Search - Jerry O'Sullivan :: Gift

He opens vistas

Kenneth Wolman | Sea Bright, New Jersey United States | 01/16/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I just ordered my first Uilleann practice set and it's partially Jerry O'Sullivan's "fault"...or it's this CD's doing. The man who is making my set told me that the Irish pipes are not a "folk instrument" or traditional bagpipes in the sense that we think of them; they're out of the tradition of the double-reeds such as the oboe and bassoon, and as such are expandable beyond what we think of as "folk music." Well, yes. And hearing O'Sullivan playing jazz riffs, Bach, or folk/gospel material stretched my hearing and imagination so I could admit the possibility of bringing music I know to these pipes as well as learning new material. And he is a breathtaking performer."

Integration and Innovation, Jerry O'Sullivan Style...

Daniel Meyers | Castle Rock, CO United States | 12/05/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Jazz trumpeter Clark Terry once said that there are three steps to finding your own voice as a musician: imitation (of other musicians who you respect), integration (of others' styles and techniques with your own developing sense of music) and finally innovation, where you take the tools you have developed and use them to express your own personal vision. This is Jerry O'Sullivan's "innovation" album. Even ten years ago he was a virtuosic piper (as "The Invasion" demonstrates admirably), but in "The Gift" he shows a finesse and maturity that the earlier album, for all of its fireworks, was lacking. The Jerry O'Sullivan on "The Gift" has found his own voice through the uilleann pipes, and is unafraid to experiment with that voice in a variety of idioms. While hidebound traditionalists may shy away from his forays into classical, jazz, and other non-Irish styles, I say fair play to him. Not every experiment on this album is a complete success, but every track is well worth listening to, and Jerry has assembled a supporting cast of musicians that are more than capable of supporting and enhancing his vision. His whistle playing has improved by leaps and bounds since "The Invasion"; he manages to make the pipes sound like a genuine blues instrument on "Noel McCarthy's Jig"; and the final track (excerpts from Bach's Orchestral Suite in D major) is nothing short of amazing. Yes, some notes are noticeably out of tune, but as an uilleann piper myself I can speak to the heroic effort involved in playing Bach on the pipes at all. Still, Jerry never lets the technical difficulties overshadow the inherent musicality of his playing. I also feel that the unsung hero award goes to Kirk Lynch, who has created a lovely-sounding concert pitch chanter for Jerry O'Sullivan on this album, and is continuing to prove that the best American pipemakers are every bit the equal of their European counterparts."

Breathtaking virtuosity, spiritual and spellbinding music

Alan James | Wickwar, South Glos England | 03/14/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The melodies are so fine that they bring me to tears. The uillean pipes are so like the human voice that they take on a human spritual quality, expressing the joy, the love, and the sadness of life. It is all here on this one album. It will stop you in your tracks and force you to listen. The human spirit is freed through this instrument and through this music. It will rock your pants off with McCarthy's jig and Young Francis Mooney, then send you floating down the river on a bed of roses with Wind Chimes and Nursery Rhymes and Wendels Wedding. Some of the most moving and beautiful music I have ever heard in my 39 years. If you are worried about this CD being full of staid traditional folk music, think again and try it, I promise you will be delighted. Jerry O'Sullivan shows us the true range of this instrument, and his full appreciation of how it can lend a unique sound to all styles from ballads, to folk/country and even jazz. If you only buy one CD of Ulleian pipe music, make it this one. If you love melody and feel true emotion in music, then this will not disapoint. Thank God I found this album!PS you will find similar awesome melodic ulleian pipe emotion in "Lament" off Riverdance by Bill Whelan (1995 Celtic Heartbeat)."