Peggy's Dream

Lovers of The Gloaming will be expecting the best from Clare fiddler extraordinaire Martin Hayes and the Common Ground Ensemble, and in Peggy's Dream, no one will be disappointed. It's a stunning record throughout, one that may require plenty of turns to allow its layers and details to seep through the listener.

The Ensemble of cellist Kate Ellis, pianist Cormac McCarthy, guitarist Kyle Sanna and Brian Donnellan on bouzouki, harmonium and concertina conjure pure magic across its nine tracks, and Hayes’ playing is utterly sublime on this first set since the passing of his longtime musical accompanist, guitarist Dennis Cahill (to whom the album is dedicated, as well as to Hayes’ late mother, the Peggy of the title).

Opener ‘The Boyne Water’ all but shimmers with musical tension and release, setting off via gentle solo piano before Hayes’ fiddle drops in, piano and cello swelling up for their close-up before Hayes returns, and a slow descent via bouzouki and piano leads into that final solo piano again. Such musical shape-shifting recurs throughout.

The title track is an ethereal beauty, with the likes of ‘The Glen of Aherlow’ not far behind. There's a deep lyricism and an exploratory, improvisatory conjuring from all concerned, collectively roaming far without losing touch with their sources. A classic.