The Best of Irish Traditional Music

1. Merry Blacksmith

2. Castle of Oromore

3. Queen of the Rushes

4. Tripping up the Stairs

5. Southwind

6. Maid Behind the Bar

7. Quaker

8. Kesh Jig

9. Heoge Row

10. Enchanted Lady

11. Ships in Full Sail

12. Down the Broom

The Best of Irish Traditional Music,Various Artists,St. Clair Records,Celtic,Celtic/Irish,Int'l & World Music,Ireland,Irish,Irish Folk,Pop,Traditional Irish Folk,World Music

Average customer rating: Closer to the Main Street Singers than to the Dubliners or the Clancy Bros The best of the Irish Rovers the best christmas present I'd personally like to thank Lily the Pink Irish Rovers

The Best Of The Irish Rovers [Remaster] The Irish Rovers Manufacturer: Mca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Ireland | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | International General | International | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | International General | International | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | British Isles | Europe | International | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | British Isles | Europe | International | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $7.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music International | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $7.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 International | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Upon A Shamrock Shore: Songs of Ireland and the Irish 28 Irish Pub Songs Collection Irish Songs of Rebellion/Irish Drinking Songs The Best of Irish Pub Songs: 20 Great Favorites ASIN: B00000I8KS Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

1. The Unicorn
2. Liverpool Lou
3. The Orange And The Green
4. Lily The Pink
5. Did She Mention My Name
6. The Irish Rover
7. Whiskey On A Sunday (The Puppet Song)
8. The Biplane, Ever More
9. Mrs. Crandall's Boarding House
10. Winken', Blinken' And Nod
11. Goodbye Mrs. Durkin
12. The Black Velvet Band
13. Years May Come, Years May Go
14. The Marvelous Toy
15. Goodbye Mick And Goodbye Pat
16. Nancy Whiskey

Customer Reviews:

Closer to the Main Street Singers than to the Dubliners or the Clancy Bros.......2006-03-25

This is a saccharine and banal take on Irish music, with all the emotional intesity of a Hummel figuraine. Upon first listen, I remarked to my wife that they sounded more like Peter, Paul, and Mary than the Dubliners. She correctly pointed out that Peter, Paul, and Mary were actually much better than this pablum, and that the Irish Rovers more closely resemble the fictional Main Street Singers from a Mighty Wind.

Truly, absolutely, unlistenably passionless, cloying and bland.

The best of the Irish Rovers.......2006-03-09

Outstanding!! It's a great CD of my old LP and it's great to hear the old Rovers again.

the best christmas present.......2006-02-02

My son was at his great aunt's and he heard her records and that's what caused him to get it. My daughter actually got it to him for christmas

I'd personally like to thank Lily the Pink.......2005-08-29

for her medicinal compounds! This cd combines some hilarious drinking songs with children's songs. The former are well worth the patience involved in getting through the latter.

THE ORANGE AND THE GREEN provides an amusing look at the difficulties involved in being the mixed offspring of Catholic Irish and Protestant Scottish-Irish parents ("being strictly neutral, I bashed everyone in sight!")while LILY THE PINK is an amusing story about the efficacy of a woman's medicinal compounds which were some less than expected: "Ebenezer thought he was Julius Caesar so they put him in a home and gave him medicinal compound, now he's Emperor of Rome!" They also cured an indivdual with a "terrible stammer" after which "he's s-s-seen but n-n-never heard."

And of course there is the slightly more subtle humor regarding Ms. Crandall's boarding house. One should just listen and enjoy.

Grab it with a copy of your favorite Gaelic Storm cd and laugh all your problems away.

Irish Rovers.......2005-08-07

This is a great collection of songs by the Irish Rovers. No one sings the "Unicorn" song any better than these guys. For Irish Rover fans and those that never heard their songs before, you can't beat this CD. Enjoy!

Average customer rating: Irish Music Love this CD! A blast from the past The best of the early Chieftains It doesn't get any better than this

The Best of the Chieftains The Chieftains Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Celtic Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Ireland | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Irish Heartbeat 28 Irish Pub Songs The Bells of Dublin Long Black Veil The Best Of The Irish Rovers [Remaster] ASIN: B000060P2Z Release Date: 2002-02-19

Tracks:

1. Up Against The Buachalawns
2. Boil The Breakfast Early
3. Friel's Kitchen
4. No.6 The Coombe
5. O'Sullivan's March
6. Sea Image
7. An Speic Seoigheach
8. The Dogs Among The Bushes
9. The Job Of Journeywork
10. Oh! The Breeches Full Of Stitches
11. Chase Around The Windmill: Toss The Feathers/Ballinasloe Fair/Cailleach An Airgid/Cuil Aodha Slide/The Pretty Girl
12. The Wind That Shakes The Barley/The Reel With The Beryle

Amazon.com

The tracks on The Best of the Chieftains are drawn from The Chieftains 7, The Chieftains 8, and Boil the Breakfast Early--three of the band's recordings from the late 1970s. This was the period when former Bothy Band and Planxty flautist Matt Molloy and vocalist/bodhran player Kevin Cunniffe joined up and finally fulfilled Paddy Maloney's vision of what the band should sound like. It also marks the last time the Chieftains recorded pure, unadulterated traditional Irish music. Not long after making these albums, the band set off on a new career that has included numerous movie and TV soundtracks, collaborations with pop stars of various stripes, and guest appearances with symphony orchestras. Although some purists decry the band's later attempts at crossover, the near perfection of tracks such as the exquisitely performed suite of dance tunes "Chase Around the Windmill" show that the Chieftains had taken the old tunes about as far as they could go. The group may have gone on to make better-selling records, but they never topped the traditional grace and charm of the songs on The Best of the Chieftains. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

Irish Music.......2007-05-14

If you are going to have an Irish party, this is the best music to have. The music is varied, jigs, reels and knee slapping songs that liven up any event and get you dancing.

Love this CD!.......2006-02-08

I love the Chieftains and I love this CD. I love it so much, I using a great many of the songs for the Prelude for my wedding.

A blast from the past.......2004-04-06

The title of this album is rather deceptive: it's not a selection from the Chieftains' entire catalog of recordings, but instead from the 3 albums (7, 8, and 9) that they put out on the Columbia label in the late 70's. That said, it's a worthy addition to anyone's Irish music library: it showcases the band at the pivotal point when they underwent major personnel changes and began to expand into less traditional ventures such as film scores. I've owned the three albums in question for years (and bought this one because the old vinyl was wearing out); this selection includes most of my favorite tracks from those albums, and shows what a solid, spirited, high-quality band they were from the start. (But it's instructive to compare the flute solos in the "Chase Around the Windmill" set with those from the earlier albums: with all due respect to Michael Tubridey, I feel that the addition of Matt Molloy, with his thoughtful and beautifully phrased flute playing, gave the group much more depth.)

The best of the early Chieftains.......2003-11-27

The retro style of Paddy Moloney's hair on the cover of this disc is a good metaphor for this CD, a remastered 1970s recording incorporating the best tracks from three of the Chieftains' early LPs. As far as traditional Irish music goes, it's not the purest of the pure, but it shows how this group gave a new twist to their country's music before venturing into the equally exciting realm of television and film music. If you're a fan of the Chieftains' later work, you'll definitely love this CD -- it's not really all that different, just less programmatic and commercialized.

There are some really incredible tracks here, like "O'Sullivan's March", an old 18th-century military tune arranged for the entire band -- the flutes in the middle section preserve the wonderful old fife-like quality of the original song. "Sea Image" and "Speic Seoigheach", composed by Paddy Moloney himself, point toward the group's later development as a band blending a traditional feel into their own original compositions. And the rest of the tracks show exactly why these marvelous Irishmen were nominated for a Grammy over twenty years ago.

Five stars easily!

It doesn't get any better than this.......2003-01-26

This anthology is incredible. Irish traditional music just doesn't get any better than this! The selections are timeless, the orchestration is always perfect. Paddy Maloney's pipes and whistles really drive the music and the late great Derek Bell's brilliant Celtic harp playing is top-notch! Anyone who enjoys Irish traditional music should own this collection...preferably on CD!

Average customer rating: The motherlode

The Best of the Original Dubliners The Dubliners Manufacturer: EMI Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Celtic Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music Ireland | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Original Dubliners Ultimate Collection 28 Irish Pub Songs Irish Songs of Rebellion/Irish Drinking Songs Irish Pub Songs ASIN: B00009YFVB Release Date: 2003-08-11

Tracks:

1. Seven Drunken Nights
2. Black Velvet Band
3. Whiskey in the Jar
4. All for Me Grog
5. Rising of the Moon
6. I Wish I Were Back in Liverpool
7. Bonny Boy
8. Fairmoye Lasses and Sporting Paddy
9. Maid of the Sweet Brown Knowe
10. Molly Maruires [Live]
11. McAlpine's Fusiliers [Live]
12. Greenland Whale Fishery
13. Biddy Mulligan
14. Musical Priest/Blackthorn Stick
15. Navvy Boots [Live]
16. Champion at Keeping Them Rolling
17. I Know My Love

Tracks:

1. I'm a Rover
2. Maids When You're Young Never Wed an Old Man
3. Nancy Whiskey
4. Pub With No Beer
5. Seven Deadly Sins
6. Black Velvet Band [Live]
7. Nation Once Again
8. Partin' Glass
9. Poor Paddy on the Railway
10. Kelly, The Boy from Killan
11. Lowlands of Holland
12. Breeze [Live]
13. Alabama 58
14. Night Visiting Song
15. Cork Hornpipe [Live]
16. Poor Old Dicey Riley
17. Whiskey on a Sunday

Tracks:

1. Dirty Old Town
2. Whiskey in the Jar [Live]
3. Old Triangle
4. Galway Races
5. Peggy Gordon [Live]
6. Irish Navy
7. Net Hauling Song
8. Battle of Somme/Freedom Come All Ye
9. Smith of Bristol
10. Tibby Dunbar
11. Leavin' of Liverpool [Live]
12. Beggar Man
13. Rattling Roaring Willie
14. School Days Over
15. Louse House in Kilkenny
16. Mrs. McGrath
17. Seven Drunken Nights [Live]

Album Description

Budget price compilation from Ireland's finest showmen features 51 tracks, originally released 1967-1972, packaged in three standard jewel cases & housed in a slipcase. Copy Control CD. EMI Gold.

Album Details

Extensive Triple CD Box Set from Ireland's Finest Showmen. They were "Rolling Stone" Scruffy to their Contemporary Counterparts, the "Beatle" Like Clancy Brothers. The Dubliners Wrote the Book on Hard Living and the Hard Drinking Image. The Group Continues on Despite Numerous Personnel Changes, but They Are Still Vital Nonetheless and Admired by Succeeding Generations. All the Hits Are Included Like "Seven Drunken Nights", "Dirty Old Town", "Whiskey in the Jar" and Lots More.

Customer Reviews:

The motherlode.......2004-07-08

Billy Connolly describes his first time ever seeing the Dubliners in concert as a classic case of culture shock! Folk Musicians back then were inclined to wear Aran sweaters so they could be easily identified..not the Dubliners! "Wild bearded goats" with one of their lead singers voice sounding like coal being poured down a delivery chute! The Dubliners did to Folk Music in Ireland what Bob Dylan did in the USA. They were raw, vulgar, unpretentious, talented, funny and, the inspiration for legions of future Irish musicians. The tracks listed on this collection are essentially the best of their original line up. My only slight criticism is that I wish they had kept the track order of the first three albums intact. As musicians, Luke Kelly, Barney MacKenna and Ciarron Bourke were of the highest calibre. This music swerves from incendary to sad and back again. This is what the Pogues sounded like in another life!

Average customer rating: Silly Wizard ... Scottish-style Celtic folk music Great Takes on Traditional Scottish Music A band with fire and soul! Worth every ounce of praise I can heap upon it. Appropriately titled! This is "The Best of Silly Wizard"

The Best of Silly Wizard Silly Wizard Manufacturer: Shanachie ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Scottish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Ireland | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Scotland | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music New Age | Celtic | International | Styles | Music Fusion | Celtic | International | Styles | Music Celtic New Age | New Age | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Celtic | Europe | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Wild & Beautiful Caledonia's Hardy Sons So Many Partings Kiss the Tears Away Fire in the Glen ASIN: B000000E7E Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. The Valley Of Strathmore
2. Donald McGillavry/O'Neill's Cavalry March
3. A.A. Cameron's Strathspey/Mrs. Martha Knowles/The Pitnacree Ferryman/The New Shillin'
4. The Fishermen's Song
5. The Queen Of Argyll
6. Finlay M. MacRae
7. The Pearl
8. Isla Waters
9. Mo Chuachag Laghach (My Kindly Sweetheart)
10. Broom O' The Cowdenknowes
11. Green Fields Of Glentown/The Galtee Reel/Bobby Casey's Number Two/Wing Commander...

Customer Reviews:

Silly Wizard ... Scottish-style Celtic folk music .......2006-10-18

These guys are amazing. This marvelous compilation captures Silly Wizard at their rambunctious peak. Right away you'll notice vocalist Andy M. Stewart is at his very best, as are they all. The songs on this CD are wonderful. The Fisherman's Song is a haunting song about men being lost at sea and the wives & children they leave behind. Here is a bit of the lyrics.

"By the storm-torn shoreline a woman is standing
The spray strung like jewels in her hair
And the sea tore the rocks near the desolate landing
as though it had known she stood there.

Chorus:
For she had come down to condemn that wild ocean
for the murderous loss of her man,
His boat sailed out on Wednesday morning
And it's feared it's gone down with all hands."

This CD is great. Grab one you'll be glad you did!

Great Takes on Traditional Scottish Music.......2006-02-23

I bought The Best of Silly Wizard to get a copy of "The Valley of Strathmore," Andy Stewart's ballad done in the traditional style of Scottish music. The rest of the CD is just as fine. Makes one just pine for a wee bit of the Highlands!

A band with fire and soul!.......2004-01-01

I'm not sure this album represents all the "best" of Silly Wizard but it's an earthy, rollicking-good-romp all the same. Standout tracks include the rousing renditions of "Queen of Argyll" and "Donald McGillavry", the poignant "Valley of Strathmore" and "Finlay M. MacRae", and of course the virtuosic dances on tracks 3, 9 and 11. No booming bass here--the sound of this primarily accoustic band tends toward the treble side, featuring the finger-flying accordion playing of Phil Cunningham and the folksy tenor voice of Andy M. Stewart. But the well-crafted harmonic structures supporting their melodies are always engaging, holding a listener's attention and moving each piece along to a more than satisfying conclusion. Interestingly, like another of the group's Shanachie releases that I have ("Wild and Beautiful"), "Best of ..." begins with a wistful love song rather than an energetic dance set--a fitting opening considering the honest, heartfelt sentiment that Silly Wizard brings to their music. (I suppose the approach also hearkens back to the "days of yore", before albums were marketed via computer systems designed to grab maximum attention with only the first few listen-able tracks ...) On this recording, core group members Phil Cunningham, Andy M. Stewart, Martin Hadden and Gordon Jones are joined by guitarist Bob Thomas and fiddler Johnny Cunningham. For another "Best of"-style recording of this band's favorite works, try their 1988 Green Linnett recording, "Live Wizardry".

Worth every ounce of praise I can heap upon it........2003-10-02

I remember this album when it was first released in 1985 and in the 18 years since, I have found few albums in the genre that rival it. It is a fantastic selection of Silly Wizard's work. The "Queen of Argyll" is my absolute favorite love song of all time with lyrics like "All the roses in the garden bow and ask their pardon for not one could match the beauty of the Queen of all Argyll". If that doesn't conjure the image of a red haired Scottish beauty strolling in a garden or meadow, I don't know what does. Amazon gives us a space of 1,000 words to express our opinion in a review, but ten times that many praises might begin to express how I feel about this album ... even after all these years since I first heard it.

Appropriately titled! This is "The Best of Silly Wizard".......2003-01-23

I love this CD, in fact this is my second copy, having worn the other one out completely. When I need a pick me up, this is the CD I reach for!

Average customer rating: Daughters of NY Firefighters! Beautiful Voices A Celtic Gem! Aoife Clancy's voice is heaven Celtic Music

One and All: The Best of Cherish the Ladies Cherish the Ladies Manufacturer: Green Linnet ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Celtic Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music Ireland | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Celtic | Europe | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: On Christmas Night Woman of the House Threads of Time The Girls Won't Leave the Boys Alone At Home ASIN: B000006CF5 Release Date: 1998-02-24

Tracks:

1. The Cat Rambles To The Child's Saucepan/Maire O'Keefe/Harry Bradshaw's
2. The Cameronian Set: The M'Intinn Raoir/Duke Of Gordon/The Cameronian/Lady Of The House
3. The Green Cottage Polka/Jer O'Connell's/Tom's Tavern
4. Broken Wings
5. Declan's Waltz/Waltz Duhamel
6. A Neansai Mhile Gra
7. Highway To Kilkenny/The Boys Of Portaferry/The Abbey Reel/Ashmaleen House
8. Three Weeks We Were Wed
9. O'Keefe's/The Shepherd's Lamb/Johnny O'Leary's
10. Green Grow The Rushes Oh
11. Jessica's Polka/Tear The Calico/I Have No Money
12. The Back Door
13. Crowley's Reels/Tom Ward's Downfall
14. My Own Native Land
15. Joe Ryan's Barn Dance Set: The New Broom/Joe Ryan's Barn Dance/St. Ruth's Bush/The Penny Candle

Customer Reviews:

Daughters of NY Firefighters!.......2007-05-31

These ladies reflect their upbringing by singing classic Irish tunes in a fun and easy listening way. We "discovered" them about the time we discovered Lorie Line, in a very small California county called Humboldt. That was ten years ago and we are still loyal fans! Brava, ladies!

Beautiful Voices.......2007-01-11

Bought this CD for my wife who is a big fan of traditional Irish music. I love the beautiful voices. The voice & instruments mix are very clear; one is not over powering the other.

A Celtic Gem!.......2005-05-01

This is one that I play over and over for the lilt of the fiddles and flute and the stunning vocals. Great traditional Celtic music performed as originally intended. Makes you want to dance. You can't resist singing along with the ones you know.
I've seen this group perform at the Winfield Festival which was a real treat. I whole-heartedly recommend this CD!

Aoife Clancy's voice is heaven.......2002-12-25

The Song's "Green Grow The Rushes Oh" and "Broken Wings" alone would make this collection of music worth the price. Toss in the other great vocals and instrumentals and you have one of the best collection of traditional Irish music available today.

Aoife Clancy's vocals were the heart of Cherish The Ladies music for several years and this collection includes many of her best.

Buy it and you'll never regret it.

Celtic Music.......2000-03-13

If you are a Celtic music fan, you'll like this one. It has a good variety, including some dance music.

Average customer rating: 4 stars as a single disc, 5 stars with live CD got to Altan through Dolly Parton If you like Altan Incredible and Incredibly Excellent Traditional Celtic An Incredible Purchase

The Best of Altan Altan Manufacturer: Green Linnet ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Celtic Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music New Age | Celtic | International | Styles | Music Fusion | Celtic | International | Styles | Music Celtic New Age | New Age | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Celtic | Europe | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Best of Altan: The Songs Island Angel Harvest Storm Local Ground Solas ASIN: B000005CQH Release Date: 1997-01-21

Tracks:

1. Tommy Peoples/The Windmill/Fintan McManus's
2. Moll Dubh A' Ghleanna
3. Jimmy Lyon's/The Teelin/The Red Crow/The Broken Bridge
4. The Sunset
5. Glory Reel/The Heathery Cruach
6. The Flower Of Magherally
7. Mazurka
8. A Bhean Udai Thall
9. King Of The Pipers
10. 'Si Do Mhaimeo I
11. The Jug Of Punch
12. The Emyvale/Ril Gan Ainm/The Three Merry Sisters Of Fate
13. An Mhaighdean Mhara
14. Dulaman
15. Drowsy Maggie/Rakish Paddy/Harvest Storm
16. An Feochan

Tracks:

1. Con Cassidy's/Neil Gow's Highland/Moll And Tiarna/McSweeney's
2. The Yellow Tinker/Lady Montgomery
3. Thug Me Ruide
4. Ta Mo Chleamhnas A Dheanamh
5. The Curlew/McDermott's/Three Scones Of Boxty/Unnamed Reel
6. Tuirse Mo Chroi
7. Paddy's Trip To Scotland/Dinky's/The Shetland Fiddler
8. Johnny's Wedding/Rogue's Reel/The Gravel Walk

Amazon.com essential recording

It's hard to qualify what "best of" could mean in the case of a band as prolific as Altan. This was a record label collection (the best of the Green Linnet years) and it is just that from Frankie Kennedy's slow reel, "The Sunset," through the jigs, reels and airs that they play so well. Mairead Ni Mhaoinaigh on fiddle also supplies their trademark voice, Ciaran Tourish and Paul O'Shaughnessy are on fiddles as well, Frankie Kennedy is on flute plus various instruments by Ciaran Curran, Mark Kelly and Daithi Sproule. As a bonus there is a second CD, a live recording taken from the soundboard of a 1989 concert. --Louis Gibson

Customer Reviews:

4 stars as a single disc, 5 stars with live CD.......2003-02-05

As retrospectives go, this is a good one, and captures the pace that Altan brings to a regular release. The entire history is represented here, at least as it was distributed by Green Linnet. The early trio date with Frankie, Mairead and Ciaran Curran through the final formation as sextet before Frankie's passing with the additions of Ciaran Tourish, Daithi Sproule and Dermot Byrne are well represented. The weaker points come from "Horse With a Heart" which has something missing in Phil Cunningham's production, though I am hard pressed to say what it is that's missing.
Perhaps the element of personnel flux is at its most vulnerable during these early days, as Paul Shaunnesy and Mark Kelly were sometimes on and sometimes off because of their day jobs. It really wasn't until "The Red Crow" that Frankie and Mairead made the decision to leap forward with this band as their career, and it is with that release that Altan really catches fire.
The shadows of Johnny Dougherty, Con Campbell, James Byrne and Robert Cinnamond loom large in the soul of this band, and in no uncertain terms they took the Donegal-Ulster tradition of Irish music and carried it from the back bothrins of Gaoth Dobhair to front and center in the Irish Cultural Renaissance of the 80's and 90's.
But, the real gem here is the limited edition version that carried a live CD with it. Having promoted them live in Philadelphia 4 times, once at my own establishment that is wonderfully recorded on tape as well as shows at Bluett Theatre, whose video capture by Drexel University is just breathtaking, I can tell you that Altan is a Very Different Beast LIVE. No quarter is asked or given. It's all hell for leather and the sheer dynamics of this band wrung you out emotionally, left you dancing ecstatically like some Celtic Dervish or Gaelic Pentacostalist. Their passion live has surely been responsible in part for the Irish American baby boom of the last decade! Green Linnet presents a great, great snippet of their live material, which underscores the whole issue that somewhere, someone, everyone should be hammering IMN, their management company, to get a live box set out, live DVD out, especially of the years helmed by Frankie. The Cabin John appearances in the early days of the DC Irish Folk Festival, following Ashley Mac Isaac, were perfomances of legend. Not to be outdone by the peripatetic Mac Isaac, Frankie and Mairead rose to the challenge and left a crowd of dazed enthusiasts in sheer joyful abandon. Roll the tapes forward and appearances at The National Geographic Society, Wolf Trap, following The Rankins and Natalie Mac Master, are all very possibly the greatest festival performances ever given by any band. Think Duke Ellington at Newport! Their performance here at Duffy's with Mearta Wagar and Brid Ni Chostelloe is still talked about and all I can tell you is that these tapes are the most precious things in my life. I've given you direction where to get some of the masters, so get on with it! This is a band whose every burp should be documented, especially live. Irish music was never this good before and it will never reach these heights whenever they finally hang up their bows and pocket their plectrums.
If record companies and management companies still drop the ball, go catch them live, even if you have to book airfare to Ireland. They have always been and remain the best. Look up "keepin it real" in the dictionary: Altan invented it.

got to Altan through Dolly Parton.......2002-09-10

I discovered Altan on a Dolly Parton CD called Little Sparrow which I highly recommend also. Altan backs up Dolly on 2 songs that I really like. So, I am always up for a gamble. I bought Best of Altan. It has been on my frequent flier list since it arrived a few months ago. I am a fan of bluegrass and acoutic music in general and I think you will pleasantly surprised by this CD (I should say CD's because it is 2 disc set) if it is your first attempt at Celtic music. I have a couple of previously purchased Chieftans CD's but I must say I don't have the connect like I do with Altan. If you are a closet bluegrass fan but don't like "twangy voices" as I hear from some friends, I think you will like Altan. It is obvious that roots are there instrumentally and the musicianship is outstanding. Not one track is anything but flawless to my ear. I will buy more Altan I just have not made up my mind which CD to get yet. Not that there are similarities but I also like Mozart, Del McCourey, Steve Earle, Dolly Parton, Patty Loveless, Emmy Lou Harris, Earl Klugh, Los Lobos, Ry Cooder, Keb Mo, Nickel Creek, and countless others. These are just the ones on my current playlist. Anyway buy this disc. It makes great background music or is terrific for playing loud and listening to every detail!

If you like Altan.......2001-08-23

you'd probably like Barachois, an Acadien group of 4 hailing from Prince Edward Island, Canada. Their fast-paced fiddling is incredible and fun.

Incredible and Incredibly Excellent Traditional Celtic.......2001-05-24

Skilled, practiced, perfectly executed fast reels and jigs. The best version of Dulaman I've ever heard. The bonus CD crackles with the freshness only live performances can give, and I have been known to play track 1 (Con Cassidy's/Neil Gow's Highland/Moll and Tiarna/McSweeney's) as many as seven times in a row. Lovers of Riverdance will love this CD.

An Incredible Purchase.......2000-09-27

I bought this recording having done very little research on the group, but I knew enough about them to know that what I was getting myself into was special. This quintet has the unbelievable ability to alternate between any style of music: love songs sung in gaelic, mazurkas, ballads, vocals, instrumentals-- they do it all. Another pleasant surprise which is not printed on the case is that the recording comes with a bonus live CD that contains another 7 or 8 songs. As an enthusiast of the sound of "live" music, I was thrilled with the bonus CD. I can listen to this CD no matter what mood I am in, and the end result is always the same: pure happiness.

Average customer rating: Awesomely Celtic Bliss Simply Awesome WOW!!! Great music! Great folk music from the kings of the Highland pipes

Best of 1979-1989 The Tannahill Weavers Manufacturer: Green Linnet ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Scottish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Celtic Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Scotland | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Celtic | Europe | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music International Folk | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Tannahill Weavers Collection: Choice Cuts 1987-1996 Alchemy Capernaum Epona Fire in the Glen ASIN: B000005CNV Release Date: 1993-01-05

Tracks:

1. The Geese In The Bog/Jig Of Slurs
2. Auld Lang Syne
3. Tranent Muir
4. The Highland Laddie
5. Lucy Cassidy/The Bletherskate/The Smith Of Chilliechassie
6. Farewell To Fiunary/Heather Island
7. Roddie MacDonald's Favourite
8. The Gypsy Laddie
9. Jamie Raeburn's Farewell
10. Johnnie Cope/The Atholl Highlanders
11. I Once Loved A Lass
12. Turf Lodge/The Cape Breton Fiddlers' Welcome To The Shetland Isles/Lady Margaret Stewart/The Flaggon

Customer Reviews:

Awesomely Celtic Bliss.......2005-05-28

I could not help be listen to album for seven days straight. The whiskey helped...but moreso the music was so riveting I could not leave the house. I am now deaf in one ear but it was worth it. You must hear this album. CuckCoo ForCeltic

Simply Awesome.......1999-10-20

I do not consider myself an expert on traditional Scottish music, but I do know what I like --and I love this album (and the Tannies!) It is one of my all-time favorites of any genre. Everytime I play it, I am blown away. And I play it often! Some highlights (and there are lots of highlightable moments here): "Atholl Highlanders/Johnny Cope" -- these two Jacobite songs are melded perfectly and, to put it as best I can, they ROCK! Also, there's the devestating, "Jamie Raeburn's farewell" -- one of very few Tannies songs to feature that non-traditional Scottish instrument, the electric Guitar. Heart-wrentchingly emotional. But these are just two great moments in an overall awesome collection.

This CD is a great introductioin to both Traditional Scottish music and the Tannahill Weavers. If you have any interest in Scottish/Celtic music, piping, or just plain good music, then get this CD!

WOW!!! Great music!.......1999-10-16

I saw these guys play in Charlotte Oct. 13 of this year, and Wow!! They are great! I'm a student piper, so I was simply amazed at the skill and speed of Duncan, the piper. The songs are great, every one of the men in Tannahill Weavers is very talented and you can see they not only just sing, but they sing with emotion, love and meaning. You will not be disappointed in any of their CD's. I guarantee that if you are a lover of scottish/irish music the slightest bit, you will fall in love with this group's soulful music.

Great folk music from the kings of the Highland pipes.......1998-11-04

When it comes to bagpipe music, the Tannies are far and wide my favorite. Superbly blended with the entourage of other traditional celtic instruments, these songs are truly inspiring and heartwarming. From the foot-thumping energy of Johhny Cope, to the powerful drama of Jamie Raeburn's Farewell, this album will surely raise your spirits and stir your soul! Forget all that new-age pseudo-celtic music that has flooded the market in recent years. If you want the best of traditional jigs and reels, this is where to find it. The _Best of_ is a perfect place for new listeners of the Tannies and new listeners of celtic music in general to start out. If this music doesn't have you out of your seat and dancing, you must be tied to the chair! Give it a listen!

Average customer rating: On the low end of mediocre

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Irish Rovers The Irish Rovers Manufacturer: Umvd Import ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Ireland | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Collection The Best Of The Irish Rovers [Remaster] Upon A Shamrock Shore: Songs of Ireland and the Irish Years May Come, Years May Go An Irish Christmas ASIN: B0000DC17Y Release Date: 2003-10-20

Tracks:

1. Biplane, Ever More
2. Years May Come, Years May Go
3. Orange and the Green
4. Black Velvet Band
5. Liverpool Lou
6. My Old Man's a Dustman
7. Mrs. Crandall's Boarding House
8. Whiskey on a Sunday (The Puppet Song)
9. Goodnight Irene
10. Unicorn
11. Winken', Blinken and Nod
12. Wasn't That a Party

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Budget Collection from the Popular Irish Band who Scored a Top 40 Hit with "The Unicorn".

Customer Reviews:

On the low end of mediocre.......2004-05-16

The 20th Century Masters entry into the Irish Rovers' Greatest Hits menagerie is on the low end of both; weak by Irish Rovers' standards and one of the lesser efforts in Universal Music's Millennium Collection.

The mastering is fair, with no glaring problems, but the sound is a bit muddy and the bass track rather weak.

The up-side of this collection is that several songs can be hard to find, especially the Tom Paxton cult-classic "Wasn't That a Party?". The down side is that many are re-recordings. This isn't terribly noticeable on gentle tunes like "The Unicorn" but is both disappointing and annoying on the aforementioned lively drinking song "Wasn't That a Party?".

If all the buyer wants is to add an Irish Rovers collection to his or her musical library, this CD will do. If, however, one desires a bit more quality in sound and more adherence to the original music, pass this one by and look elsewhere.

Average customer rating:

The Best of Altan: The Songs Altan Manufacturer: Narada ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Local Ground The Best of Altan Island Angel Harvest Storm Blackwater ASIN: B0000C3I8J Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

1. Girl From The North Country
2. Beidh Aonach Amarach
3. Green Grow The Rushes
4. Suil Ghorm
5. Gleanntain Ghlas Ghaoth Dobhair
6. Molly Na gCuach Ni Chuilleanain
7. I Wish My Love Was A Red Red Rose
8. Cuach Mo Lon Dubh Bui
9. The Pretty Young Girl
10. Ar Bhruach Na Carraige Baine
11. Eoghainin O Ragadain
12. Ten Thousand Miles
13. Stor, A Stor, A Ghra
14. A Moment In Time

Amazon.com

Collecting several of Altan's vocal tracks on a single CD is a fine idea. Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh's dewy folk soprano is always a joy to hear, whether she is singing in Irish or English, as is her magnificent fiddling. The other band members are on their game, too. "Girl From The North Country," "Green Grow The Rushes," "I Wish My Love Was A Red Red Rose," and "Gleanntáin Ghlas Ghaoth Dobhair" (aka "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore") have seldom sounded so fine. The songs are well-chosen and careful attention was paid to the chemistry between selections. The sole caveat is that die-hard fans probably already own Another Sky, Runaway Sunday, The Blue Idol, and Blackwater, the albums from which the material was cherry-picked. However, as a gift for a friend who has never heard of Altan or is a newcomer to Irish neo-traditional music, this compilation would be hard to beat. --Christina Roden

Album Description

2003 compilation for one of the top traditional bands in Ireland features 14 tracks. Virgin.

Average customer rating:

The Best of Aly & Phil Aly Bain , and Phil Cunningham Manufacturer: Compass Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Scottish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Scotland | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Another Gem Fully Rigged Silver Bow - Fiddle Music of Shetland Ruby The Pearl ASIN: B0007QS4OQ Release Date: 2005-03-15

Tracks:

1. Donald MacLean's Farewell to Oban/The Sands of Burness/Miller's Reel
2. Sarah's Song
3. Waltz of the Little Girls
4. Jig Runrig/The Swedish Jig
5. Violet Tulloch Queen of Lerwick
6. Humours of Tulla/Fox Hunter's Reel/St. Anne's Reel [Live]
7. Sophie's Lullaby
8. Michael Coleman's Jig/Gingerhog's No. 2/Give Me a Drink of Water/Jiggy
9. My Lily/The Sweetness of Mary/Hughie Jim Paul's Reel
10. Ronfleuse Gobel/La Grande Chaine/Gallope de Malbaie
11. Pearl
12. Megan's Wedding/Da Herra Boys/The Barrowburn Reel
13. Spring the Summer Long
14. Waiting for the Federals
15. Colours of Cape Breton
16. Charlie Hunter's Jig/The Mouse in the Cupboard/The Rosewood
17. Flett from Flotta/Sabhal Iain ig Uisdean/The Drampire
18. Man's a Man for A' That
19. Auld Fiddler/Earl Mitten's Breakdown

International Music:

1. The Mero Mero
2. The Windy Gap
3. Tiwiwik (Introduction)
4. Tommy Heavenly V.6 [Import]
5. Tumbita Criolla de Mongo Rives [Import]
6. Utanoki Seasons Aki [Import]
7. Vision Speaks
8. Visions [Import]
9. Vivo [Import]
10. Wave Your Flag

International Music

International Music