Journey: The Best of Donal Lunny
Dónal Lunny (pronounced "Loony") is a guitar and bouzouki virtuoso, composer, bandleader, producer, and promoter who has founded, sat in with, recorded, and presented more than 30 years' worth of epoch-making Irish acts. Of course, a two-CD compilation cannot adequately relate his entire story, but this one makes a good start and even better listening. Many of his important band affiliations are represented, including theBothy Band,Planxty,Moving Hearts(an especially legendary outfit), and Coolfin. Among the guest artists areSharon Shannon,Christy Moore, Maighread and Triona Ní Dhomnaill, Frank Harte, andHossam Ramzy. The second disc concludes with "Millennium Suite," a spectacular concept work commissioned by RTE (Ireland's national broadcast company) and presented worldwide by the BBC on December 31, 1999. It showcases Celtic traditions from Wales, Northern Ireland, Galicia, Brittany, Scotland, and Nova Scotia, with each movement led by a musician from that nation.--Christina Roden