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Flook
Old Town School Of Folk Music, Chicago
Friday, March 24, 2006

St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone leaving in its aftermath empty Guinness bottles and hung-over South Siders, but just because the celebration of the patron saint of Ireland has ended doesn’t mean Chicago is now a jig-free zone. On Friday, Flook, a traditional Irish band, bring their flutes, horns, whistles, and a balanced mix of purists and contemporary Celtic music to the Old Town School Of Folk Music.

Haven, the quartet’s third album, is an all-instrumental showcase of each individual member’s unique love of various musical genres including Indian, jazz, Cajun, and folk sprinkled amid their traditional sound. Six of the nine tracks open sans flutes, horns, and whistles in an attempt to attract a broader audience, and once the listener is engrossed the sacred sound of the Emerald Isle begins. “Tortoise And The Hare” epitomizes the band’s nontraditional approach to traditional music; the song begins with a tropical vibe and 15 seconds in shifts and blends with the distinctive instrumentation of the Irish sound. It’s an approach that makes Flook accessible to their international listeners but satisfies the traditionalist lovers of Celtic music.

Although the bulk of the album is a combination of progressively intercontinental folk, tracks such as “Mouse Jig” and “Asturian Way” are untouched by the world and remain as an homage to the conventional dance-inducing traditional Celtic sound.

The foursome admit they didn’t set out to revolutionize Irish music, but were inspired by their first U.S. tour to incorporate new instruments. It’s hard to speculate what unique sounds lay ahead for Flook, especially once they’ve completed their second Stateside trip, but for Chicagoans their visit is an excuse for a second jig-filled celebration this month in honor of the home of Guinness beer.

— Angie Maldonado

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly