BRYONY GRIFFITH - Hover
Selwyn Music SYNMCD0009
It's not often you'll find a focused study of tunes just for one instrument to be varied and approachable, but Bryony Griffith's violin-centric second recording, Hover, is both these things and more. If you know Bryony's playing from The Demon Barbers, you'll find this is quite a different pace. Here, Bryony's skill with the bow is eloquent, relaxed with a natural feel, and at a pace well suited to sessions and the rappers and morris dancers she often accompanies, bringing an involuntary rhythmic tap to the foot of this reviewer.
The choice of tunes is a varied collection of mainly English violin pieces, thoughtfully compiled from sessions and some quite old manuscripts. While it's difficult to pick out favourites, a shared Yorkshire heritage leads me to favour The Gaubeo, The Ladds Of Dance & Oaks Assembly set, and a pleasant homage to The Red House of Cardiff brings back a few fond memories of that long lost establishment. Tunes flow together as well as ever they would in a session. If you like a good fiddle tune, fancy a bit of a jig, or just to eavesdrop on the edge of a session, Hover is well worth lingering over.
www.bryonygriffith.com
Andy Piper
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