Ah, it’s the close of summer, the time of year when the kids go back to school, the weather begins to shift ever so slightly, and everyone gets back into their daily groove. Speaking of grooves, I have a great one in the media yoke this week! It’s called “The Gannet’s Dive” and it’s by Fergal Scahill and Ryan Molloy. An album of fiddle and piano music, it’s very much an album in which the two very accomplished primaries contribute as co-leads, with each one influencing the project’s creative as much as the other. The results are stunning, so if this sounds like your cup of tea I recommend you read on.
Scahill is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist with over two decades in the business. He began performing at the age of 5 in Galway with the show “Siamsa” and, later, as his interest in music grew, he went on to win numerous All-Ireland titles on fiddle, bodhrán and guitar, including the Senior All-Ireland Fiddle competition in 2002. His discography includes five solo recordings, two albums with the trio Freewheel, and seven with acclaimed, chart-topping band We Banjo 3. As of this writing, his widely followed online initiative, “Fergal’s Tune a Day,” includes 1,667 performances and collaborations with musicians from around the world.
Over the years, Scahill (https://www.fergalscahill.ie/) has performed in more than 30 countries across six continents, sharing the stage with folks such as Mairtín O’Connor, Gerry O’Connor, Mick Flannery, Máiread Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Shannon, Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, Billy Strings, Sierra Hull, and Brittany Haas. His work has been recognized internationally, earning him Male Musician of the Year at the American Celtic Listener Supported Radio Awards (2020) and, with Molloy, Album of the Year for “One Day :: November Woods” (2021). With We Banjo 3, he also received significant recognition, including Traditional Album of the Year from The Irish Times, Album of the Week from RTÉ Radio 1, and Best Folk Album at the 2018 RTÉ Folk Awards.
Molloy (https://ryanmolloy.ie/) is a composer and performer whose work explores the intersection of contemporary music and traditional Irish music. He has written more than 50 compositions and has composed commissioned works for RTÉ, the BBC, the Danish String Quartet, the Ulster Orchestra, the Irish Chamber Orchestra and the Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble, among others. In 2024, he was awarded the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Composer of the Year. In addition, he has contributed to more than thirty recordings, and was nominated for Best Folk Instrumentalist at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards in both 2020 and 2021. His acclaimed debut solo album, “pianophony” (2019), has been described as a landmark in traditional piano performance, while more recent works such as “casúir ’s cnaipí” (with Seán Óg Graham) and “PIANOBOXING” demonstrate his innovative approach to reimagining the role of piano in Irish music.
Together, Scahill and Molloy have a special rapport that speaks to a deep musical bond they’ve developed over their many years of collaboration. (This is their fourth album together.) The music on this one reflects this: it is expansive, imaginative, and full of the fiery energy the two share. One track that stands out to me in this regard is “Ag Fanacht ar Aoife / The Goddaughter.” Scahill plays these Molloy-composed reels with real flair, and while Scahill’s brings their melodies to life, it’s Molloy’s inventive, engaging piano work that ups the ante, accentuating the attack in Scahill’s bowing. “The Sliabh Mór Reel / Colla aig Ceathrad,” a pair of reels by Scahill, have a similar sort of intensity about them. (Incidentally, the album includes several original compositions – six by Molloy and seven by Scahill.)
“The Gannet’s Dive,” a Scahill-composed jig, has an intensity that burns more slowly, with Molloy’s quite lyrical piano work functioning as the warp to the weft in Scahill’s playing. This track has a visual, almost cinematic kind of feel to it, and reminds me somewhat of the sort of music Martin Hayes might make with the Gloaming. There are a few tracks on the album, including “No Silent Nights” and “Loinnir Laoise / The Gathering,” that have a similar trajectory and give the album brilliant depth.
Molloy joins Scahill on fiddle on “Colonel Rodgers / The Happy Days of Youth,” a pair of tunes first put together during the 78rpm era, as far as I’m aware, by the great Leitrim flute player John McKenna. The dual fiddle work here is inventive, bouncy and just outstanding, making for one of the album’s great highlights.
The award for the album’s weirdest tune is “The Threekey Jig.” Composed by Molloy, it moves through different key areas in a way that’s reminiscent of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps.” It is some tune to navigate, but Molloy does so with real ease.
“The Gannet’s Dive” is a high-octane collection of lovely music and virtuoso musicianship. Scahill and Molloy are extremely sharp: the brilliant fluency in Scahill’s playing blends easily with the framing and harmonic textures Molloy comes up with. This combination results in several great tracks and gives the album a range of moods that allow the character-filled playing to shine. Definitely recommended! For more information and to purchase, visit here.
