The concert from Frankie Gavin in Armagh last night was life-affirming. Not a person present was not blown away by the unfettered display of genius, fiddle-craft, knowledge of the music and deadly delivery from Frankie by the equally all-in perceptive and empathetic accompaniment from Catherine McHugh who was doing an inside job of accompanying Frankie that was nothing if it wasn’t mind reading. Whilst the fireworks were continually mind-blowing and entertaining, the music was intact in its true dignity and fresh originality, a feat that only a true genius on fire could deliver.
Catherine Mc Hugh, Ian Kinsella, Frankie Gavin, Diarmuid Ó Meachair and Kaitlin Cullen-Verhauz
FRANKIE GAVIN – THE LEGENDARY FIDDLER’S MANY TALENTS
From the Late Late Show Friday 23 January 2021
The Roaring 20s Irish Orchestra – the music of the Flanagan Brothers
Frankie and Emma Corbett – August 2019
Frankie & Alec together again with Aidan Coffey and Colm Murphy – 2017
Gradam Ceoil Awards Frankie was awarded Traditional Musician of the 2018 with congratulations from Prince Albert of Monaco and Ronnie Wood with the award presented by President Michael D. Higgins.
Performance with The Provenance
Frankie Gavin with an original De Dannan line-up 2018
Frankie Gavin and De Dannan – the 2009-2017 line-up
The Gavin trio – Frankie with sister Noreen and brother Sean, 2015
Innovation may be the buzz-word in Traditional music, but Frankie Gavin’s digressions are not in the common areas of tempo and superficial style-impressions. His contemporary borrowings of art-deco and music-hall Irishness are re-jigged in original avenues of exploration. His dextrous treatment of troublesome tunes might get even the Pope out on the floor, his orchestration could break hearts.
A superbly uncompromising player, he makes refreshment of the old by picking out and polishing every detail and setting it off in a steady, listenable pace. Gavin edgy and brilliant on both fiddle and flute, with always the most meticulous attention given to tone and variation. Live, his tune sets are perfectionism that drive and are driven by an audience spontaneity that spurs Gavin to push fiddle from shriek to rasping bass.
Tears and cheers erupt spontaneously, the goodwill of his mixed-age audiences has always been great sauce. Like herding the mythic creac, Frankie Gavin here whoops a great retrospective before him into the Ogham of Celtic Valhalla.
Fintan Vallely in the Sunday Tribune