by Felefeber

Karen Tweed & Ian Carr - Shhh (1997)





















Both of these great musicians are well known from their work with other line-ups (the Poozies, Kathryn Tickell band, Old Rope String Band, Kate Rusby, Swåp, etc) but in the mid nineties they made two albums as a duo. A third would be great but it seems they're too busy involved in other projects now.

"The pairing of Karen Tweed and Ian Carr (that's Ian Carr the folky, not the jazzbo) has the kind of telepathy so often promised but rarely achieved. It's not a case of Tweed's accordion leading with Carr supplying rhythm on guitar. They work together, as they did in Kathryn Tickell's band, filling and supporting each other, armed with style and a formidable technique -- simply listen to Carr's picking on "Jigs" to understand the possibilities of guitar as a rhythm instrument. While Tweed and Carr are more than capable in every musical sphere, they seem particularly at home on the "Polskas," a foreshadowing of the work they'd do in Swåp. But their approach alone is a joy, whether tackling traditional or contemporary material from Ireland, Scotland, England, or Scandinavia; it's the interaction, lightning fast and beyond any rehearsal, that makes this record truly stand out, with the wonderfully titled "Isleofewe" positively glowing. The possibilities of a duo are rarely fully explored, especially an instrumental one. Carr and Tweed burrow into the nooks and crannies, and their playing is so eloquent that you never miss the words. ~ Chris Nickson, All Music Guide "