Review of Phil Hardy's CD: Whistle Graffiti

[Oreo]

Review of Whistle Graffiti, produced in 2005, by Phil Hardy and others (including Tony Hinnigan).

Track 1: Wainu, Bolivian Trad.
Really nice swing. Would make great dance music. Nice variations in what instruments are playing. Sort of sounds like a laid back tune that might have been played in the same set as the closing song of the movie Willow, celebrating the return of the little dwarf-like hero of the same name. Magical music.

Track 2: Viracocha, Cuban, by Tony Hinnigan.
This track is more identifiably Salsa music. Very cool melody and it makes a nice set with track 1. This is definitely “world music.” Sort of conjures up a story of a wandering Irish penny whistle player who went to Cuba, fell in love with a woman, rolls cigars for a living, and plays in a hot Irish-Cuban pub at night. I love the accentuated chiff of the pan pipes.

Track 3: A mile down the road. Scotts.
What a cool melody! A Scottish jig perhaps?— but the setting is definitely modern. It still invites you to get up and dance, but it would be a more laid back and modern dance. Lovely changes in the instrumentation make for interesting listening. At first I thought that this song was defective on my CD. Turns out that it just has kind of a non-ending.

Track 4: The Granny Set, UK.
Absolutely cool whistle playing. It keeps it's traditional roots, as one can hear traditional triple tonguing and rolls, but parts of this set sound kind of bee-bop. This would be cool music for a party! Moves into jazz, then flows back to a fusion of traditional Irish-sounding over a driving rock foundation.

Track 5: Sharon Shannon's Set, Irish.
Phil Hardy plays everything on this, and several of the other songs on this CD. I'm impressed. Great guitar, percussion, keyboard, and of course, whistle playing. He says he was striving for a “band feel” on this set. He succeeds. While the tunes are modern Irish, the very modern electronic band background gives a very jazzy feel. It is again, very much a fusion, and very much world music.

Track 6: Words, John McSherry, Northern Irish.
This sounds kind of like track 5, but with musicians who have lost their way. I don't like the repetitious ostinato background. The jazz seems well played. Those who like funky music will like this track. It's not for me.

Track 7: Poetess, written by Tina Dickow, vocal solo by Pete Curtis.
I like Phil's bass guitar playing in this one. And there is a cool and all too brief jazz obbligato above the solo on a sweet sounding flute or whistle. Pete sings in a raspy modern tone. Not one of my favorite tracks.

Track 8: Spanish Set, trad music from Spain.
This track starts with guitars, there is a midsection that includes some sweet-sounding whistle playing. This is great music for a fiesta. We only lack someone calling out “yipee” and various other Spanish phrases. Is it my cheap system, or does the recording go over the peak and sound distorted in the lower guitar playing? Despite that, I like this track.

Track 9: Book of rights/Uncle Daves ½ jig, Trad/CB.
What cool jigs! What a cool modern arrangement! This is one of my favorite tracks. Plenty of cool whistle playing. Again, I love chiff when it is used as a percussion instrument. I'm a little disappointed that they let the ending sort of just dwindle, rather than giving a strong finish to this one.

Track 10: All the Way, Alva Romero/Phil Hardy.
Pete Curtis again sings the vocal solo. Phil says this was recorded 10 years ago, and “I thought it would sound great remixed.” And he says, “Sorry there are no whistles here. They just were not needed.” This is also the one song with some jazz tenor sax playing, done very well. While I like this song a little better than Track 7, I just don't need a song about a guy's hope that his love relationship will get better. The words sound like a collection of very tired clichés taken from other songs.

Hey, I like 7 out of 10 tracks. That's not bad for me! The strong point of this CD is the very creative musical fusion of Irish whistle playing with music of other cultures and modern pop.
This CD is available at Phil's site, http://www.kerrywhistles.com.

While there, if you haven't already, check out the little movies of Phil Hardy demonstrating various whistles, playing some neat tunes, and the tutorials showing ornaments on a low whistle. Note: there is a slider on the right in order to see the whole list. You'll need a fast connection.

Oreo Phil (another Phil, not Phil Hardy)

[StewySmoot]

I buy impulsively. Is it available as a purchasable MP3 download?

[Phil Hardy]

Hey guys,it's available on CD only from the KWL online shop.
Phil.

[anniemcu]

Let me add my long overdue $0.02...

I really enjoyed this CD! I particularly appreciate music that crosses lines.

Phil Hardy's CD, Whistle Graffiti is not ITRAD by a long shot, but it is undeniably an interesting experience ... like listening to the the same whistle from different parts of the world... all sorts of influences ... no barriers ... ecclectic in the best sense of the word.

As the title implies, there is a sampling of cultural inspiration from all over, painted on the walls of tradition with a bright mixture of musical languages, ready to speak to anyone willing to take the time to look at each offering with an ear for diverse coloring... from tints of Andean pipes and subtle Australian didgeridoo, swingy piano, bluesy basslines, classical guitar riffs, compelling rythyms, all tied in with skillfully played whistle, often bringing the ITRAD influence back into foreward focus ... the mingling of flavors is unique and tantalizing.

The vocal cuts are definitely diffferent and worthy of attention as well.

Beautifully done!