Lake Effect
A founding member of the all-female Irish American groupCherish the Ladies, Liz Carroll returned in 2000 to professional music-making following a 12-year hiatus. Her comeback album,Lost in the Loop, won a slew of awards and broke ground for this set, which is as deftly executed and, in some ways, even more adventurous. Her fiddle has never sounded so agile and deep-throated, its singing tone and daring slides marking but not falling headlong into the traditional dance rhythms. She is equally adept at the slow airs, which are the truest test of a fiddler's chops. Her pitch remains spot-on and her phrasing is centered, precise, and graceful in any speed or tempo. She is ably assisted by Mairtin O'Connor on accordion, the Turtle Island Quartet, John Doyle on guitar, Jackie Moran on bodhran, and other fine players who have all pitched in to make this an acoustic album to treasure.--Christina Roden