A Harmonica Maestro’s Finest Work – Reviewing

Gather Your Wits

by

Tom Byrne

Tom Byrne’s Gather Your Wits is a masterclass in harmonica and accordion playing and composition, blending traditional Irish music with innovative arrangements and a range of musical influences. Tom Byrne has to be the most exciting and technically brilliant Irish harmonica player alive today. His mastery of both diatonic and chromatic harmonicas, combined with his deep understanding of Irish traditional music, places him in a league of his own. Yet, despite his extraordinary talent, he remains one of the most underrated and overlooked harmonica players in history. His innovative approach, intricate phrasing, and ability to blend tradition with contemporary expression make him not just a remarkable musician, but arguably one of the greatest harmonica players to have ever lived. Tom has to be the most exciting Irish traditional harmonica player alive today, This track-by-track review not only explores the compositions and performance but also integrates Tom’s own sleeve notes alongside details of the harmonicas and other instruments he used.

Gather Your Wits, dedicated to the memory of his late brother Colm Byrne, reflects Tom’s deep-rooted connection to Irish traditional music while incorporating influences from swing, continental, and even Eastern musical styles. With stellar accompaniment from musicians such as Frankie Gavin on fiddle, Rod McVey on piano, Nick Scott on double bass, Jim Murray on guitar, and Laurence Doherty on percussion, the album is a well-rounded exploration of melody, rhythm, and harmonic expression.

Masterfully recorded, mixed, mastered, and produced by Neil McGrory of Macruari Audio, the production ensures that Tom’s sound remains the focal point, with excellent and top-class accompanists providing a rich foundation beneath Tom’s astounding expressive mastery on both harmonica and accordion.

Instrument Choices: Harmonicas and Accordion

Throughout the album, Tom demonstrates his mastery of various harmonicas, ranging from diatonic to chromatic and even harmonic minor-tuned instruments, an altered harmonica tuning from the standard Richter-tuned ten-hole diatonic harmonica. His ability to adapt different tunings of harmonicas to traditional and contemporary compositions is a standout feature of this album. Some tracks, such as Piscean Fantasy and The Persian Swing, highlight his expertise in using alternative tunings to create unique textures and tonal colours. (available from Harmonicas Ireland online shop too)

In addition to harmonicas, Tom’s accordion playing is woven beautifully into the arrangements, complementing the melodies and adding depth to the overall sound. His accordion work on Los Caballeros and The B Continental exemplifies a lyrical yet rhythmic approach that enhances the tune’s danceable qualities.

Some tracks, such as Piscean Fantasy and The Persian Swing, highlight his expertise in using alternative tunings to create unique textures and tonal colours. (Harmonicas like these, including custom-tuned options, are available at Harmonicas Ireland.)

Track-by-Track Review

1. The Buncrana 2 Step

• Harmonica: Hohner C and C#
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: A swing reel I composed a few years ago which has been popular around Inishowen and was featured in Martin Tourish’s Inishowen at the National Concert Hall, Dublin on 22nd January 2023.
• Review: This opening track is an energetic and uplifting swing reel, setting a bright tone for the album. The articulation and phrasing on the accordion and later the harmonica capture the lively dance feel with a contemporary twist. This opening track is an energetic and uplifting swing reel, reflecting Tom’s compositional prowess. The driving rhythm and catchy melodic phrases make it an engaging start to the album and lifted halfway through by Frankie Gavin on fiddle along with the introduction of the harmonica too building yet on the tune. The harmonica’s articulation and phrasing mirror the swing-infused nature of the tune, making it reminiscent of classic Irish dance music with a contemporary twist. Have a listen here:

2. The Victoria / The Galway Bay / The Excelsior Hornpipe

• Harmonica: Ten hole diatonic Lee Oskar harmonica played in A, Bm, and A
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: Three lovely hornpipes I have played a lot over the years. The Excelsior was a big favourite of Seán McGuire’s.
• Review: A refined medley that showcases Tom’s technical dexterity and deep respect for the tradition, each hornpipe delivered with embouchure rich tonal control and clarity.

3. Paddy Byrne’s Barndance / Paddy and the Boys / Ann and Catriona / Gather Your Wits

• Harmonica: Lee Oskar (Alt. Melody Maker tuning) in D, Lee Oskar A
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: A barndance composed by my father Paddy followed by two of his jigs and one of mine.
• Review: This track stands out for its familial connection, and Tom’s choice of harmonicas gives a smooth and warm melodic presentation.

4. Foster’s Lullaby

• Harmonica: Hohner C and C# (Key of D, requiring significant breath control)
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: A few years ago I saw a musical about the life of Stephen C. Foster, the American songwriter, in Theatre by the Bay. Back in the house, I composed this on the piano.
• Review: A beautiful and expressive piece, allowing the harmonica to sing in a delicate, almost vocal-like quality. Tom plays this lovely piece on a C chromatic in the key of D showing just how good Tom actually is on the harmonica by playing in the key of D on a C chromatic using the button to play the two sharps in the key of D, something that requires a lot of breath control as Tom told me during our phone call.

5. Waltz de La Miniere

• Harmonica: Harmonic Minor in Dm
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: A waltz composed to remember the place where I spent a number of weeks working grape picking in a wine-producing area Les Vendanges, France in the early ’80s where his brother had a pub in Monnieres at the time.
• Review: The harmonic minor tuned harmonica gives the track a rich and nostalgic atmosphere, with flowing phrasing and a deep emotional core related to his time working Les Vendanges. We hear Tom’s use of the readily available arpeggios on this harmonica along with vamping chords and tonal vibrato control. Later bringing in the accordion to layer up walls of dynamic sound building up and subtracting to only the harmonica and piano again. Great arrangements! Have a listen to it here:

The harmonic minor tuning gives the track a rich and nostalgic atmosphere, with flowing phrasing and a deep emotional core. (For players interested in exploring harmonic minor tunings, Harmonicas Ireland offers custom tuning options to help achieve this unique sound.)

6. Music in the Glen / The Concert / Colonel Frazier

• Harmonica: Lee Oskar in A Diatonic
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: Music in the Glen I learned from my father Paddy Byrne. The Concert from a recording by Seán McGuire, Joe Burke and Josephine Keegan and Colonel Frazier from a video by Frankie Gavin, Martin O’Connor, and Carl Hession.
• Review: A high-energy medley that demonstrates Tom’s ability to blend traditional melodies seamlessly with Frankie Gavin’s fiddle playing. Tom’s technique shines through in the crisp articulation and rhythmic drive of both players in a superb duet with great accompaniment from Jim Murray on guitar.

7. Piscean Fantasy

• Harmonica: Ab Diatonic Harmonica
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: This is a a tune I composed for the diatonic harmonica. It features a march and a reel. I was born in February hence the Piscean reference.
• Review: This track showcases Tom’s innovative approach, with expressive phrasing and dynamic movement between melodic ideas. This track stands out as a showcase for the diatonic harmonica, featuring a march and reel structures. The title alludes to Tom’s birth month, and the tune has a flowing, almost water-like quality. His choice of harmonica tuning and expressive bends and arpeggios create a rich and dynamic performance, pushing the limits of what a diatonic harmonica can achieve in traditional music.

8. The Beauty of Inishowen

• Harmonica: Hohner Chromatic in C (played in A minor)
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: A composition of mine celebrating the beauty of the Inishowen Peninsula where I live.
• Review: The chromatic harmonica’s versatility is on full display, capturing the sweeping landscapes and emotional depth of the composition. The tune feels like it could be the theme music for a film. Lovely accompaniment and arrangement that include piano and guitar solo and tasteful double bass playing throughout.

The chromatic harmonica’s versatility is on full display, capturing the sweeping landscapes and emotional depth of the composition. Tom’s expressive playing makes it a standout moment on the album. (If you’re considering adding a chromatic harmonica to your collection, check out the range available at Harmonicas Ireland.)

9. The Mathematician

• Harmonica: Hohner 270, Jean Toots Thielemans model (C, F, C#)
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: I got the first two hornpipes from a home recording of Sean Maguire and Josephine Keegan but I have no name for them. The Mathematician was composed by James Scott Skinner.
• Review: A highly technical performance with intricate runs and steady-paced melodies into a fast-paced melody, this track highlights Tom’s precision and control. The Mathematician was originally composed by James Scott Skinner, this track is one of the most technically demanding pieces on the album. Tom’s approach to playing this tune on harmonica demonstrates a strong grasp of ornamentation and phrasing and seamless modulations from C, F and finishing in C# really does defy gravity!

10. The Cat that Kittled in Jamie’s Wig / South of the Grampian / The Boys of the 25

• Harmonica: Hohner F and C#
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: Two Highlands learned from Róisín McGrory of Culdaff and The Boys of the 25 learned from Seán McGuire.
• Review: A lively and fast-moving set that brings an unmistakable Scottish influence into the album’s mix. No problem for Tom coming from rugged Inishowen, Donegal!

11. Los Caballeros

• Harmonica: Lee Oskar in G
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: A tune I composed on the accordion a few years ago. I play it on harmonica here. Los Caballeros translates as The Noblemen.
• Review: The harmonica’s warm tone enhances the noble and stately salsa character of the piece, with Tom’s phrasing lending an elegant touch to this accordion-inspired melody played on the harmonica.

12. My Lily

• Harmonica: Chromatic in C (played in the key of A major)
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: A beautiful slow air I learned from the playing of the late Jerry Holland from Cape Breton. I met Jerry at the Ar Ais Airs Festival in Buncrana, and he played My Lily specially for me in a session.
• Review: The chromatic harmonica brings out the haunting beauty of this slow air, blending fluidity and breath control to produce an emotionally resonant performance.

13. Bridie’s Mazurka

• Harmonica: Chromatic in G
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: A four-part mazurka I composed in memory of my mother, who was from Magilligan in County Derry. The mazurka is a popular dance in Donegal.
• Review: This tune dances gracefully on the chromatic harmonica, with Tom capturing both the rhythmic drive and sentimental undercurrent of the mazurka, achieving great tone on the high end of the harmonica when the tune turns into the 4th part of this enchanting mazurka composition of Tom’s.

14. The B Continental

• Instrument: Saltarelle 3-voice accordion in B and C
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: A continental-sounding tune I composed a number of years ago played in the keys of B and C.
• Review: The accordion gives this track a rich and textured feel, with Tom’s skilful phrasing highlighting the cross-cultural influences embedded in the melody. Tom’s mastery of accordion lends itself to his chromatic harmonica playing. Some he told me that any accordion player should be able to do but unfortunately most don’t bother for some reason. Or perhaps a lot of accordion player are closet harmonica players!

15. The Smoothie Hornpipe / The Harlequin Hornpipe / The Pathfinder

• Harmonica: Chromatic in F, diatonic in G
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: Two hornpipes and a reel. I learned the first hornpipe from a recording by Frankie Gavin, Dermot Byrne and Carl Hession. The second hornpipe has been a favourite of mine. I learned The Pathfinder from a Seán McGuire set he played on The Pure Drop on RTÉ.
• Review: The switch between chromatic and diatonic harmonicas allows Tom to create dynamic contrasts, capturing both the rhythmic intricacy and the flowing nature of these tunes. The tunes blasts of with a rich sound coming from Frankie Gavin’s fiddle playing and Tom’s amazing tone he gets from his chromatic and diatonic harmonicas. Switching to the diatonic Tom utilises the deeper bends found on diatonic harmonica due to double reed interaction whereas on the valved chromatic he utilises the single reed semitone bends.

Have a listen to this track here:

The switch between chromatic and diatonic harmonicas allows Tom to create dynamic contrasts, capturing both the rhythmic intricacy and the flowing nature of these tunes. (Want to explore both styles? Check out Harmonicas Ireland for a selection of chromatic and diatonic harmonicas.)

16. The Persian Swing

• Harmonica: Harmonic Minor in Dm
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: Another tune I composed with an Eastern feel to it. I play this tune on a harmonic minor harmonica in the key of Dm.
• Review: Here, Tom delves into the exotic sounds of the harmonic D minor tuned harmonica. (Available from Harmonicas Ireland here link Sp 20 with option for tuning to Harmonicas Minor:) The tune carries an unmistakable Eastern flavour, and the harmonic minor scale adds an evocative depth to the melody. The accompaniment from piano and percussion reinforces the piece’s unique rhythmic and tonal character. Tom’s use of fast arpeggiated melody lines runs the entire 3 octave span of the harmonica minor tuned harmonica, along with vamping chords and double stops and slurring bends further enhances the composition, pushing the limits of what a diatonic harmonica can achieve in traditional music. Frankie Gavin plays brilliantly behind Tom’s expressive phrasing on the second turn of the tune giving it a fabulous lift, with Neil McGrory’s expert mixing ensuring that every nuance is heard clearly. The harmonic depth, ornamentation and phrasing in The Persian Swing highlight Tom’s musical imagination and technical ability, making it one of the album’s standout pieces. Hear here!:

Tom delves into the exotic sounds of the harmonic minor harmonica in Dm, bringing out rich, Eastern-inspired tones. (If you’re interested in trying a harmonica like this, check out the custom-tuned harmonicas available at Harmonicas Ireland.)

17. The American Polka

• Harmonica: Diatonic in A
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: I was immediately drawn to this tune when I first heard it played by Jean Carignan on the Down Home TV series presented by Aly Bain.
• Review: Fast-paced and full of energy, this polka showcases Tom’s ability to maintain clarity and precision at high speeds, making for an exhilarating listen.

18. Smartie Time

• Harmonica: Chromatic in C/#
• Tom’s Sleeve Notes: A tune I composed for chromatic harmonica. It recalls a time when a photographer came round to take a photograph of myself when I was about three and my older brother and sister. My unease was placated with a tube of Smarties from the shop next door. In the picture, you can see the tears on my cheeks and my fingers in the tube of Smarties.
• Review: The chromatic harmonica’s fluidity and expressive capabilities shine through in this nostalgic piece, culminating in a striking finale reminiscent of Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin, solidifying it as a standout moment on the album. A chromatic harmonica composition by Tom, Smartie Time tells a playful yet nostalgic story from Tom’s childhood that brings the listener back to their own fun filled childhood days. The chromatic run intro sets the stage for a tune rich in melodic movement, using the entire range of the harmonica for expressive special effects. The piece showcases Tom’s exceptional use of chromaticism, skilfully weaving in modulations that add colour and depth to the melody. The shifting tonalities and harmonic progressions create an evolving soundscape that keeps the listener engaged. As the tune progresses, the dynamic interplay between Tom’s harmonica and the piano accompaniment from Rod McVey heightens the dramatic intensity. The piece culminates in a striking finale reminiscent of the legendary Larry Adler’s flair, particularly evoking the climactic finishing of Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin. This grand, sweeping conclusion leaves a lasting impression, cementing Smartie Time as one of the standout tracks on the album:

The tune carries an unmistakable Eastern flavor, and the harmonic minor scale adds an evocative depth to the melody. (Looking to experiment with harmonic minor tunings? Find them at Harmonicas Ireland.)

Final Thoughts and Overall Impression

Tom Byrne’s Gather Your Wits is a showcase of harmonica mastery and musical storytelling. By incorporating various tunings, styles, and influences, Tom has created an album that resonates with both traditionalists and those looking for fresh interpretations of folk music. The level of detail in the playing, coupled with expert production, ensures that this is a pinnacle standout release in contemporary harmonica music.

Gather Your Wits is a testament to Tom Byrne’s versatility as a musician and composer. His ability to blend traditional Irish tunes with original compositions and diverse musical influences makes this album a must-listen for harmonica enthusiasts and lovers of traditional music alike. The combination of harmonica, accordion, and well-chosen backing musicians results in an album that is both innovative and deeply rooted in tradition.

This album is not just a collection of tunes but a journey through Tom’s musical influences and personal experiences. Whether playing a lively polka, an elegant waltz, or an intricate hornpipe, Tom’s musicianship shines throughout, making Gather Your Wits a highly recommended listen. Tom’s CD Gather Your Wits is available from Macs Newsagents in Buncrana, Donegal and directly from Tom via his email [email protected]. Tom will also be uploading his CD onto Bandcamp in the next few days. So keep an eye out for it there too.

For harmonica enthusiasts who want to explore the styles and techniques heard on this album, having the right instrument is key. Whether you’re looking for a standard diatonic, chromatic, or a specially tuned harmonica, visit Harmonicas Ireland to find the perfect match.