Chrissy Crowley - Last Night's Fun

"A seriously swinging Cape Breton Fiddler. Some things just seem predetermined, inevitable, unavoidable. And so it is with the chosen vocation of one Chrissy Crowley. Born into a large family steeped in the ways of Celtic music, this unfeasibly young fiddler has taken on the twin mantels of both protecting and promoting the sounds of her native Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, the region where Celtic music prospers thanks to the Scottish, Irish and French-Acadian backgrounds of it's residents. It's when she picks up her fiddle that she undertakes the true ambassadorial role, the sound of Cape Breton history emerging with every thrust of her bow. While technically flawless, Chrissy's playing also swings along with a sense of youthful mischief, while her natural curiosity will surely see her expanding the Cape Breton tradition in years to come. For now though, give your ears and heart over to a spellbindingly precocious talent." Nige Tassell The Guardian (UK) 2012 " As a fiddler with a firm foundation in the traditional music of Cape Breton and the irrepressible curiosity of an artist driven to create and discover, Chrissy Crowley is now bringing her music to world audiences. ""...rapidly gaining a fearsome reputation among the cognoscenti of Celtic fiddling. Her playing is fiery and has a distinctly mischievous personality." Tim Readman, Penguin Eggs Magazine, August 2007 " Chrissy Crowley doesn't just set the stage on fire; she sets it ablaze. Crowley has it all as she demonstrated to a full house of wet music lovers at Celtic Colours on Friday night. She has the talent, energy to burn, her own sound, she writes her own powerful tunes, she's beautiful, funny, great with the audience and blows the roof off of every venue she plays. It wouldn't be a leap to say that Ms. Crowley will be the next international superstar of the Cape Breton fiddle, following in the steps of "old-timers" Natalie MacMaster and Ashley MacIsaac." Rankin MacDonald, Inverness Oran, 2012 True to title, Last Night's Fun soars like an old-school, live off-the-floor Cape Breton kitchen party; Parmar's, Doodlesack Jigs, Stepdance Set, Trundle's and Castlebay Scrap are sonic single-malts, while Shenanigans and Coig highlight Crowley's fury and finesse on the fretboard. The new recording is more than a rootsy romp in Celtic hay, however; both the stirring Hillbilly Lullabillyand Archibald's Aire showcase a softer side, while the pretty lull of Paddy's Perambulation portraits the energetic artist as musically wise beyond her years. Still, the crux of this collection hinges on fun, frolic and the simple joy of a young woman letting loose on her fiddle. Easy on the ears and eyes, the twenty-something performer is quickly establishing herself as the masterful heir-apparent to Natalie McMaster. ~ Celtic Life International, Spring 2013 There's a great deal to celebrate in the fact that Cape Breton music is being carried on in the hands of young musicians like Chrissy Crowley, manifestly respectful of it's heritage, while finding ways to keep it contemporary and fresh." Ray Templeton, Musical Traditions Internet magazine, August 2007 "It's true some can be taught to play the fiddle and do well at it - but rarer is the person who was born to play - where the instrument is a natural extension of the artist and the music they make is truly pieces of them revealed...honest, real and oh so good. That's Chrissy Crowley. Her talent as a player is matched perfectly by her personality -naturally gifted, wonderfully spirited and great fun indeed! I can't wait to see what she creates next!!!" Stephanie Beaumont, Sea and be Scene 2012 'I said her next album would probably be interesting. I was right: Chrissy Crowley has successfully merged the energy of her would- be rock-chick side with the quality of her traditional fiddle background, and produced a collection of music which is both powerful and beautiful. Whether it's old Irish reels or modern Canadian lullabies, stomping Crowley compositions or Scott Skinner classics, Chrissy's fiddle sweeps through this music with a vibrant spirited assurance. Her own two tunes are the funky Balkan-tinged Parmar's Reel and the relaxed Hillbilly Lullabilly, both well off the beaten track of Nova Scotian fiddle music, but Chrissy surrounds them with the best from all those traditions which merge to form Cape Breton's sound. Reels by Tracey Dares, Ryan MacNeil, Leo McCann and Ross Ainslie join older material by James Hill and many unknown composers. Traditional jigs are supplemented by the work of Hector Mackenzie, Colin Farrell and Elmer Deagle. There are great melodies here by Gordon Duncan, Liz Carroll, Lad O'Beirne and others. In short, this is top- notch stuff. And my word can she play it. Chrissy Crowley's sound has settled down and rounded out since her second CD, and the fiddle comes through strongly against some great accompaniment and indeed a couple of other fine fiddlers. The banjo of Darren McMullen is particularly impressive, the small pipes of Kenneth MacKenzie are sweet as a nut, and Chrissy has enlisted the fiddling talents of both Rachel Davis and Colin Grant, but there's no doubt who's driving this band. Stand-out moments for me were the charging reels Taybank Shenanigans and Wes and Maggie's Ceilidh Croft, the piping jig Skylark's Ascension, the Silly Wizard favourite Miss Shepherd, and the grand old air Sir Archibald MacDonnell of Keppoch where the fiddle seems to weep for the highlanders' centuries of loss.' Alex Monaghan, Living Tradition Magazine "Rave reviews have been received from various media outlets for Chrissy's outstanding fiddle playing and she is definitely a star in the making." John Gavin, Atlantic Seabreeze, 2009 "This self-titled CD is a shining example of the heart and backbone of the East Coast tradition." Tom Knapp, Rambles Magazine June 2007 'I spend much of ECMA Week running from venue to venue because one act I want to see is playing in this venue while the next act on my must-see list is playing several blocks away. Nine times out of 10 I get to where I'm supposed to be, when I'm supposed to be there. But every year, without fail, I get stopped in my tracks by somebody new I just happen to hear along the way or somebody I've heard before who's made such an impression on me that I have to stop. When I come across those acts I make notes for myself and on the first available opportunity I head to the buyers room too see if those artists have left CDs, drop cards or promo materials behind. Invariably I come home with a stack of things which I'll write about over the next couple of months. This year I came home with about a dozen CDs and contact information to obtain as many more. I've only cracked open one CD so far, Last Night's Fun by Cape Breton fiddler Chrissy Crowley. I've had trouble putting it away. I've heard Crowley before a number of times so I knew she was good but she really kicks things up a notch on this set. Recorded at Lakewind Sound Studios in Cape Breton by Mike "Sheppy" Shepherd, this recording features 12 tracks, most of which are medleys. Backed by a first-class group of players that includes, among others, Jason Roach on piano and Darren McMullen on guitar, mandolin, banjo and upright bass and featuring guest fiddler Colin Grant, Crowley pours heart and soul into a mix that embraces traditional Cape Breton fiddle music but also takes some adventurous twists and turns.The material is drawn from several sources, including from legendary Scottish composers like J. Scott Skinner and Cape Breton standard bearers like Donald Angus Beaton and Tracy Dares-MacNeil to more contemporary tunesmiths like P.E.I.'s Elmer Deagle. Crowley strikes a lovely balance here between the past and the present and between get-up-off-your-ass-and-dance material and sit-back-and-soak-up-the beauty material. She is an absolute joy to listen to, whether she's full-throttle on a fast reel or a jig like those in Stepdance Set, rolling