The Diamond Mountain Sessions [Compass]

Performer: Sharon Shannon
Artist: Steve Earle; Donal Lunny; Jackson Browne; John Prine; Hothouse Flowers; Carlos Nunez
Engineer: Tom Skerritt; Ciaran Byrne; Tom Skerritt
Producer: Donal Lunny; Sharon Shannon; John Dunford
Distributor: Ryko Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: Sharon Shannon (vocals, fiddle, whistle, accordion); John Prine, Jackson Browne (vocals, guitar); John Hoban (vocals, mandocello); Steve Earle (vocals, mandolin); Dessie O' Halloran (vocals, fiddle); Liam O' Maonlai (vocals, whistle, piano); Mary Staunton (vocals); Peter O'Toole, Jim Murray (acoustic guitar); Donal Lunny (guitar, bouzouki, bodhran); Mary Shannon (banjo, mandolin, fiddle, background vocals); Brendan O'Regan (mandolin, background vocals); Liz Kane, Yvonne Kane (fiddle, background vocals); Sean Smith, Maurice Lennon (fiddle); Carlos Nunez (flute, recorder, whistle, pipes); Triona Ni Dhomhnaill (piano, keyboards, background vocals); Tony Molloy (bass); Lloyd Byrne (drums, percussion). Recorded at: The Old Monastery Letterfrack & Sharon's House, Galway, Ireland; Totally Wired Studios, Dublin, Ireland; Westside Studios, London, England. Personnel: Sharon Shannon (fiddle, accordion, background vocals); John Hoban (vocals, mandocello); Steve Earle (vocals, mandolin); Tr�ona N� Dhomhnaill (vocals, piano, keyboards, background vocals); D�nal Lunny (guitar, bouzouki, bodhran); Fiachna OBraonain, Jim Murray, Peter O'Toole (acoustic guitar); Mary Shannon (banjo, fiddle, background vocals); Bill Wright (bouzouki); Jesse Smith (fiddle, viola); Yvonne Kane, Liz Kane (fiddle, background vocals); Sean Smith (fiddle); Carlos Nunez (pipe, recorder); Richie Buckley (saxophone); James Delaney (piano); James Blennerhassett (double bass); Lloyd Byrne (drums, percussion); Noel Bridgeman (drums). Audio Mixers: Keith McDonnell; D�nal Lunny; Tom Skerritt; Sharon Shannon; John Dunford. Recording information: Sharon's House, CO. Galway (05/1999-07/2000); The Old Monastery Letterfrack, Co. Galway (05/1999-07/2000); Totally Wired Studios, Dublin, Ireland (05/1999-07/2000); Westside Studios, London, England (05/1999-07/2000). Arrangers: D�nal Lunny; Yvonne Kane; Liz Kane; Fiachna OBraonain; Jim Murray; Sharon Shannon; Tr�ona N� Dhomhnaill; Mary Shannon; Carlos Nunez. While Sharon Shannon is perhaps best known as a talented fiddle and accordion player in Celtic circles, The Diamond Mountain Sessions should broaden her appeal. This album finds her joined by a multitude of talent, including luminaries such as John Prine, Jackson Browne, and Steve Earle. Since Shannon is primarily a musician and not a singer, the album also contains a number of fine instrumentals. Things get started with "A Costa de Galicia," a lovely jig full of intricate accordion work, and the pipes of Carl Nunez. Next up is a hard, driving Earle song, "The Galway Girl," that is immediately likable and will remind many of his best acoustic work. Browne's vocal on "Man of Constant Sorrow" is enriched by the addition of Mary Staunton on backing vocals, while Dessie O'Hollaran offers a more traditional take on "Say You Love Me." It is probably inevitable that Americana radio will push the vocal tracks, and while this isn't a bad thing, the instrumental tracks have just as much to offer. The Woodchoppers join Shannon on the lovely "The Pernod Watlz," while Liz and Yvonne Kane join her on the medley of tunes titled "Fire in the Bellies." Even though a number of players are present on each track, the arrangements are never crowded. Instead, the sound is open and airy. It is nice that artists like Shannon have been given the freedom to make albums that are stylistically all over the map like The Diamond Mountain Sessions. This broad musical palette serves to show that Americana and Celtic have a lot in common, and gives fans of either style a nice way to expand their tastes. Shannon's confident debut on Compass shouldn't be missed. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

Dirty Linen (8-9/01, pp.59,61) - "...Shannon remains one of the most exciting musicians in the modern Irish tradition..."

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