Eamon Murray has a sophisticated speakeasy style, shy sexiness and quiet charm: the jazz man hat; the stillness of his presence; the bent of his dignity and poise. In his clear, finely-tuned voice, he honors the songs he sings and makes them his own. There is a rigor in his delivery; his diction and timing are like an opera singer’s.
Murray is a sensitive and intelligent performer. He brings a toughness and warmth to the blues.On harmonica, Murray’s virtuosity is astonishing. His playing has an authority and sureness.
He seems to come from an earlier era – one in which artistry was the performance. On “Stollin’”, his own composition he performs a masterful duet with Carl Money on guitar. He is just so very, very good.
Nancy Dawson, American writer, living in France; formerly, University of North Carolina School of the Arts
★ ★ ★ ★
Slideshow
Ed Deane is one of the forgotten figures of the early Irish rock scene. I can still see him, long hair falling over his eyes, as, left-handed, he played his right-handed guitar upside-down with Blueshouse. It was an amazing sight, but no less amazing than the sounds he made, particularly when playing slide guitar. He loved the blues, but it has taken him well over 30 years to finally make an album of his own after a lifetime playing for others. It is typically low-key. There is nothing showy about his playing, but the 12 instrumental tracks display his craft, the sureness of his touch and the breadth of his influences. The blues are there, of course, but there are also nods to country and rock ‘n’ roll in a selection of tunes spiced with humour and attitude, eg Surfin with the Mummy, and on which he gets great support from old friend Eamon Murray on sax and harmonica.
Joe Breen, The Irish Times, July 7 2006