General Celtic-ish Music

[carlos alden]

SO much music is done these days under the banner of "Celtic" that it's tough to keep the subgenres straight anymore. I have, therefore, dispensed with trying to specifically categorize things. Below you'll find my recommendations of artists who do what they do extremely well and who have left an impression on me. You can't go wrong with any of them. I've tried to indicate if each selection is primarily vocal, traditional, or contemporary. Go to the various website and check 'em out.

Karan Casey
ANY CD by Karan Casey is just amazing, but my favorite is Ships In The Forest, available here:
www.amazon.com/Karan-Casey/e/B000APVGSK

Also very worthwhile is her recent collaboration with John Doyle, Exile's Return:
www.amazon.com/Exiles-Return-Karan-Casey/dp/B0030EWBE6

You cannot go wrong with anything produced by Karan Casey.

Lau, Live, Compass
compassrecords.com/lau
A Scottish Trio consisting of fiddle, guitar, and accordian. Some very wonderful and wild arrangements. Super high-energy.

Kevin Burke and Cal Scott, Across the Black River, Loftus
www.cdbaby.com/cd/burkescott
Contemporary Irish fiddling by an acknowledged world master, with super-tasty guitar accompaniment.

Cran, Lover's Ghost, Black Rose
www.ronanbrowne.com/CRAN_MUSIC/CD....RCD0 03%29.html
Great trad Irish music, very lean and gutsy and sparse with strong gaelic vocals.

Hanneke Cassel, Silver, Cassel Records
www.cdbaby.com/cd/hanneke3
A young Scottish fiddler doing contemporary arrangements. Extremely good.

Lehto and Wright, A Game of Chess, New Folk
www.lehtoandwright.com/press.htm
Hot folk rock. Irish tunes arranged for bass, guitar, and drums, in the style of Fairport Convention.

Jamie Laval and Ashley Broder, Zephyr In The Confetti Factory, Jamie Laval
www.jamielaval.com/cd.html
Tasty and quirky fiddle and mandolin from two masters.

Bridges Home, Auld Sod, New Ground, 2009 Bridges Home
www.bridgeshome.net/Home_%26_Schedule.html
Exquisite singing from a couple way too much in love with each other and life.

Mozaik, Live From The Powerhouse, Compass 2004
compassrecords.com/album.php?id=269
Irish music master Andy Irvine got a bunch of muso friends together from around the world to do a tour, and came up with this. Very good representation of Irish, American Old-Time, and Breton fiddling.

Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas, Fire and Grace, Culburnie 2004
www.culburnie.com/albums/AlasdairFraser/fire_and_grace.htm
Exquisite duets of Scottish Fiddle and cello arrangements.

Kate Rusby, Awkward Annie, Pure Records
www.amazon.com/Awkward-Annie-Kate-Rusby/dp/B000TKODDQ
Wonderful touching vocals in a modern folk style.

Lunasa, Merry Sisters of Fate, Green Linnet
www.amazon.com/Merry-Sisters-Fate-L%C3%BAnasa/dp/B00005K9SK
Traditional Irish music done by masters.

Teada, Teada, Green linnet
www.teada.com/
Young traditional masters of trad Irish.