In the media yoke this week is “The Missing Guest,” the absolutely brilliant new album from flute player Mick Mulvey and fiddle player Shane Meehan. Mulvey and Meehan, gentlemen both, have been playing together for years (many of those at Cryan’s Teach Cheoil in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim) and they have a brilliant musical rapport which shines brightly on this recording. There’s a real sweetness in the music here that is just palpable. If “pure drop” traditional music is your cup of tea, this album is one that will thoroughly delight you.
Mulvey is a highly respected flute player who was raised in London but has lived near Carrick-on-Shannon since 2005. He grew up immersed in the London-Irish traditional music scene of the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, playing alongside legendary musicians such as Roger Sherlock, Raymond Roland, P.J. Crotty and Bobby Casey. A member of the champion Moylurg Céilí Band and the Auld Triangle Céilí Band, Mulvey has released two acclaimed solo albums, “Within a Mile O' Jamestown” (2003) and “Bridging the Gap” (2009). He contributed to all four volumes of the “Leitrim Equation” series and was also involved in “The Music and Life of John McKenna,” Seán Gilrane’s research project on the 78rpm-era flute player from Leitrim. A sought-after teacher, Mulvey regularly shares his expertise at teaching festivals and through Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.
Meehan is a dynamic fiddle player and composer from Carrick-on-Shannon. Known for his distinctive style and deep roots in the tradition, he began learning fiddle from his grandfather, John Meehan, and later studied with players such as Ben Lennon, Bríd Harper, Brendan McGlinchey and the Kane Sisters. Meehan has been active on the traditional music scene for many years, with an early appearances on the 2009 recording “Leitrim Equation 1.” Like Mulvey, he was a member of the 2014 All-Ireland champion Moylurg Céilí Band and likewise, was involved in Gilrane’s McKenna reissue project. In 2019 he released his critically acclaimed solo debut album “’twill do!,” showcasing both his playing and compositional talents and several of his original tunes were highlighted in February 2023 as part of the Irish Traditional Music Archive’s “Saothar” series (https://www.itma.ie/saothar/shane-meehan/).
Mulvey and Meehan are joined here on piano by Paddy McEvoy. McEvoy is from Navan, Co. Meath, and comes from a family full of musicians. He performs with a range of extraordinary musicians, such as Frankie Gavin, Liam O’Connor, Charlie Lennon, Diarmuid Ó Meachair (who has a new release I’ll be writing about in the coming weeks), and many, many others. Although understated in nature, his playing here adds so much to the overall sound. The album also includes spot contributions from John Blake (guitar & bouzouki), Matt Mulvey (guitar) and Joe Kennedy (bodhrán), each of whom adds much in their respective roles.
As I suggested at the beginning of this article, the chemistry here is absolutely top shelf. You can pick your poison in terms of tracks – “The Missing Guest /…,” “The Fairy Reel / …,” “The Bloom of Youth / …,” “The Sword in the Hand / …” – each one is a superb expression of the high class music these two make. The way they play off each other has a classic sensibility and is just lovely to listen to from beginning to end.
From there, the conversation turns to details of its content. Lots of the tunes here are well known, while there are several rare ones taken from old collections and a few that are newly-composed by either Meehan or Mulvey. The constellation of tunes they’ve selected and the way they’re arranged gives the album a sense of local style, which is great. One track that stands out for me in this sense is “The Castle / Cryan's at the Bridge / The Last of the Twins.” Sourced from late 19th/early 20th century tunebooks, the bookend tunes sit very, very nicely with the newly-composed piece in the middle. On it, Meehan plays through the first tune alone, with Mulvey joining on the last two, which is a nice approach. I also quite like the barndances “Murray ya Pup / Brady’s Shrew / McKenna’s Second Ballroom Favourite.” They’re great, unusual tunes played with real flair. Blake joins in on bouzouki here, adding a nice wrinkle to the overall sound.
Each musician is given a solo feature, with Meehan taking his on “The Dark Starry Lane / …” and Mulvey taking his on “The Brook / ….” Both exhibit outstanding phrasing and drive, with Mulvey’s liquid tone and hard lift a highlight of his track.
“The Missing Guest” is a truly outstanding album. Mulvey and Meehan are great musicians, but it’s their intuitive interplay and rich, expressive sound that gives this album its life. What I like the most is how tight but effortless their music is, with a blend and energy that echoes classic partnerships of the past. (Andy McGann and Joe Burke is a pair whose similar energy come to mind, but there are many comparisons out there to be made.) Fans of old style Irish traditional music will find much to love here, as this album is a celebration of the tradition at its finest. For more information and to purchase, visit here.
