[.ca] Dance Of The Celts

Energizing, Upbeat:
Just bought this one after borrowing from my Secretary. Great for the newcomer to the genre. Good sampling. Makes your toes tap and cheering.

Do You Wanna Dance?:
Well, you certainly will want to dance. Narada continues to put together beautiful collaborations of music from some of the best Celtic musicians of our time. From Old blind Dogs to John Whelan to Altan, all bases are covered. John Whelan demonstrates that he is not just about insane playing. He can also slow it down with a beautiful waltz. Deanta makes an incredible contribution with The Flight of the Termite, and Altan contributes with one of my favorites, the Andy De Jarlis Jig. The rest of the supporting cast is excellent as well, and this CD is solely responsible for introducing me to some of my now favorite musicians. Whether you are new to the Celtic industry or a seasoned veteran, this CD will keep you dancing for hours.

Dance of the Celts:
Dance of the Celts is punchy, joyful and enormously fun. You'll find some favorites, neatly blended in the medleys throughout the recording. Its only faults are its lack of individual tunes, and the very American studio sound-rather too smooth, too practised and there's no improvisation as is found in Celt sessions. Despite these small weaknesses, Dance of the Celts brings the listener into a tapping, stamping, dancing cheer.

Are you ready to dance?:
Do you like Celtic music? Do you like to dance? How about just having your foot tap away at the beat? If so, then you will love this CD. It is a wonderful mixture of Irish reels and soft guitar music with a bit of bagpipe thrown in for good measure. The mixture of instruments on this CD is amazing. The disc is highlighted by a wonderfully soft and moving "The Boy in the Gap" by Pat Kilbride. The masterful John Whelan also has a track on the CD called "Trip to Skye" that is simply wonderful as well. It's almost haunting and really brings to mind the scenery of the Isle of Skye. I've never been there, but this song makes me yearn to see it. Whelan is the master of the accordion, and he shows it well on this piece. Most of the rest of the songs will have you tapping your feet at the very least. There's something about Irish dance songs that just lightens your mood picks you up on an emotional level. The pipe and fiddle playing is exquisite. Narada has picked a wonderful collection of songs to put on this CD. I have this CD on repeat at work whenever the day is turning long and boring. It never fails to lift me up out of the doldrums. It also makes long drives bearable. The only bad thing is that it's only 54 minutes long. I would have preferred much longer. But that's ok. Put it on repeat. I'm now listening to it for the third time today.

An overwhelming Celtic music collection:
This CD will blow you away. There are tender moments in this collection, but most of it is the most rip-snorting Celtic dance music on disc. When you discover a collection like this you have to share the good news. Its really emotional, beautiful and uplifting. If there were just one Celtic music disc I could recommend it would be this one. You have to hear this. May this disc never disappear from the catalogue.

• £5 Flute/Donald McLennan's Exercise/What Pain I Have Endured Since ... - Old Blind Dogs
• Drochaid Chluiteach/Swallow's Tail/MacFadden's Reel - Anna Mhoireach
• Cregg's Pipes Set: The Gnevguillia Reel/Are You Willing?/Hanly's Tweed - Tabache
• Inisheer - Buttons & Bows
• Christy Barry's Set - Kevin Crawford
• Trip to Sligo Set: Never Was Piping So Gay/Davey's Tomeen O'Dea's Reel - Dervish
• Trip to Skye - John Wheland
• Boy in the Gap - Pat Kilbride
• Gavotten Ar Menez - Kornog
• Andy de Jarlis/Ingonish/Mrs. McGhee - Altan
• Garraí Na Bhfeileoig/Miss Galvin - Mary Bergin
• Flight of the Termite: The Fisherman's Island/Katie's Reel/Seamy ... - Déanta, Déanta
• Finn MacCool's Reel - Pat Kirtley
• Shetland Jumper/Message from Home/Wise Up, Grumpy - John McGann
• Leis Lacha/An Ghaoth Aniar Aneascailin an Ti Mhoir - Declan Masterson