The Chieftains - Live Over Ireland: Water from the Well
While theCD versionofWater from the Wellhas been rightly praised for bringing the Chieftains  back to their roots in traditional Irish music, the DVD documents an even fuller  and more private story. Shot in the band members' most personal haunts all over  Ireland--their homes, flutist Matt Molloy's pub, church halls--Water from the  Wellfinds Molloy, group founder Paddy Moloney, harpist Derek Bell, fiddlers  Martin Fay and Sean Keane, and bodhran player-vocalist Kevin Conneff speaking  openly about the band's remaining artistic challenges after 35 years. Moloney,  long the Chieftains' most enthusiastic proponent of collaborations with  musicians from other traditions, marvels at the group's long road of  international experimentation while also pining for his childhood days of  neighborly jam sessions. The impish Bell confesses to thoughts of mortality, as  well as his concerns over whether the Chieftains can be traditional "purists"  again.The band's most ardent fans will enjoy all this discussion, but even Chieftains  newbies will be thrilled by the many configurations of band members and friends  (many of the latter renowned Irish-music performers in their own right) who play  (and play and play) reels and jigs while nursing pints at local watering holes.  Look for Van Morrison, Barney McKenna, Seamus Begley, the Kilfenora Ceili Band,  and a very sweet meeting of Moloney and the boys with the angelic girls of the  Belfast Harp Orchestra. Stepping outside the box for a moment, the Chieftains  share a duet with Los Lobos that becomes a lovely highlight. Special features on  the DVD include a short documentary about the Chieftains' gorgeous work in Spain  and Cuba.--Tom Keogh