Essential Chieftains
More than 40 years on, the Chieftains are still the world's nonpareil Irish acoustic instrumental outfit. While celebrated for the international dissemination of their national mother lode they have actually promoted music from all six Celtic Nations; beginning with Ireland (Eire) but also honoring ancient folkways from Scotland (Alba), the Isle of Mann (Ellan Vannin), Brittany (Breizh), Wales (Cymru), and Cornwall (Kernow.) Furthermore, they have sought out musicians from other Celtic enclaves, such as Galicia (Northern Spain,) Cape Breton Island (Nova Scotia -- one of North America's few Gaelic-speaking regions) and the Southern U.S., where haunting modal tunes imported by mountain-dwelling Scots-Irish immigrants provided the essence of old-timey country and bluegrass music. There have also been pop-star collaborations and a myriad of concept, live-in-concert and tribute albums. The set includes excerpts from the thoroughly traditional "numbered" albums that made the group's reputation but also covers their pan-Celtic explorations, duets with stars of other genres, including Bela Fleck, Nanci Griffith, Linda Ronstadt and Los Lobos, plus encounters with notable Irish performers like Sinéad O'Connor, Van Morrison, and The Corrs. It is obviously impossible to encapsulate such a long and varied career, even over the length of two generously-filled disks, but this well-picked program gives an accurate picture of the band's astonishing scope and virtuosity. --Christina Roden