Irish fiddler Aly Bain was a co-founder of The Boys Of The Lough, an Irish-Scottish trad band par excellence. He has remained with the band over several decades, and has also pursued a prolific recording career with many other fruitful collaborations... Here is a quick look at his work...
Aly Bain & Mike Whellans "Aly Bain -- Mike Whellans" (Trailer Records, 1971) (LP)
An early album with "one-man blues band" Mike Whellans, who later went on to pursue a rougher, bluesier sound. He and Bain apparently performed as a duo for several years, although this lone album appears to be long out of print... Shortly after this came out, they joined Robert Morton and Cathal McConnell in an early edition of The Boys Of The Lough. I haven't heard this disc, though -- anyone have any info about this one?
Boys Of The Lough "Boys Of The Lough" (Trailer Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Leader)
Bain's first album with this fabled band. Sadly, this is one of the many fine albums trapped in the limbo that surrounds the Leader/Trailer label... Although the other Boys Of The Lough albums are listed elsewhere, I'll mention this one here, since it continues the Aly Bain story... Guitarist Mike Whellans left the band to be replaced by Scotland's Dick Gaughan, who only recorded this one album with the band. It's a great set of Celtic trad, mixing the Irish and Scottish traditions in a lively, jaunty flurry of talent and exuberance. Highly recommended!
Aly Bain "Aly Bain" (Whirlie Records, 1984) (LP)
Aly Bain "Aly Bain And Friends" (Greentrax Records, 1989)
Aly Bain "Aly Bain Meets The Cajuns" (Lismor Records, 1994)
Aly Bain & Tom Anderson "The Silver Bow: The Fiddle Music Of Shetland" (Topic Records, 1995)
Aly Bain & The BT Scottish Ensemble "Follow The Moonstone" (Whirlie Records, 1995)
Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham "The Pearl" (Green Linnet Records, 1995)
Aly Bain "Lonely Bird" (Green Linnet Records, 1996)
Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham "The Ruby" (Green Linnet, Records 1997)
Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham "Another Gem" (Compass Records, 2000)
Aly Bain & Ale Moller "Fully Rigged" (Northside Records, 2001)
Lovely fiddle music featuring Celtic bow-bender Aly Bain (of Boys Of The Lough) along with Nordic mandola whiz, Ale Moller, of the band Frifot. The two are obviously very much in synch with other, and this is a very dreamy, pleasant album. Interesting blend of the Celtic lilt and the Nordic lurch... Recommended!
Aly Bain "...And The Young Champions" (Springthyme Records, 2002)
Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham "Spring The Summer Long" (Whirlie Records, 2003)
Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham "Another Musical Interlude" (DVD) (Dunya Records, 2004)
Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham "Roads Not Travelled" (Whirlie Records, 2006)
Aly Bain & Ale Moller "Beyond The Stacks" (Northside Records, 2007)
Jerry Douglas & Aly Bain "Transatlantic Sessions 3, v.1" (Whirlie Records, 2008)
Jerry Douglas & Aly Bain "Transatlantic Sessions, v.2" (Whirlie Records, 2008)
Aly Bain & Jerry Douglas "Transatlantic Sessions 3" (DVD) (Whirlie Records, 2008)
This series continued on for many, many volumes, on both CD and DVD... Too much to keep track of, really!
Aly Bain, Ale Moller & Bruce Molsky "Meeting Point" (2013)
Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham "The Best Of Aly And Phil" (Compass Records, 2004)
Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham "The Best Of Aly And Phil, Part Two" (2013)
Main Celt/Brit Index
International Music Index
