Burke recorded this debut solo album as a 22-year-old in the Bronx in 1972. Much, though not all, of it consists of songs originating from County Sligo, where Burke’s family had strong roots (although Burke himself was born in London). He varies the program from solo fiddle pieces to performances employing a variety of accompanists, the additional instrumentation including guitar, fiddle, mandolin, 12-string guitar, banjo, autoharp, and bodhran. It’s a well-executed if unsurprising effort by a young fiddle virtuoso, reaching its greatest fever pitch on the closing “George White’s Favourite/The Happy Days of Youth/Coleman’s Cross,” where five instruments collaborate on an up-tempo tune to create a brisk, festive sound. – Richie Unterberger
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