The Corner House Set

The idea behind this recording went back to 2002, after a gig with the lads near Rotterdam, and a handwritten note from Frankie suggesting I should do a CD with his help and call it Coffey Anyone? Years later, Easter Monday 2015, during a session with Frankie, Geraldine O'Callaghan and Mick Daly in the Corner House pub in Cork City, the note was still in the accordion case. So we went ahead and put tunes together over a few pints of stout, and later planned the recording endeavour under the caring guidance of Colm Murphy. Onward, to the studio at Lough Guitane, Co. Kerry, to make the album with an understanding that any royalties would go to charity. It took two attempts to record. The first started by laying down fiddle with accordion: but the music somehow ended up 'a bit on the fast side'. Adrenaline maybe! The brakes were applied for the second attempt, usually getting Alec's steady bouzouki down with accordion, and adding the other instruments later. The final result musically reunites a famous bouzouki-fiddle combination, and also delivers a variety of tempos and tunes, many associated with the Kerry-Cork Sliabh Luachra tradition, with several pieces from other musical counties in Ireland.

Aidan Coffey