Track Listing. Part 1 1. The First House in Connaught + The Sally Gardens (Reels) 2. Tonra's Jig + Down The Back Lane (Jigs) 3. Johnny's Reel + Mick O'Connor's Choice (Reels) 4. The Boys of Blue Hill + The Peacock's Feather (Hornpipe) 5. The Humours of Glendart + The Monaghan Jig (Jigs) 6. Bean an Raidió + Paddy in Preston Part 2 Music for the Connemara Set 7. Boil The Breakfast Early + The New Mown Meadow (reels) 8. Miss McLeod's Reel (Reel) 9. Dowd's #9 + The Galway Rambler (reels) 10. Maggie In The Wood (Polka) 11. The Rose of Aranmore + Glen Swilly + An Raicin Álainn (Waltzes) Part 3. 12. Emmet The Piper + The Frost Is All Over (Jigs) 13. George White's Favourite + Love At The Endings (Reels) 14. Amrhán na Trá Báine (Air) 15. The Golden Keyboard + The Silver Spear (Reels) 16. Port Tom Mór + The Flying Wheelchair (Jigs) 17. Lucy Campbell + The Ships are Sailing (Reels) Click on underscored titles to hear sound samples with Real Player.

We are delighted to announce our release of this recording.

An Mileoidean Scaoilte
Johnny Connolly & Charlie Lennon

"This CD should be in everybody's collection of traditional music". Joe Mullarkey The Irish Post

"Johnny Connolly is an acknowledged master: possibly the greatest Irish melodeon player ever, certainly the best of his generation".
The Living Tradition

"An instant classic . . . a memorable recording of Irish dance music", Alex Monaghan/ The Living Tradition.

"This thoroughly wonderful CD is available from Copperplate Distribution", Rod Stradling, editor, Musical Traditions web site

Johnny Connolly, also known as king of the melodeon, brings us more of his wonderful music on An Mileoidean Scaoilte, his third solo album. The music is, as always, soulful, with a rocksteady rhythm and beautiful ornamentation. Charlie Lennon provides the accompaniment on piano, and on fiddle on one track. The album includes jigs, reels, hornpipes, waltzes, a polka and the slow air Amhrdn na Trd Bdine.

Four of the tracks are arranged specifically to suit the dancing of the Connemara set, and there is the added bonus of some sean-nos dancing, courtesy of Seosamh 6 Neachtain, to be heard on one of these.

The title of the album refers to an incident in Johnny's youth when his parents were away for the day and to his delight he came across a melodeon. Unfortunately the instrument was locked. Luckily, one of Johnny's sisters, Nain, found the key and unlocked the melodeon and on that same historic day he teased his first tune out of it. He says himself that in many ways he has been trying to unlock the melodeon ever since, and the title An Mileoidean Scaoilte, means the melodeon set free, or unlocked.

The album is dedicated to Nain, who passed away last year. Indeed, we are all thankful that she unlocked that melodeon many years ago, and set her brother on his musical journey.

Johnny Connolly was bom in Inis Bearachain, Connemara, and has been living in Indreabhan, Connemara, for many years now. This is his third solo album. His first album. An tOiledn Aerach (CICD 063), was published in 1993 to huge acclaim, and was followed in 1998 by Drioball na Fdinleoige
(CICD 127 both available from Copperplate). He is known as King of the Melodeon, and one listen to his playing will leave listeners in no doubt as to the reason why.
Charlie Lennon is from Leitrim, and is a well-known fiddler, piano player, composer and accompanist.

Press Reaction

The Stillwater Times Reviews Star Rating: ****

"Johnny Connolly is an acknowledged master: possibly the greatest Irish melodeon player ever, certainly the best of his generation..
" The Living Tradition

· The first thing I noticed about this album was the almost surreal titles to some of the tracks ~ "The Flying Wheelchair" being a personal favourite! The album contains a selection of reels, jigs, polkas, waltzes and airs all ably performed by Johnny and accompanied by Charlie on the piano. A major part of the arrangements (and the album's appeal) is Charlie's subdued/minimalist keyboard work which fits to perfection with Johnny's busy melodeon style ~ in short, it's a marriage made in heaven!

· All the tracks are relatively short but none the worse for that. It would've been a tragedy if the tunes had been developed into longer perhaps more self-indulgent pieces. Johnny fairly rips through some of the numbers, no more so than on "Boil The Breakfast Early/New Mown Meadows" featuring (very effectively) the dancer Seosamh O'Neachtain and "Miss McCleod's Reel" which crackles with unrestrained energy…

· A nice change of pace is the inclusion of Charlie on fiddle on the jig "Emmet The Piper/The Frost Is All Over" with the duo playing the lead lines in unison…

· Such is the passion present on this album that I wouldn't be surprised if the majority (if not all) of it was recorded in a single take. Johnny & Charlie certainly feed off one another producing in the process a highly infectious blend of traditional styles of music. As always with the calibre of this type of performer, one suspects that the best way to appreciate them and their music is to see them perform live…
"An Mileoidean Scaoilte" was reviewed by Dave

netrhythms.com
Johnny is the original King of the Irish melodeon, make no mistake, and don't you dare confuse him with the other box player of very similar name (Johnny B. Connolly, who records for the Green Linnet label)! Born on a remote Connemara island, he only returned to the county (though not the island) in the mid-70s after raising a family, since when he has settled near Spiddal. Johnny started out on the two-row melodeon, but reverted to the once rarely-heard one-row variety around 20 years ago.

This latest CD, Johnny's third solo recording for the Cló Iar-Chonnachta label (the previous two released at annoyingly long intervals from 1993!), is further testament to the power of the seemingly limited single-row instrument in the right hands. These hands seem effortlessly to "unlock" the capabilities of both player and instrument (the CD's title - literally, "the melodeon unlocked, or set free" - refers back to an incident in Johnny's youth when he came across a melodeon with a locked case, the key to which was found by his sister Nain). Johnny's playing embodies a natural and exemplary sense of rhythm that comes with its own innate and attractive ornamentation, and he coaxes the soul out of the instrument in a uniquely bright and rousing way that's an utter delight to listen to whether he's essaying hornpipes, reels, jigs, polkas or waltzes but he plays especially soulfully (to my mind) on the one slow air on the disc, the unduly brief Amhrán na Trá Báine. There's an unusual combination of jig and reel on the track 6 set that spotlights the compositional skills of Johnny's own son. Also, to reflect his solid accomplishments in the role of accompanist for dancing, Johnny himself has arranged the central section of the album specifically to suit the dancing of the Connemara set, and Seosamh Ó Neachtain can be heard stepping it out in fine fashion on New Mown Meadows, the second of the tunes in the first of that section's tracks. Throughout, Johnny achieves some impressive results from the humble one-row box yet at the same time turns in some supremely affectionate playing, which in turn inspires some particularly lyrical piano accompaniment from Leitrim man Charlie Lennon (who, to my joy, also brings out his fiddle to further augment the Emmet The Piper/The Frost Is All Over set that comprises track 12).

Musically then, this is a wonderful CD; it's such a pity that the booklet design lets the product down more than a shade in the end by printing the English translation of the notes in a colour scheme (yellow on grey!) that renders the otherwise useful notes virtually unreadable. David Kidman

Froots, May.05
" Bright and breezy throughout, Johnny's playing is rhythmically rock solid. Listen to his versions of Dowd's No. 9 and Galway Rambler for verification and admire just how much this unassuming man's music constantly seems to wear a smile.

Charlie Lennon's accompaniment is ever considered and understanding of his colleague's prowess, making An Mileoidean Scaoilte a delightful
musical experience and one guaranteed to set listeners' toes tapping". Geoff Wallis

The Folk Diary 4/5/.05
Merely receiving an album from this label seems to be a guarantee that you are going to listen to the Irish tradition at its very finest - and so it
proves with this one by the very fine Connemara melodeon player.

In the company of one of Ireland's finest accompanists, Charlie Lennon, on piano, Johnny plays his range of tunes in a way that is plain and straightforward but at the same time thrilling and exciting and beautifully decorated. There are quite a number of well-known tunes here including "MacLeod's Reel", "Maggie In The Wood", "Sally Gardens" and so on but such is the artistry of his playing that one is glued to all of his playing.

The only criticism that one could come up with concerns the booklet notes where the English language section - yellow on grey - is virtually
impossible to read. Vic Smith.

Taplas, The Welsh Folk Magazine April/May 05 Adolygiadau * Reviews
This is a very honest recording. One of Ireland's finest melodeon players backed by the incomparable Charlie Lennon on piano and that's, more or less, all. More would be superfluous.

Connolly writes that Lennon "teased the performances from me under the pretence that we were just trying out a few things...the recording was almost completed before I was aware I had been making one". Sleeve-note hyperbole perhaps, but the playing is beautifully relaxed: two musicians totally at ease with each other and the music.

The middle four tracks (out of a lengthy seventeen in total) are played as they would be for dancing the Connemara set, and the rock-steady rhythm and lift of Connolly's playing remind us of the crucial role of dancing in shaping Irish traditional music.

But Connollv's playing is subtle: he has a way of coaxing out some magical ornaments and this from the one-row melodeon - one of the most limiting of instruments. If ever there was a demonstration of how limitation can foster art, this is it.

My only grouse is a typographic one: the English translations of the sleeve notes are all but illegible. But it's the music that matters and An Mileoidean Scaoilte shows Connolly at the peak of his powers. If you liked his previous two CDs, you'll be delighted by this one. John Neilson

The Irish Post 26.03.05
Johnny Connolly was born in Inis Bearachain, Connemara, and has lived now for many years in Indireacha. This is his third solo CD - his first album an tOiledh Aerach was released to huge acclaim in 1993.

Johnny has long been known as king of the Melodeon. The music is as always soulful, with a steady rhythm and beautiful ornamentation. Charlie Lennon provides the accompaniment on piano and fiddle.

The 17 track album has a good selection of jigs, reels, hornpipes, waltzes, a polka, and a slow air Amhran na Tra Baine. Four of the tracks are arranged specifically to suit the dancing of the Connemara set and there is an added attraction of Sean Ó Neachtain sean-nos dancing on one track.

The title of the album refers to an incident in Johnny's youth when his parents were away for the day and to his delight he came across a Melodeon. Unfortunately, the instrument was locked away, but luckily one of his sisters Nain found the key and unlocked the Melodeon and on that same day he teased out his first tune.

An Mildeoidean Scaoilte (Melodeon Set Free) is dedicated to sister Nain who all those years ago unlocked the Melodeon and set her brother on his musical journey. Nain is unfortunately unable to enjoy this album as she passed away last year.

This CD should be in everybody's collection of traditional music. Joe Mullarkey

The Living Tradition 3/4.05
An instant classic, An Mileoidean Scaoilte is the third solo recording from Spiddal melodeon-player Johnny Connolly. Don't confuse him with others of the same name: this is the original and best. Johnny plays with a rare lift and flair, coaxing sparks from a deceptively simple instrument.
Charlie Lennon's accompaniment is an added joy. The tunes on this recording are from the heart of the Connemara tradition, set-dancing favourites and showpieces to delight any enthusiast.

The entire middle section, five tracks, is a complete run through the Connemara Set in Johnny's inimitable style.
There's perhaps a little less energy and poise than on Johnny's first CD, An t-Oilean Aerach, but you'd only notice on a couple of tracks.

Miss McLeod's and George White's Favourite, Humours of Glendart and The Monaghan Jig (no relation), this CD is full of great music.
Reels and jigs mainly, of course, but there's a powerful slow air and a couple of fine hornpipes for good measure. My favourites include two unusual tracks: the gentle waltz The Rose of Aranmore and Emmet the Piper which is neither a march nor a jig but something in between. The jig and reel medley Bean an Raidio and Paddy in Preston is surprising on such a traditional album: not a lot of call for that in set dances, but these are both fine compositions by Johnny's box-player son, Johnny Og.
Johnny finishes off with a couple of rousing reels, Lucy Campbell and The Ship in Full Sail, the perfect end to a memorable recording of Irish dance music. Alex Monaghan

Pay The Reckoning
So, there are those who'd argue that Connolly is the greatest melodeon player of all time. Then there are those who are less inclined to make such a grandiose claim, but who say that he's certainly the best melodeon player of his generation.
Well, let's forget all this "best" nonsense ... it just gets in the way of the music and the enjoyment of the music. To our mind there isn't any such thing as "best", there's "as good as it gets" and that's it. And Connolly is certainly as good as it gets!
The first and foremost charm of this collection lies in its utter simplicity. Connolly's box-playing and Charlie Lennon's usual highly sympathetic piano accompaniment are the bedrock of the album and on only two occasions is the mould broken, on "Emmet The Piper/The Frost Is All Over" where Lennon adds a dash of fiddle to the mix and "Boil The Breakfast Early/New Mown Meadows", where Seosamh O Neachtain can be heard dancing to Connolly's and Lennon's exuberant music.
The second charm is the fact that, with few exceptions, all of the tunes on the album are standards. While we're not averse to albums chock-full of new compositions, there's nothing like the oul' stagers played well to warm our cockles. We suspect that we're not alone in that regard and we expect that many traditional music lovers will read the track listing below and get their order in purely on its strength alone! Aidan Crossey.

The Irish Times.
Johnny Connolly plays with a gentility and finesse that suggests his role is that of a caresser of the melodeon, rather than its king, as his nickname suggests. The bare-fingered sound of the button press, the steady rhythm beloved of the Connemara set dancers, the sheer delight in the tunes are all tangible across the fulsome gathering of waltzes, hornpipes and jigs on An Mileoidean Scaoilte. You can almost touch the desolate resignation of Amhrán na Trá Báine; its sean nós origins undeniable, but Connolly's melodeon inhabits its grief with as much if not more emotional intensity than any singer could muster. Charlie Lennon lends subtle accompaniment on piano and fiddle. A gorgeous, uninhibited snapshot of a player whose soul is still locked inside the music. Siobhán Long 4 Stars

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