Where have you been all these years?

Where have you been all these years?
Claire Patti, Louise Godwin, Tony Gould
Move MD 33469
***

This is a collection of traditional folk music from England, Ireland, Scotland and (strangely) Sweden given what I can only describe as an intellectual 21^st century polish by these three gifted classical musicians. The result is mixed. Claire Patti has a beautiful voice, perfectly attuned to these folk songs, but on occasion the sweetness overcomes the meaning, as in the first track Sweet Lemany. After all, this is basically a song about a man (some believe he was either a monk or a leper) who’s lost his love. Actually sweetness is the word which I’d use for most of this CD. The trio, Patti (harp and vocals). Louise Godwin (cello) and Tony Gould (piano) adapt all 15 of these traditional tunes with a distinctly honeyed air. I would wish for a little more verve in some of the offerings, particularly the final track, Molly Malone, which surely calls for a bit more of a rollicking treatment.

That said, and I quote from Move’s press release, Patti, Godwin and Gould have come together to infuse fresh life into these traditional melodies, creating a sound that is entirely their own. With that I cannot argue.

– Michael Morton-Evans