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Yella Hoose

John McCusker
1 disc

1. The Boys Of The Puddle / Sean Og Potts
2. Shetland Molecule / For All The Cows
3. Sailing Through The Narrows / Kev Goes To Brittany / Pur The Orangutan
4. Ann Maguire's Silver Wedding / 30 Year Jig
5. Wee Michael's March / Joe's Tuxedo / Pacific Avenue
6. Blue Bonnets Over The Border / Khazi
7. Rod Cameron's Uncle / Xesus And Felicia
8. Al's Big Day
9. Night Visiting Song
10. Emma and Jamie's Wedding
11. Carrickmacross / Yella Hoose / Trip To The Phone
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Additional Info

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 2083
Credits

Producer John McCusker
Engineer
Personnel includes: John McCusker (cittern, fiddle, whistle, piano); Tim O'Brien, Darrell Scott, Kate Rusby, Michael McGoldrick, Ian Carr, Simon Thoumire, Andy Cutting, Gino Lupari, Malcolm Stitt, Kevin MacKenzie.
Engineers: Andy Seward, Joe Rusby, Robin Morton.
Recorded at Pure Records, Yorkshire, England and Temple Records, Midlothian, Scotland.
Taking a break from his fiddling duties with the Battlefield Band, John McCusker concentrates on ten instrumentals and a guest vocal on Yella Hoose. McCusker and a number of friends combine traditional pieces with self-penned ones to create a smooth Celtic blend that's easy on the ears. Reels and jigs like "The Boys of the Puddle/The Scullion's Wife" invite the listener to kick up his or her heels and let down his or her hair, while "Blue Bonnets Over the Border/Khazi" inspires a more reflective mood. Piano and fiddle intermingle in "Al's Big Day," a relaxed meditation that dips into new age terrain. The arrangements of fiddle, guitar, bass, and flutes are always tastefully thought out on Yella Hoose. While McCusker is joined by a number of high-profiled guests like Tim O'Brien, the players always focus their attention on the music at hand. Only on "Night Visiting Song" does vocalist Kate Rusby step to the forefront. As always, her emotive voice offers a sensitive interpretation of this gentle piece. Yella Hoose is the kind of album that provides the perfect soundtrack for a lazy day, playing in the background as the clouds drift along in the afternoon sky. McCusker's fiddle work is lovely here, and the album will provide fans with yet another look at this versatile musician. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.
Critic Reviews

Mojo (Publisher) (p.122) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[The album reveals] not only masterful command of the jigs/reels school of the Scottish tradition but a hungry desire to reach far beyond it..."