San Patricio

The San Patricio brigade were a group of Irish soldiers who deserted the American army to fight alongside the Mexicans in the Mexican-American War of 1846-48 (San Patricio is, of course, St. Patrick in Spanish.) The story of these immigrant conscripts, many of whom would have crossed the Atlantic to escape the Famine, has all but been forgotten. But Paddy Moloney, who has long been fascinated by their history, re-imagines their story in music and song on this 19-track collaboration, recorded variously in Mexico, Spain, Dublin, New York and Los Angeles.

Having Ry Cooder on board for a project as ambitious as this is key to its success – his Tex Mex credentials are impeccable while his Buena Vista Social Club collaboration and more recent tribute to Mexican Los Angeles culture, Chavez Ravine, make him an indispensible filter when it comes to blending musical styles.

The large cast of guest musicians and singers includes Linda Ronstadt on the gorgeous ‘A la Orilla de un Palmar’, while Cooder’s own distinctive guitar playing and voice is heard on ‘The Sands of Mexico’. Moya Brennan makes a perfect choice for the poignant ‘Lullaby For The Dead’ while Liam Neeson lends his unmistakable spoken word to ‘March To Battle (Across the Rio Grande)’. Galician piper Carlos Nunez, a long time Chieftains collaborator, contributes the instrumental ‘Sailing To Mexico’.

Mexican groups such as Los Folkloristas (‘Danza de Concheros’), Los Camperos de Valles (‘El Caballo’) and Los Cenzontles (‘Ojitos Negros’) provide a welcome authenticity. Most of the cast join in on the grand finale – a glorious mélange of Irish/Mexican melodies, rhythms and voices rounding off yet another wonderful, epic achievement in the Chieftains canon.