I believe what
sets Alasdair Fraser's music apart from the myriad of Celtic and Scottish
fiddlers out there is his sensitivity and mastery of the traditions of
this genre that he skillfully and tastefully merges with his exceptional
ability to write and arrange engaging and memorable pieces of music.
"The Road North offers up a delightful feast of music that stretches from
the sentimental longing in his rendition of a "Traditional Gaelic Melody"
to the exquisitely joyful interpretation of "Calliope House" and "The
Cowboy Jig". Be sure to check out his wry sense of humor on his
playful performance of his own composition, "Tommy's Tarbukas".
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves the sound of a well played
fiddle! RC
In the player
below is a sampling of cuts from these "Essential Fiddle" CDs. It will play the samples randomly or
you can double click on any title to hear it. Enjoy!
Darol Anger: Diary of a Fiddler
At home in any
musical style, be it bluegrass, classical, jazz, or Celtic, fiddler
extraordinaire Darol Anger offers one of the best, most varied fiddle CDs
you're likely to hear for a long time. With a résumé that includes the
Turtle Island String
Quartet, the bluegrass-ish group Psychograss, the new age - folk -
jazz of Montreux and the virtuosic
Anger-Marshall Duo,
Anger brings it all together in Diary of a Fiddler. Joined by an
impressive array of special guests, this imaginative collection of fiddle
improvisation chronicles a three-year odyssey across the continent in
which he played duets with other fiddlers. LT
Celtic Fiddle Festival: Rendezvous
This is, to be sure, a Celtic "supergroup" of fiddlers! When Irish
fiddler, Kevin Burke (Bothy Band and
Patrick Street) and Scottish fiddler, Johnny Cunningham (Silly
Wizard, Relativity, and Nightnoise) first started scheming about
performing together, they invited Breton fiddler, Christian
Lemaitre (Kornog and Pennou Skoulin) to make it a trio and recorded
their first live album in 1993. Their styles and tastes mesh
wonderfully and, as evidenced on a subsequent recording, "Rendezvous"
move ever so smoothly, between the subtle differences in their various
unique versions of Celtic music.
Over the years, I've had the pleasure to know and enjoy the wit and
gifts of Johnny Cunningham - his love for the music and grace as a
musician and human being enriched many lives. Sadly, his life
ended a few years ago - way too soon. This album is a nice
portrait of his talents and the camaraderie he had with his fellow
musicians. If you enjoy this music, you should also consider
adding recordings by both Relativity
and Nightnoise to your library.
RC
Winifred Horan: Just One Wish
Winifred has
earned her reputation as part of the driving force behind the dynamic
supergroup, Solas. In this, her
debut solo effort, she has assembled a "smorgasbord" of musical
"flavors" that offers something for everybody. From the jubilant
"Life Ain't So Bad" to the heart achingly beautiful "Just One Wish".
"Pate's Baroni" has you expecting someone or something to jump out from
behind a bush! You won't be able to resist putting on your dancin'
shoes for "The Princess and the Frog"! This is a real crowd
pleaser. You should also check out her collaboration with fellow
"Solas" member Mick McAuley, "Serenade".
RC
Kevin Burke: In Concert
Kevin Burke has
a long history of performing in great bands playing great music and
influencing a generation of fiddlers and musicians. His credits
include stints with The Bothy Band, Micheal O'Domhnaill, Patrick Street,
and his own band, Open House. He is also a founding member of
Celtic Fiddle Festival. Highlights of this live performance include "The
Butterfly", "Walsh's Hornpipe" and The Blackbird". If you
like his playing, be sure to check out his recordings with
Patrick Street. RC
Fiddlers 4
On their debut
album, Fiddlers 4, these four master musicians create a cross-cultural
fiddling extravaganza, with stops in the Louisiana bayou, the
Appalachian mountains and the Marin foothills. On tracks such as You
Little Wild Thing (La Betaille), Cajun master Michael Doucet sings with
the passion that launched his group Beausoleil to the forefront of Cajun
music makers. Pickin’ the Devil’s Eye is an adaptation of the old time
standard that gives each fiddler a chance to dazzle. Fiddler players
across the world are coming together and realizing the great potential
of fiddle music to move and inspire all ages. In this spirit, these
influential and accomplished musicians have joined forces to create
something beautiful and new out of very old cloth.
