Stylish improvisations on guitar and bamboo flutes; Celtic acoustic folk.

13 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Scottish Traditional, WORLD: Celtic



Details:
Here is a reveiw of my record:

A Pleasant Surprise

Before I opened up Scott Boswell's Jug of Punch, I was prepared to dislike it.

For one thing, the title track has always been one of my least favorite songs in the traditional Celtic repertoire, and a glance at the title list made me expect another boring rehashing of songs we heard the Clancy Brothers do long ago.

Boy, was I wrong.

Scott Boswell's performance on this album not only sold me on the title track by breathing new life into a song I'd never liked before; it also proved to me that Boswell is no one-trick pony. His guitar playing--which ranges in mood and style from traditional Celtic, bluesy meanderings, driving Spanish riffs, and rocking electrical--is outdone only by his impressive command of the flute. Whether he's sweetly re-interpreting an O'Carolan tune or channeling Ian Anderson to improvise something wild and trippy, Boswell's flute work evokes exactly the perfect emotion in any song.

Now I've heard plenty of bands that could do a great job with any piece of music--but every song they played sounded like every other song they played. Boswell's Jug of Punch deftly sidesteps that amateur flaw, juxtaposing ambient musical voyages with well-known songs from the folk repertoire. Guest performers--especially vocalist Lilly, formerly of the Bedlam Bards--add extra spice to an album that already shows impressive variety while preserving a central continuity.

Powerfully expressive guitar, dancing flutes, well-delivered lyrics--Boswell's Jug of Punch provides numerous musical delights.