Michael Doherty's Music Log: Natalie MacMaster: “Sketches” (2019) CD Review

Monday, December 16, 2019

Natalie MacMaster: “Sketches” (2019) CD Review

Natalie MacMaster is a skilled fiddle player from Nova Scotia and now based in Ontario. She has been performing and recording since her teens, and has released several albums in the last three decades. Her newest, Sketches, however, is her first solo album in eight years, for she has been working with fellow fiddler and husband Donnell Leahy, releasing a couple of albums in collaboration with him, including a Christmas album in 2016. She has also recorded and performed with other artists. The musicians joining Natalie MacMaster on Sketches include Tim Edey on guitar and accordion, and Marc Rogers on bass, as well as several special guests on certain tracks.

I grew up hearing a lot of traditional Irish music, and have always had a soft spot for reels. Natalie MacMaster opens this album with “Three Reels,” featuring two you’ve likely heard before – “Father John Angus Rankin” and “The Golden Keyboard” – and one that you probably haven’t, as it is an original composition – “Mary Shannon’s Reel.” This music always makes me happy, and is a delightful way to kick off the album. Frank Evans joins Natalie on banjo on this track. Natalie MacMaster follows that with “The Golden Eagle,” which is a combination of “The Golden Eagle Hornpipe Never Was Piping So Gay” and “History With Hannah,” the latter an original tune. There is a lot of joy in this music, in its sound and in the performance. I wonder how anything can be wrong out in the world while music like this is playing. There are moments in the second part of this track that are exciting, the music sounding lively and spirited. Then “Morning Galliano,” an original composition, has a distinctly European flavor, in large part because of Tim Edey’s wonderful work on accordion, bringing us at times to a sweet outdoor café in spring. Again, there is a tremendous amount of joy in this music.

Natalie MacMaster delivers a gorgeous rendition of “Professor Blackie,” a tune written by James Scott Skinner. The guitar helps to create a beautiful and stable base, from which Natalie’s fiddle can take off and soar. At its end, this track guides us gently back down to the ground and lets go. That’s followed by “Patricia Kelso’s,” a bright and fun number that will make you want to dance, or perhaps to learn to dance. It is an original composition that takes us to some beautiful places, and features Mark Kelso on percussion and Michael McGoldrick on flute. Then that jazzy guitar of “Barndances” sets a different tone from the start, and the work on fiddle on this track will have you smiling, if not dancing. But the part I love most from this track is that fantastic guitar and bass section toward the end.

“Killiecrankie” is such a pretty tune, the fiddle work absolutely gorgeous as it begins, like dawn on a mountain, piercing a heavy mist. Then as dawn becomes day, the song takes on a different energy, as the natural world gets on with its business. Ah, but there is always a time for a dance, isn’t there? The music feels like it takes a turn from the world at large to focus on human rites and celebrations, and that joy becomes the world. You know? “Killiecrankie” is followed by another delightful and enjoyable medley of tunes titled “Fill ‘Er Up For A Set!” It begins with “Gordon Graham’s Favorite,” followed by “The Early Bird Jig” and then “Miss Anderson’s Jig.” When I think of jigs, I can’t help but think of Bruce Willis in The Last Boy Scout, when he promises to dance a jig if he survives and then of course does.

“Judy’s Dance” is a medley that begins in a light, fanciful land, then picks up its pace to once again get folks on their feet. At the end, the guitar takes over. That’s followed by “West Bay Road,” which begins with a pretty and light tune by Turlough O’Carolan, “Planxty Hewlett,” a song that sounds something of childhood, of innocence and excitement. That tune is then paired with an original composition, “Lauchie MacDougall’s,” which is great fun. “Tribute To John Allan” is a wonderful medley of several tunes, featuring Stuart Cameron on 12-string guitar and Remi Arsenault on bass. As the musicians move from one song to another, this track takes us on a joyous journey. This track has the feel of a live performance taking place right in front of us in some glorious pub. There is a lot of energy, which builds as we get farther into the track, and if you are dancing to this, you will probably be exhausted by the end. Excellent stuff. The album then concludes with a pretty rendition of “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” written by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin and originally recorded by Bonnie Raitt.

CD Track List