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Here you will find a selection of reviews by several writers on Rig the Jig’s latest album 'Passing Through'
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Irish sextet Rig the Jig shares with a lot other modern groups from that
country a fascination with both its own traditional music and American
country singer/songwriters. Passing Through (Toucan Cove MLG250668, 2004)
is a cleverly diverse mix. There are the customary reels and jigs, played
on squeezebox and uilleann pipes supplemented by some fancy acoustic guitar
picking, but the most entertaining part of the disc for this American
listener was the band’s affectionate and clearly Irish-influenced
interpretations of familiar songs, like John Prine’s “Speed
of the sound of Loneliness” arranged with accordion and tin whistle
and the similarly accompanied version of Johnny Cash’s “I
Still Miss Someone.” Another cultural crossover that brought a smile
was Rory Gallagher’s “Barley and Grape Rag” done Dixieland-style
with a cheerful tenor banjo and barroom piano that are later joined by
buzzing pipes.
by Tom Nelligan - Dirty Linen
Rig The Jig - Passing Through (Madacy Label Group
MLG2 50668)
"The follow up to Stormy Brew, Passing Through finds Rig The
Jig continuing to explore their mix of trad Irish and acoustic Americana.
The rich seam they've opened up continues to produce nugget after nugget.
We've come to associate Irish people playing country music with the execrable
polyester and hairspray brigade, all dense brogues and whining steel guitars.
Rig The Jig take a step back from such nonsense; whether you happen to
like country music/American folk or not, you'll have to admit that they
play it tastefully.
As indeed they approach "the trad". Some mighty sets here for
you, such as the opener "Frieze Britches/Sweet Biddy Daly",
where the guitar takes the lead.
Another feather in Rig The Jig's cap"
Pay The Reckoning.com
Rig the Jig…Passing Through
"If you have not yet heard Rig the Jig live at the Gaelic Park Irish
Festival or at Erin Feis in Peoria, you can still enjoy any of their four
CD’s.
Following on the heels of their “Stormy Brew” album, Rig the
Jig have released “Passing Through”…their best album
yet.
Choc-a-block with great tunes and super songs, this new album falls into
the most elusive category…there is not a bad note on it, from beginning
to end.
Rig the Jig are Michael Banahan, Noel Carberry, Brendan Doyle, Johnnie
Duffy, Jimmy Flanagan and Paul Gurney. They hail from Longford Westmeath
and Roscommon and mark my words, they will be the next traditional Irish
band to break through onto the American Festival Circuit.
' Passing Throug' is a collection of jigs, reels , slow airs, and incredible
songs. There are surprises galore and when I first received a copy of
this gem of an album, I played it three times from beginning to end. It
is a magnificent example of musical diversity.
The traditional arrangements and there are six of them are by Rig the
Jig. From the first track, “Frieze Britches” (jigs) through
the hauntingly evocative slow air, “Goldsmiths Lament”, these
boys have nailed it. Nothing is spared, Bodhran, banjo, button accordion,
and uileann pipes, whistles, bones and guitars, great traditional instruments
in the hands of great musicians.
And then there are the songs, some new, some old, all brilliant. This
is where the surprises come. Rory Gallagher’s, “Barley &
Grape Rag”, Steve Goodman’s, “City of New Orleans”,
stand side by side with Patrick Kavanagh’s, “Raglan Road”,
and Charlie McGettigan's, “Liftin' of the Latch.”
Michael Banahan's own song, “Home By Lough Ree”, is a beautiful
song, which will endure and will be covered by many other Irish singers.
Songs by Johnny Cash, “I Still Miss Someone”, Leonard Cohen’s,
“Passing Through”, and John Prine’s, “Speed of
the Sound of Loneliness”, round off this terrific album.
I have been playing Passing Through at our stores for many weeks now and
our customers just love it. It is a feel-good album and as I said before,
a gem for any collection. Well done lads.
Shay Clark - Irish American News
Passing Through - Rig The Jig - Toucan Cove
"They're a sextet performing traditional Irish folk music, incorporating
a C&W edge within the gist of the good-timey based material. It's
a warmhearted jaunt built upon slick picking guitar work and wistful vocalizations."
Glenn Astarita - All About Jazz
"It finally had to happen. After all the American
bands over the last ten years who tried to play Irish music with varying
levels of success, an Irish band has decided to play American traditional
music. (And some Irish too, don't get me wrong.) Rig The Jig is the band
in question, and I'm happy to report that they do a bang-up job no matter
which side of the Atlantic they're playing. Their latest CD, Passing Through,
is a delightful romp through the best of barroom folk in both countries.
Basically an acoustic outfit, Rig The Jig's sound is stripped down, straightforward,
and easy to listen to. There's nothing terribly fancy here, but what there
is is done to a turn. The musicianship is outstanding on Passing Through;
whether it be banjo, uilleann pipe, or barrelhouse piano, the sound is
clear and true.
What really makes Rig The Jig something special is the song choice. The
album starts out with a straightforward jig -- and just when you think
you know what you have in your CD player, they're suddenly taking a whack
at Rory Gallagher's "Barley And Grape Rag" or Leonard Cohen's
"Passing Through." You don't hear a lot of Irish bands who can
handle the bounce from "Raglan Road" to Johnny Cash's "I
Still Miss Someone." Their version of "City Of New Orleans"
is sweet, perhaps the sweetest version I've heard since Arlo Guthrie's
original.
Rig The Jig is, in the long run, one of the most enjoyable Irish bands
I've heard in a long time. Far from a novelty act, they've proved on Passing
Through that they can handle multiple musical worlds with equal grace,
and that's really something special."
Review by: Duke Egbert - The Daily Vault
RATING: B+
RIG THE JIG Passing Through (Toucan Cove)
Het gebeurde in Clifden, Ierland. Er brak een stortbui boven ons los en
we vluchtten de eerste de beste kroeg binnen, en met ons tientallen andere
toeristen. De houtkachel brandde en de Guinness begon te stromen. Dat
was mooi om te zien, maar nog mooier was het moment dat iemand een instrument
van de muur pakte en muziek begon te maken. Zijn voorbeeld werd gevolgd
en weldra jamde een stelletje Ieren de mooiste volksliedjes. Wat ik wil
zeggen, muziek krijg je in Ierland met de paplepel ingegeven. Ben je er
gevoelig voor dan begin je zelf een orkestje. Zo ook de zes muzikanten
van Rig The Jig, die met Passing Through een opvallende plaat hebben gemaakt.
In die zin dat ze niet alleen typische Ierse volksdeuntjes spelen en landgenoot
en bluesheld Rory Gallagher eren met een sprankelende dixieland-versie
van Barley And Grape Rag (van de cd Calling Card), maar zich tevens wagen
aan covers van grootheden aan de andere kant van de oceaan zoals daar
zijn Johnny Cash (I Still Miss Someone), John Prine (Speed Of The Sound
Of Loneliness), Arlo Guthrie (City Of New Orleans) en Leonard Cohen (Passing
Through). Cash en Prine krijgen een accordeon mee, een fluit en een stemmig
koortje en klinken daardoor behoorlijk Iers. Ook Cohen wordt verfolkt
met viool, accordeon en mandoline. En van Guthrie wordt een feestlied
met folkaccenten gemaakt (accordeon, fluit, banjo) en valt op door het
hogen meezinggehalte. Hier en daar klinkt Rig The Jig klinkt puur Iers,
zoals op de strak gespeelde instrumentals The Clumsy Lover, Over The Moor
en het fabelachtige The Pigeon On The Gate waarop de doedelzak ontbrand.
Ik wil niet zeggen, schoenmaker hou je bij de leest maar het zijn wel
de momenten dat deze klassemuzikanten op hun best klinken.
(Bart Ebisch) Altcountry.nl - The Netherlands
