuity from
the opening ‘Black-haired lass’ to the final
Patsy Touheys’. Stuttering tonguing is permitted
with liquid tripletting on Seamus Connoly’s jig,
showing he can do it if he has to, underlining
that here is a collection that has been taught
about, loved dearly and carefully disposed.
Backing on bodhráns accompanying fiddle and Zoe
Conway’s accompanying fiddle, match his metre,
but gives ample space to relish Whelan’s grá for
the distinctive, withdrawn aesthetic of Micho
Russell style."
Fintant Vallely
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"STUNNINGLY simple and surprisingly captivating,
traditional Irish music lovers could do a lot
worse than to listen to Gavin Whelan’s self
titled album. If following the ‘producted of
your area motto, it would be almost impossible
to distinguish were Gavin is from. As a 22- year
old native of Tallaght, following his musical in
sight tells a different story than the reality
of his Dublin upbringing. Having taken up the
tin-whistle at the age of 12,Gavins interest in
traditional Irish traditional Irish music
stemmed from his parents and the frequent trips
they would bring him to Clare. And it is the
slower, gentler side of like that shines through
on the C.d., blending Gavin’s own impressive
talent on the tin whistle with backing from a
host of musicians on Fiddle, bodhran, guitar and
bouzouki. From the opening track the
Black-haired lass, Gavin asserts his credentials
on the tin whistle and sets the tempo for mush
of the album with a bright sprightly feel
combanation of reels and jigs make up uch of the
compilation, although the eerie sadness of A
Hudaí Pheadair Eamainn hints a terrible loss.
The striking poignancy of this track stands out
from many of the others, despite being the
slowest offering of the 15 tracks. The album is
rounded if in much the same feel as that in
which it began, with the medley of Michael
Relihans, Gan Ainm and Patsy Touheys ending in a
joy-ous, fast-paced reel. Accompanying artists
play a prominent role throughout Gavin Whelan’s
album, with Colm Murphy, Donnach Moynihan,
Donnach Gough, Aogán Lunch and Zoe Conway among
those providing the subtle yet apt support on
all the tunes. The stall has been set for
further down the road, and given his level of
activity around the session scene, the name
Gavin Whelan could become a well-worth name to
check out."
Paul Kavanagh - Tallaght Echo
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"The Versatility of the simple tin whistle in
the right hands (and mouth!) is proven by Irish
whistle player Gavin Whelan on his self titled
debut disc {Tallaght records (2001)};
Emphasizing sprightly jigs and reels, many of
which he learned from fellow musicians in Dublin
and Co Clare, and accompanied by fiddle, fretted
things, and bodhran, Whelan not only shows an
old master’s technical skill but also puts an
inspiring energy and zest into his music.
His fast tunes are a delightful blur of notes;
his slow airs an emotional exercise.
Whelan will surly get heard from the next
generation of Irish traditionalists."
Dirty Linen
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"The tin whistles of Gavin Whelan bounce and
frolic across the stereo speakers like sprites
in the morning mist.
At the time of reviewing this album, I was
interrupted. By a phone call from the south
Dublin press and, after initial introductions
the reporter on the other end asking “what’s
that in the Background?
I explained that basically Traditional Irish tin
whistle music and the voice on the other end of
the phone said,’’ it sounds great. “What more
can I say? If Dublin-born Gavin Whelan can
effect on a hard-nosed reporter who’s seen and
heard it all, then there is surly hope for the
future of traditional music, whatever its
origins.
Tin whistles in the hands of the unskilled are
merle toys, much like harmonica, but when a
gifted musician takes the humble whistle and
blows into it, the tiny tube is transformed into
something beautiful. The word ethereal spring
comes to mind while listening to Whelan’s
skilful fingers and lungs. Cloaking the finest
and sweetest sounds from his E-flat and C
whistles. Still in his early twenties, Gavin
Whelan is further proof that traditional music
is in no danger of wilting on the vine.
Inspired."
Bryan Chalker - Traditional Music Maker.
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"This young Dubliner plays a mean clean whistle
and has surrounded himself with the likes of
Eoin O’Neil, (bouzouki) Donnacha Moynihan and
Gavin Rolstan (Guitar), Colm Murphy and Donnacha
Gough (Bodhran) for decidedly modern-sounding
driving accompaniment—as well as the exellent
fiddle player Zoë Conway, In his selection of
tunes, Whelan achieves a nice balance between
great traditional tunes covering the whole
stylistic map and recent compositions by Paddy
Fahey, Josephine Keegan, Tommy Peoples, and John
Brady."
Rating *****
Sanachie Records.
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"Whelan is a young Dublin tin whistle master
whose tremendous technique and solid good taste
are well displayed on this solo debut. The
arrangements, featuring some of Ireland’s best
guitar, bouzouki and bodhrán players, are nicely
understated and effective. This is my favourite
whistle album since Mary Bergin’s landmark
1970’s LP. "
Don Meade - The Irish Voice, New York
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"Though the Tin Whistle is the first instrument
of the majority of Irish traditional musicians,
Its remarkable just how few outstanding examples
of the whistler’s art have been recorded. Maybe
there’s a stigma attached to an instrument
associated with childhood or perhaps,
realistically, most players just more players
progress on to more complex instruments.
Nevertheless, there are plenty of enthusiastic
young whistle players around, such as Dubliner
Gavin Whelan, eager to follow in the footsteps
of Mary Bergin and Séan Ryan. The wizardry of
Gavin’s debut album belies his age
(a mere 22) and the effortless ease of his duets
with fiddle player Zoë Conway, on tunes such as
‘Brogans Ferry’, reveals a musician with a cast
wealth of sessions under his belt. Whelan
demonstrates his West coast influences through
tunes learned from Donegal fiddlers, such as
James Byrne, and Clare born whistle player Micho
Russell. It’s a startling blend of virtuosity,
sprit and sure good fun, and one of the most
significant Irish releases of the year."
Songlines
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This is a hot one. Wonderful Traditional music
packaged up real nice.
The production is an asset from start to finish.
It was tasteful enough so to never allow to many
studio tricks to creep in over the tunes, yet
sounded very polished. The tune selection was a
nice mix of old standards and uncommon that
rarely get out.
I gravitate towards solo CD’s but sometimes I
tire of one artist with only one of two
accompanists. One of my favorite things about
this CD is that the mix of musicians that play
with Gavin. He has three guitar players, two
bouzouki players, two bodhrán players, a
mandolin, a fiddle and a concertina all
contributing to the well founded sound of the
recording. There is one solo slow air, with the
balance of having one to five other musicians in
one the fun. This mix of sound textures and
densities adds to its longevity in my CD player,
for sure.
Gavin is very skilled at playing god music, but
nowhere during the recording did I feel that
Gavin was trying to blind his listeners with
unrestrained virtuosity. Gavin always had a nice
swing going during the tunes, making the music
genuine and more important than his skill. The
result is a nice tune collection I can listen to
often. One of the things I like about this
recording is that Gavin plays a lot of tunes
with settings, phrasings and syncopations that
sound very traditional to me, yet are new and
certainly expand my horizons. I think this
recording will influence my playing in the
future as it has a loyt of twists that are very
original.
........................................................................................................................................
Whelans Dublin
"Whelan’s was packed to the door last Wednesday
to hear Gavin Whelan, a powerful musician from
Tallaght, Gavin filled the place with the sweet
music of the whistle. Accompanying the whistle
were fiddle guitar and bodhrán. Its not often
that I have heard a night of music like it.
Gavin Whelan was born in 1979 and was raised in
Tallaght. He started to play the tin whistle
when he was twelve years old. He was greatly
influanced by musicians from Clare, and also his
parents Dermot and Maire who instilled in him a
love of music from an early age.
Listing to Gavin in stage you would be amazed at
how much music he can extract from such a little
instrument with six holes. He mostly used (Eb)
Whistle and played beautiful sweet music without
ant effort, there were reels hornpipes and slow
airs each one better than the one before, He
gave lovely renditions of’’ Beann Dubh an
Ghleanna’’ Mary Mc NaNamera’s and the Cliffs of
Moher’’.
His accompanists contributed greatly to his Zoë
Conway from Dundalk was on the fiddle and her
music is something else, she brought forth well
rounded rhythmic Melodic notes from the strings,
Her rendering of the ’’Application’’ without
Accompaniment was powerful. Shane McGowan on
guitar and Neil Lyons on the bodhrán gave
wonderful accompanying to the fiddle and
whistle. Not only were they accompany they also
performed two fine solos which brought the
audience in Whelan’s to their feet.
Lots of tunes are on the album which was
launched in April, were played. Among them other
musicians it includes. Zoë Conway, Mick
Broderick, Aogán Lynch from Slide and Colm
Murphy from De Dannan, The Album is beautiful.
May we soon have another night of music like
it."
Bridín Nic Dhonncha - Fóinse Irish Paper
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This is the richest and most heartfelt tin
whistle album to be released in a long, long
time. It's an album that will sell but more
importantly, will win many converts over to
this, at times, maligned instrument.
His empathy with and deep understanding of the
music oozes out of every note he plays.
Custy's Traditional Music Shop.
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Evoking images of bright sun filled days, Gavin
Whelan's debut solo album simply titled 'Gavin
Whelan' Lifts the pulse like a breath of fresh
air. Fiery dance music and slow airs that ache
poignantly played with skill; flare and panache
constitute one of the finest debut albums from
any young traditional Irish Musician.
Gavin Whelan's debut album is a celebration of
his art showcasing him as a top class whistle
player and exponent of Irish Traditional Music.
Having learned his trade from the finest of the
older players and infusing it with the vigor of
youth, he has arrived at a unique personal style
of whistle playing, 'Gavin Whelan' bristles with
life and energy and signifies the arrival of a
major new Irish Music talent.
John O'Regan - Folk Roots Magazine
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