Grey Larsen and Paddy League

Grey Larsen's and Paddy League's talents are not green by any means. The two join forces to unintentionally fight the battle against uneducated music in their newest release, The Green House.\nLarsen, a Bloomington resident, plays a sweet style of traditional music on the Irish flute, tin whistle, anglo concertina, harmonium (a type of reed organ), field organ and piano. League adds his own twist with the bodhran, a type of drum, and guitar. \nWith a musical history beginning at age 4, Larsen's musical abilities are steeped with tradition and experience. His technical abilities are evident in all instruments. His smooth and rhythmic woodwind melodies are coupled with a tight, precise knack for embellishment. Larsen's rich tone complements his technique. Although the flute and whistle are smaller and often airy instruments, Larsen's sound fills the tracks. \nLarsen's concertina and harmonium skills are no different. On the piano, he lends a solid background to the melody. On acoustic guitar, League adds an often soft and wistful tone to the ballads and laments, with clear and low-key picking. When he handles the bodhran, League creates a punctual rhythm fit for dancing. \nThe album's simplicity is its strong point. While the musicians are skillful in many instruments, they create an uncluttered sound. Extremely favorable are the tracks with Larsen on flute or whistle and League on bodhran. \nWhat makes Irish traditional music unique is its history, which these artists acknowledge well. The extensive liner notes document the background of each of the tunes and list the instruments featured. Tracks 13-15 feature Michael J. Kennedy, an Ireland native whose repertoire consisted entirely of the tunes he learned before he moved to the United States.\nThe Green House is as valuable historically as it is musically with Larsen and League playing with talent and tradition.