Eileen Ivers
On her debut solo album,Eileen Ivers, this young fiddler sounds comfortably accomplished in solo, duo and group settings, in both traditional formats and inventive new arrangements. In her variety of treatments and consistency of tone, she suggests the future of the Celtic fiddle. She joins members of the Hall & Oates band for an old piper's air that begins simply but then develops a pop jazz improvisatory feel. Ivers uses Alyssa Pava's viola da gamba to underscore the similarities between a Scottish hornpipe and Pachelbel'sCanon. Other guests include members of Cherish the Ladies and of Chanting House as well as African percussionist Kimati Dinizulu, but it's Ivers' strong, singing tone that holds the project together.--Geoffrey Himes