The Wide World Over: A 40 Year Celebration
One of the elements that's made theChieftainsthestellar Celtic band in the world is their love of innovative collaborations with  mainstream pop stars.The Wide World Over: A 40-Year Celebrationgathers  into a single collection some of the Irish ensemble's most memorable moments,  including predictable alliances with artists such asVan Morrison, who sings  "Shenandoah" to additional backing by the Irish Film Orchestra, and unlikely  pairings like theRolling  Stones, who add a rock kick and the "Satisfaction" riff to "The Rocky Road  to Dublin." Cross-cultural expertsLinda RonstadtandLos Lobosdemonstrate  their versatility on the Mexican ditties "Txalaparta" and "Guadalupe," on which  pipes and pennywhistle don't seem a whisker out of place, while Ricky Skaggs  points to the Irish and British roots of American country music on the rousing  "Cotton-Eyed Joe."Art  Garfunkel,Sting,Sinead O'Connor,Joni Mitchell, andElvis Costelloare also  featured in classic performances with the 40-year-old Irish band, while a  brand-new collaboration withZiggy Marleyyields a  gorgeous Don Was-produced rendition ofBob Marley's "Redemption  Song." The cliché that there's a bit of the Irish in all of us proves  true in this wide-ranging, constantly rewarding, and frequently surprising  collection. And the tracks on which the Chieftains go it alone are also a gas.--Bob Tarte