The Anvil Independent Release ***

The fiddle style of south Leitrim and Longford may have been overshadowed by that of Pádraig O’Keeffe of Sliabh Luachra and John Doherty of Donegal (among others), but Leitrim fiddler (and long-time New York resident) Marie Reilly sets about redressing the balance with the release of this homage to her late father, fiddler and blacksmith Michael Reilly (three tunes feature archive recordings of Michael himself). There’s a lightness of touch to Reilly’s treatment of rare tunes, many dating to the 19th century, due to what she calls the “slur and cut” bowing style she inherited from her father. The innate connections between tunes and dance are audible, with Reilly tackling lithely a little known time signature known as a Scots Measure on The Stafford Dance and McCoy’s Measure. Piano accompaniment has a diluting effect. Still, there are rich dividends for listeners in search of the tunes and the finesse of this under-exposed fiddle style. fiddlermarie@gmail.com