Cal Scott gave the guitarists in the audience lots to think about.
It was a concert. It was a master class.
It was both of those things, and more, as famed fiddler Kevin Burke and guitarist-composer Cal Scott brought many of the tunes from their new CD—and several others besides—to the Philadelphia Irish Center Friday night.
The Center’s Fireplace Room was filled near to bursting with enthusiastic fans, who evidently came prepared to be dazzled.
Scott and Burke didn’t disappoint. Their nearly two-hour concert was an uninterrupted display of smooth virtuosity.
The concert began with “The Surround” and “The Red Stockings,” both of which constitute the opening set on their just-released recording, “The Black River.” I wasn’t sure how well those tunes, and many other tunes from the CD, would hold up. Those two guys can easily fill a room with sound. However, on most of the tunes on the CD they’re accompanied by two or three other musicians. It’s an energetic, full sound.
I needn’t have been concerned. Even on “The Long Set,” which consists of five reels back to back, it held up just fine. The set includes quite a bit of accompaniment on the CD, including some rollicking Cajun-style accordion play, particularly toward the end, but Scott and Burke played with so much energy and passion, it sounded like there were more than two instruments on stage.
The night ended with a well-deserved standing ovation. Burke rewarded loyal fans with a solo performance of “Itzikel,” a haunting tune in the Yiddish “frailach” folk dance tradition. Then Cal rejoined him for a blast of reels that once again had fans on their feet.
We offer you a few photo memories of the night.