FolkWorld webzine #50 posted this review of the CD “From Cork With Love”. The English version below is brought to you by Google Translate…. see the link following for the original German. http://www.folkworld.eu/50/d/cds3.html#coga
“The Irish storyteller, singer and actor Mairtin de COGAIN (vocals, bodhran) sent, together with Brian Miller (guitar, bouzouki, Shruti Box), Norah Rendell (flute, whistles, vocals) and guest fiddler Nathan Gourley greetings from his home town, was added Live in St. Paul, Minnesota.”
“Mairtin sings cover versions, traditional and original songs, telling his stories and plays with the band tunes fleet. There is “The Star of Sunday’s Well”, a text from the 19th Century by William B. Guiney, a poet from Cork; Mairtin sings the poem A Capella for Shruti Box. “Jiggin ‘around Cork” is a set of traditional jigs from Cork, performed brilliantly with tin whistle, bouzouki, fiddle and bodhran. Then he tells the audience says “How to make proper tea”, a real laugh. Norah, Mairtin and the audience sing “Johnny go boating”, as you would most like to sing myself, and Norah charmed with the beautiful guitar ballad “The Rose of Coburg Street.” The Irish text of “Grá dá raibh” comes from Mairtin, the music he wrote with The Fuchsia Band, a rhythmic folk song. Another highlight is the up-beat set of “Reel Cork like,” Fiddling with great, bouzouki / bodhran rhythm and the rich sound of the Irish flute.”
“The album is a fun trip to the in my opinion most beautiful city in Ireland, the typical chant of Corkish English, the rousing tunes and great songs can travel thoughts. ”