Irish Edition Reviews Eliot Grasso Album, Standing Room Only
by Jamie O’Brien
published in the Irish Edition April 2004, page 17.
You know, it's hard to believe that the young fellow pictured in the liner notes has anything to do with this album, even though the photo has echoes of the early twentieth century. But what was it I once heard about it taking years to learn the pipes? Whoever is playing here has been around a while, that's for sure; the dexterity, the understanding, the technique, the style, the quality, everything points to it.
Except, Eliot Grasso is still young and is playing the pipes today. I first heard his name some years back when Kieran O'Hare spent an evening talking about this phenomenal student of his who, without doubt, would one day be regarded as one of the finest pipers of all time. And with that coming from Kieran, I paid attention.
The next time I came across Grasso was at J. Patrick's, a fine pub of the old kind, tucked away in a quieter part of Baltimore. It's an establishment which acts as host to a number of top quality sessions and some years back, at one led by banjo player Peter Fitzgerald, I noticed an unassuming young man walk in. He unpacked his pipes and instinctively I knew I was in the presence of someone special. He played that evening and my wife and I spent the two hours, on the journey home raving about what we had heard. (That same session also had Rosie Shipley, Jim Eagan, Mark Evans, and Andy Thurston playing--some session.)
Although he has recorded before, Standing Room Only is Grasso's first exhilarating solo debut. It features 11 tracks and some mighty fine playing.
Accompaniment on five tracks is provided by guitarist Andy Thurston. He has a delightfully light yet powerful touch. Holding they rhythm tightly, he creates an intriguing bed for the melody to thrive on: bass runs, emphasized chords which push the tune forward, a dancing quality which matches Grasso's playing--elements such as these all come together rounding out the sound. He also adds mandolin on the "My Darling Asleep" set.
Using subtle voicings, Zan McLeod's guitar and bouzouki accompaniments on five tracks delve into progressions and cascading chord patterns which add even more life to the tunes. The near-menacing droning of the bouzouki is particularly appealing and matches well with the pipes.
Joining Eliot on fiddle are two musicians from the new generation of traditional players. Jim Eagan from Baltimore and New Yorker Patrick Mangan; each plays on two tracks. Eagan plays with a lively, infectious lilt that contrasts well with pipes, while Mangan's approach is more fluid and driving, matching Grasso almost note for note.
Choice of material is excellent and wide ranging. There are some standards (like "My Darling Asleep" and "Toss the Feathers") mixed in with tunes associated with particular players and groups (Boys of the Lough, Hag at the Churn), and traditional pieces and some by more recent composers (Jerry Holland and Grasso himself). Eliot gives full credit in his comprehensive liner notes (co-written with Myron Bretholz, and featuring comments by Robbie Hannan) and then proceeds to stamp his own mark on all he plays.
He's learnt so well. Here are five sets of reels, four of jigs, an air, and a set of hornpipes presented with vibrant colorful playing. Arrangements bring the pipes constantly to the fore, but allow the other instruments space to develop and breathe. There is something going on, but never a sense of overdoing things or of clutter. Grasso produced the album with a good sense of what he was after and McLeod recorded it with a great understanding of the idiosyncrasies of the instruments in involved.
Grasso plays with great maturity and a startling understanding not only of his chosen instrument, but also of Irish music in general. He's captured a tremendous excitement in the playing and the material, again showing a maturity well beyond his years.
By the way, it's also scary to think that two of the four collaborating musicians are about the same age as Eliot. And both Eagan and Mangan have their own albums. What wonderful times we live in!
