Snowflake Trio – Irish Music Magazine

Here we have a group that have been somewhat under the Irish radar for the past ten years. Surprisingly although they have worked together for a decade this is their debut album. They are a Hiberno-Norse trio of: Nuala Kennedy on flute, whistles and vocals, who represents the Irish leg of the tripod. One of the busiest and most creative Irish musicians on the circuit today, you need a good Sat Nav to keep up with her. Here she is joined by Frode Haltli, who plays accordion, and Vegar Vårdal on fiddle.
All three are world class instrumentalists and are in the premier league of their own traditions. They bring that class to the table and make something much greater than the sum of its parts. The album opens with the traveller song What Will We Do, a song that has become popular over the past couple of years. Nuala learned the song from Cathy Jordan of Dervish when they met in North Carolina. Here it is paired with Fjellvak, a tune Nuala got from Sammy Lind when she met him in the Yukon.
Take the big track, Butterfly, its caterpillar creeps up on us like a moody film noir, almost monochrome, then feint flute phrases, and we realise this is a new take on Tommy Potts’ the Butterfly. Another big number is Vals/Lugumelik, a traditional Norwegian waltz and a halling, the latter tune written for one of the most energetic dances you’ll ever come across. There’s darkness and melancholy in the weaving of the Norwegian lullaby Gjendines with the Scots Gaelic lament Ri Teas Is Fuachd.
A Face for Scuba is as happy and quirky as its title suggests, Nuala and Frode, slipping and sliding the melody like a giggling child on an icy street.
The album closes with Nuala singing the sean-nós Ur Cnoc Chéin Mhic Cáinte, preceded by the Norwegian melody Den Bortkomne Saune (Lament for the Lost Sheep).
The liner booklet is full of fascinating information and great respect for the tradition bearers who were the sources of much of the music on the album. Snowflake’s secret is out of the bag; time to start gossiping about how good they are.

Seán Laffey