Sean Doyle – The Light and the Half Light

John Doyle is everywhere it seems. From his days as the driving rhythm for Solas to his work with Eileen Ivers, Tim O'Brien, Liz Carroll and Alison Brown he is certainly one of the most sought after musicians in America today.

As is obvious in his music, his Irish upbringing is very important to him and especially the songs and tunes that were so much part of everyday life. One of his biggest influences was his father, Sean Doyle who sang and collected old ballads and traditional songs. So it was a natural step for John to persuade his da to finally sit down and record an album of some of the best from his vast repertoire.

The Light and the Half Light is the result of John's persuasion and between father and son they have produced a thing of great joy. Sean has one of those authentic old soul Irish voices that occasionally break the silence between tunes at a good session and makes everyone stop their chatter and become part of the song. Songs they have heard a thousand times will live again when a singer like Sean tales hold of it.

On the CD Sean's resonance is backed by John's delicate and inspired guitar playing and some fine arrangements featuring many other great Irish and American musicians. Liz Carroll, John Williams and Emer Mayock all feature lending their own individual styles to the proceedings. The incredible Dirk Powell and John Herrmann are also on board with an appreciative nod from the Appalachians to the music that inspired so many of their own great ballads.

The songs and how Sean sings them are the real sparks of genius on this CD. From the poignant unaccompanied The Yellow Bittern to the lively Let Mr. Maguire Sit Down, I can close my eyes and be returned to the back room of McGuinness' Pub in the remote and windswept Culdaff on a stormy winter's night. Laid back yet powerful, melancholic yet joyful, simple yet inspired, each song takes you back to a time and place far from here and yet with albums like this one and people like Sean and John Doyle maybe those days aren't so far away after all.

The Light and the Half Light is available on Compass Records Here

For more on John Doyle go to Here