"When Bronnie takes out her bow, you know she'll be playing with all the authenticity of the finest Irish fiddlers, but with a more strident sound, where the Old-Time undertones of her roots always come through." Paul Duchene The Portland Tribune
An Oregon native, Brongaene (Bronnie) Griffin began playing fiddle at age 8 and never wavered. As a child she placed first for her age division twice at the NW regional Old-Time championships in Spokane Washington and third in the nation in Weiser Idaho, while also frequently winning many other first place championships in and around her home state. Raised on Old-Time and Bluegrass her father brought her up hearing the richness of Americana and other traditional styles of music until she met fiddler Kevin Burke whereupon she developed her lifelong love of Irish music. After moving to Ireland she spent ten years honing her skills on perfecting the triplets, rolls and other ornamentation commonly heard in Celtic fiddling, and which sets her playing apart. Bronnie is known for her strong and strident sounding fiddling whether she's performing American or Irish music.
Irish Edition Review: "Three Colours Ginger"
"Sometimes it strikes me as strange that I can get excited about music. I mean, I get to hear so much my wife often wonders how I can remember indiviual albums, musicians, tunes... 'Don't things roll into each other?', she has asked more than once. And being honest, I have to admit that it can and does occassionally happen.
But generally speaking, every musician has his or her own voice, his or her own approach and style; every song has it's meaning and it's origin; every album is unique - or at least, should be (maybe when they're not I find things fuse into a forgettable fuzzy distance).
Now here's an album to illustrate what I mean. Fiddle-with-accompaniment albums are released pretty frequently in the world of Irish music. Brongaene Griffin's album falls into that category. She's an old timey / bluegrass fiddler from Portland, Oregon, who's been playing since childhood. As a teenager she took lessons from one of the masters, Kevin Burke, and has become an amazing exponent of Irish music.
She has that lilt and lift that brings new life to old melodies, along with an understanding that allows for traditional interpretations of modern tunes, making them sound as if they've been around forever. She creates the arrangements with producer Gerry O'Beirne who also provides inventive accompaniments on guitar and ukelele, an awesome pairing.
Honestly speaking, instrumental albums can end up a little repetitive. But here, the tune selection, the high caliber playing and the quality of the recording, take away any chance of that. But more, the tremendous addition of Burke's poetry reading is a masterstroke. The man's speaking voice is as appealing as his fiddle playing - ah, if only all Londoner's talked like that (me included!).
Griffin has put together a wonderful album and as a cat lover myself, I appreaciate the feline theme in the title and the track selection. It purrs with delight from the opening to the final notes. I can see this CD staying near the stereo for a long, long time.
Jamie O'Brien
February 2011
www.irishphiladelphia.com Review:
"A sun-soaked illustration of a cat casting a long violin-shaped shadow adorns the cover of “Three Colours Ginger” by Oregon fiddler Brongaene (Bronnie) Griffin. Most of the sets of tunes on the CD bear a feline-derived title: “Black Cat,” “Calico,” “Copy Cat,” and “Tortoiseshelled Chesire.” Between the musical tracks, the superb Irish fiddler Kevin Burke recites such odes to kitties as “The Cat of Cats,” “The Cats of Kilkenny” and even “The Owl and the Pussycat,” delivered in a voice like honeyed whiskey.
Whimsically themed this new recording may be, but it is also seriously good. It could hardly be otherwise. Griffin cut her teeth on old-timey tunes, at which she excelled from an early age, but she is no less a whiz on Irish fiddle. She took instruction from Burke (which should say something), and he himself appears on two tracks. The master guitarist, singer and song-writer Gerry O’Beirne produced the CD, and he plays guitar and ukulele throughout.
Some of the very best moments are those in which Griffin and O’Beirne play unaccompanied. (Check out track 3, ”In the Tap Room” and “The Foxhunter Reel;” track 5, a collection of slides, “Where’s the Cat,” “Behind the Bush in the Garden” and “The Cat Rambles to the Child’s Saucepan;” and the 10th track, “Margaret’s Waltz,” dedicated to Griffin’s sister.)
Of course, there’s a lot to like about the sets in which Griffin has plenty of company. And good company it is. Griffin is joined by some high-powered traditional talent of the Pacific Northwest, including harper Elizabeth Nicholson, fiddler Bob Soper, Jim Chapman on bouzouki, guitarist Nancy Conescu and Johnny B. Connolly on button accordion. (Burke also resides in Portland, which apparently is knee-deep in world-class traditional Irish musicians.)
I was especially fond of Nicholson’s bell-like handiwork on the opening track, Colorpointe (“The Cat in the Fiddle Case” and “The Fisher’s Hornpipe);” the second track, a set of jigs including “The Orphan” and “The Stray Away Child;” and track 8, another set of jigs fitted onto the tail-end (so to speak) of Burke’s recitation of “The Cats of Kilkenny.” Connolly and Chapman contribute a good deal of color and depth on the tracks on which they appear.
Which brings up a minor point. All of the musicians appear in more places than the credits would indicate. The best example of that little oversight is Griffin’s sixth track, O’Carolan’s “Planxty Hewlett,” a lush waltz that reminds me a little of “Ashokan Farewell,” and even Pachelbel's Canon in D. None of the accompanists is credited on this piece.
The tune begins with a sure-handed Griffin and O’Beirne proceeding alone, but it builds in delicate, lacy layers—a second fiddle (could be Burke, could be Soper), then Connolly, and finally Nicholson. It’s my favorite number on the album, and it will bring to mind all the happy-sad moments of your life and leave you to dissolve into a puddle of weepiness. It’s a lovely, tender performance by Griffin.
There are a few other faults in the credits but, really, it's what's inside that counts. You’re going to pay rather more attention to Griffin, who plays with confidence, poise and deep expression. (And she’s a musician with a conscience. The cat theme stems from her work in animal welfare, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this CD will benefit the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon and Indigo Rescue, which rehabilitates rescued animals before they’re placed in adoptive homes.)
You’ll be impressed by the ensemble work as well. The performance of Griffin and company seems less like a recording session than the spontaneous collaboration of a group of good friends at a traditional Irish music session.
And that might be the highest compliment you can pay to any recording of Irish traditional music."
Jeff Meade
www.irishphiladelphia.com
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www.67music.com Review:
"Longtime Portland resident fiddler extraordinaire Brongaene (Bronnie) Griffin’s latest album “Three Colours Ginger” is a lesson in beauty. While listening, it wouldn’t take one long to catch onto the ” Cat” theme. Certainly the cover art may lend a hint, but also like a cat, the 14 songs are beautiful, sleek, graceful and at times mysterious in their composition and origins.
Most of the tracks are traditional Irish tunes of various types, but there are splashes of original content and flavour tossed in for good measure. Bronnie has recruited a lot of world class local talent to back her up here, including Gerry O’Beirne (who produced) co-arranged with Bronnie and even performs on the CD. Kevin Burke, who lends his unmistakable voice to several cat-themed poems and joins in on fiddle. Also playing are Johnny B. Connolly, Elizabeth Nicholson, Bob Soper, Nancy Conescu and Jim Chapman.
There’s a lot to love here: dreamy, thought-provoking melodies as well as get-up out-your-chair foot stompin’ dance tunes. Even the jacket art and design are elegant and contains much info on the tracks as well as some beautiful quotes, poems and a touching dedication to Bronnie’s Sister, Margaret.
An avid animal rights advocate, Bronnie will donate portions of the sales of the CD to The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon and Indigo Rescue."
Steve Behrens
October 2010
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