REVIEW EXTRACTS
Unhurried concertina from this superb Clare player ..... reflect McCarthy's early years in London's golden age of traditional music, making the album and its notes an historical document.
Fintan Vallely, The Sunday Tribune, Dublin
The concertina ... a wonder in the hands of this lady. Her constant, spontaneous swellings and squirting around the shape of the tunes. Lovely indeed.
Mic Moroney, Irish Times
Brilliantly stylish concertina playing ... a superb collection.
Jeff O'Connell, The Galway Advertiser
This is the unmistakable sound of a good session ..... a great collection.
Pat Ahern, The Examiner, Cork
The music has a natural feel to it that is welcome amidst the 'turbo-trad' which prevails at present ..... excellent album.
Alan Wallace, Arts West, Mayo
Jacqueline plays the Clare music with unhurried ease and confidence.
Aidan O'Hara, Irish Music Magazine, Dublin
..... it shows the little hexagonal box at its very best with a very enjoyable album ..... Though generations removed from Mrs. Crotty, Jacqueline McCarthy is very much in the tradition of the old lady.
Joe Crane, Folk Roots, UK
Her extraordinary fluency brings back to life many a tired old tune. The whole is undiluted pleasure.
John Browne, Folk on Tap, UK
Jacqueline's style harks back to the unhurried, less ornamented playing of the older generation - heart-lifting music, full of warmth and understanding ..... a thoroughly wonderful album.
John Neilson, Taplas, Wales
It is as wonderful as you might expect. Excellent pure drop music.
Phillipe Varlet, Irtrad Internet List, USA
Extraordinary. A beautiful collection of concertina tunes from the heartland of that instrument, Co. Clare. This is an album your collection cannot afford to be without.
Malcolm Rogers, The Irish Post, UK
Anyone recalling the brilliance of The wind among the reeds that McCarthy recorded with her husband, Tommy Keane, in 1995 will revel in this solo debut by the master concertinist. No. 18 in my top 20 Irish traditional albums of 1999.
Earle Hitchner, Irish Echo, USA
The playing is just what I think it ought to be - relaxed, simple, direct. And no flash! it's a real pleasure to hear ... her playing sounds so much more familiar to me than the majority of Irish music does.
Rod Stradling, Musical Traditions, UK
The Hidden Note is classic stuff ..... straight traditional music of the finest kind.
Don Meade, Irish Voice, New York, USA
This is a pure, clear album and the very picture of an instrument played by a master of the form.
Bill Margeson, Irish American News, Chicago, USA
This is an absolutely excellent record, from start to finish. .... the ability always to bring out the hidden beauty of a tune ..... McCarthy has this facility in abundance.
Duck Baker, Dirty Linen, Baltimore, USA
It's superb. Jacqueline has a beautiful and unique style. I love her diverse and entertaining selection of tunes.
Paul Schwartz, Concertina.net, Canada
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