Moira Nelligan and the Dixie Jigs

'An enthralling evening of Irish and Appalachian tunes" - Savannah Morning News

'An enthralling evening of Irish and Appalachian tunes" - Savannah Morning News

Sing Out! The Folk Song Magazine, Winter, 2006 by Mary DesRosiers
MOIRA NELLIGAN I Give You Music
Moira Nelligan, despite her heritage, came late to a love of Irish music, which she first encountered as a young adult on a trip to the West Country of Ireland. She's certainly made up for lost time, as this debut CD shows. Nelligan plays fiddle in the style of her heroes: Liz Carroll, Eileen Ivers and Kevin Burke; and she is largely self-taught, relying on recordings, festival classes and sessions to hone her skills. The result is a sound which is Irish to the core, but marked with her own creativity and traces of her Georgia roots. She's joined on I Give You Music by her husband, Michael Hickey on bodhran, and producer Michael Robbins on guitar, banjo, bouzouki and bass. Robbins' choices for accompaniment (or lack thereof) are perfect for Nelligan's style: letting her fiddle and voice do their solo magic on "Johnny Shoemaker," and bringing in John Maschinot on uileann pipes for Maurice's Lennon's gorgeous waltz "If Ever You Were Mine." One of my favorite tracks is her spirited arrangement of Dolly Parton's "Jolene," which lends itself surprisingly well to being "Irished up"--with help from the Buddy Reilly band. Think Planxty meets Nashville! Nelligan's sweet alto is easy on the ears: she brings just the right party ambience to the standard "Tell My Ma," and a haunting ache to the one song she sings in Irish Gaelic, the lullaby "Einini." This is a well-rounded and brilliantly played debut: here's hoping Nelligan can take some time from teaching and raising her kids to give us another soon.


- Mary DesRosiers

““I Give You Music” is currently in heavy rotation in my cd player and will probably remain there for quite a while. It can easily occupy a similar place in any collection that values earnest music, well made. I look forward to hearing another release at some point in the future.” Frank Blair, Rambles

- Frank Blair

excerpts from "Reel World"
“One of the vital signs of a living musical tradition is a steady stream of interesting new performers who perpetuate and reinvent it… Irish music with a Southern flavor is a specialty of fiddler, singer and accordionist Moira Nelligan, a Georgia native whose cd, “I Give You Music” includes a mix of upbeat jigs, reels and slides, as well as old and new songs from both sides of the Atlantic…delightful” - Tom Nelligan (no relation)

““I Give You Music” is currently in heavy rotation in my cd player and will probably remain there for quite a while. It can easily occupy a similar place in any collection that values earnest music, well made. I look forward to hearing another release at some point in the future.” Frank Blair, Rambles

- Frank Blair

“Angel-voiced”

- Creative Loafing

Sing Out! The Folk Song Magazine, Winter, 2006 by Mary DesRosiers
MOIRA NELLIGAN I Give You Music
Moira Nelligan, despite her heritage, came late to a love of Irish music, which she first encountered as a young adult on a trip to the West Country of Ireland. She's certainly made up for lost time, as this debut CD shows. Nelligan plays fiddle in the style of her heroes: Liz Carroll, Eileen Ivers and Kevin Burke; and she is largely self-taught, relying on recordings, festival classes and sessions to hone her skills. The result is a sound which is Irish to the core, but marked with her own creativity and traces of her Georgia roots. She's joined on I Give You Music by her husband, Michael Hickey on bodhran, and producer Michael Robbins on guitar, banjo, bouzouki and bass. Robbins' choices for accompaniment (or lack thereof) are perfect for Nelligan's style: letting her fiddle and voice do their solo magic on "Johnny Shoemaker," and bringing in John Maschinot on uileann pipes for Maurice's Lennon's gorgeous waltz "If Ever You Were Mine." One of my favorite tracks is her spirited arrangement of Dolly Parton's "Jolene," which lends itself surprisingly well to being "Irished up"--with help from the Buddy Reilly band. Think Planxty meets Nashville! Nelligan's sweet alto is easy on the ears: she brings just the right party ambience to the standard "Tell My Ma," and a haunting ache to the one song she sings in Irish Gaelic, the lullaby "Einini." This is a well-rounded and brilliantly played debut: here's hoping Nelligan can take some time from teaching and raising her kids to give us another soon.


- Mary DesRosiers

excerpts:
“Her fiddle playing is spirited and lively…a style of singing similar to Alison Krauss and Dolly Parton with a touch of Emmylou Harris on American material but she can also handle English and Irish songs with equal weight and measure…A voice full of sweetness and emotional depth.” John Regan, Greenman Review

full article:
Moira Nelligan comes from Savannah, Georgia, in the American Deep South. Growing up of Irish parents, she studied violin and piano in childhood but discovered traditional music through a visit to the West of Ireland, and the rest is history. Returning home, she sought out players, tunes, and mixed with luminaries like Kevin Burke, Liz Carroll and Eileen Ivers, as well as learning Cajun tunes from Dewey Balfa and Quebecois tunes from Lisa Ornstein. Playing in the Georgia club, festival and bar scene, she has made a name for herself. Now she finally releases her debut album, I Give You Music.
The similarities between her and Nollaig Casey are obvious: both singers and fiddlers, receiving early classical training before going for traditional music and making their marks there. However, Moira Nelligan has taken other stuff with her too, including a very American roots style of singing in the bluegrass "high lonesome" mode similar to Alison Krauss and Dolly Parton with a little Emmylou Harris for good measure. This comes over very effectively on American material such as the hymn-like title track and Parton's 'Jolene', but she can also handle English songs like 'The Gypsy Wedding Day' and Irish songs like 'Johnny Shoemaker' with equal weight and measure. The main thing is that her singing does not sound forced or unnatural. It is a steady, flowing voice full of sweetness and emotional depth.
Her fiddle playing is spirited and lively, again without the stiffness of many classical players who try to handle traditional music. The instrumental tracks are rendered solo with a string accompaniment whether guitar or bouzouki or in a full session style with uilleann pipes, mandolin and bodhrn. The most important thing is that they sound natural. It is clear that Moira Nelligan loves her music. She loves playing it and has no qualms about that either. That love and passion for music and her respectful attitude for songs and their narrative strength makes this album so special.
So, there are two singing fiddlers from different places, and each making personal statements of their love for traditional music. As long as statements like these two albums get onto CD, the future of music is certain.
- John O'Regan