Tommy Peoples with Daithí Sproule - The Iron Man (CD)

Tommy Peoples stands among the greatest fiddle players Ireland ever produced, and The Iron Man catches him at full power. The Donegal man made his name with the Bothy Band's era-defining 1975 debut, but this recording with guitarist Dáithí Sproule is where his own voice comes through clearest: that unmistakable clipped bowing, the darting ornamentation, the tension he could build inside a single reel. Sproule, later of Altan, accompanies with the sympathy of someone who knows when to stay out of the way.

The title track is a Scottish strathspey, a nod to the Donegal tradition's northern reach, and the pairing with William Marshall's is a highlight, as is the lonesome solo reel Kit O'Connor's. Essential listening for anyone serious about Irish fiddle music.