Jigs, Reels and Bob Dylan Too

The Wall Street Journal once called the superb Irish American ensemble Solas “spirited and refreshingly risk-taking,” but it’s unlikely many Wall Street analysts would encourage the kind of dramatic change evident on their new album, “Edge of Silence.”

After all, when you’re an internationally acclaimed supergroup known for championing a traditional Irish repertoire fired by jigs and reels and graced by aching ballads, it might appear risky to suddenly start interpreting tunes by Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Jesse Colin Young and Nick Drake, not to mention adding electric guitar and drum loops to the mix.

On the other hand, hearing Solas’ brooding “Georgia Lee,” you’d think it was an ancient murder ballad, which could go a long way to ameliorating relations with fans of Irish music, including the genre’s hard-core traditionalists.

“Without question, it was something we gave thought to,” says Seamus Egan, Solas’ founder and multi-instrument virtuoso (flute, tin whistle, mandolin, banjo, guitar, bodhran and percussion). “For fans who’ve enjoyed the more traditional elements on our previous albums, I think on first listen, this record might seem quite different.

“We felt we wanted, and needed, to make this step, but we didn’t want to completely abandon where we come from,” Egan adds. “I think that as much as possible we tried to keep intact the bits of Solas that have allowed us to be what we have been in the past and hopefully broaden that out a little bit and retain that feel.”

Certainly, old-line Solas fans will thrill to lively instrumentals like “Legless” and “Charmy Chaplin.”

“When people hear Irish music, they think it’s stomping their foot to a jig or hearing the plaintive ballad,” Egan says. “The thing is, it doesn’t have to be just that. There’s a way that you approach music as a traditional Irish musician that can be placed on more contemporary material.”

Solas reconfigures the seldom-heard Dylan song “Dignity,” Young’s “Darkness, Darkness” (in a manner reminiscent of Fairport Convention) and Nick Drake’s “Clothes of Sand” (featuring the decidedly Drake-ish lead vocal debut of button accordionist Mick McAuley). They also offer two haunting ballads by Philadelphia neighbor Antje Duvekot.

As Egan points out, Solas has gradually introduced new elements into its albums, such as percussionist Steve Holloway and bassist Chico Huff, who appeared on 1998’s “Words That Remain,” and soon after started touring with the band.

“We actually wanted to bring bass and drums out for the live shows much sooner than we did,” Egan says. “We were a bit apprehensive what the reaction would be.... We knew that we felt better playing with them--it allowed us to open up the arrangements and audience reaction seemed to be appreciative, though I’m sure there were some grumblings here and there.”

Now, he says, the surprise of seeing bass and drums on stage won’t be an issue. “One of the new additions on this tour is the electric guitar--it’s the first time we’ve had it on record, too.”

This tour, Solas may finally do a concert version of its greatest hit.

“It’s the only one,” Egan chortles, referring to “I Will Remember You,” from the soundtrack to the 1995 film “The Brothers McMullen.” Sarah McLachlan’s version eventually went Top 10 and earned her a Grammy.

“Folks have been onto us about playing it but it just never felt like it had a comfortable spot in our show. But with the broader approach to material on this record, now it fits.”