Can anyone recommend a few good CDs of Celtic instrumental music? I’m thinking of the type with fiddles, that people would have danced to. Nothing with vocals, please, and nothing New Agey. Thanks.
If you like Shetland Fiddlers, try this link
I don’t know if this is really Celtic, but The Cheiftans may give you what you’re looking for.
I was always more partial to the Whistlebinkies than the Chietains ( a little more grit ), but you have to like bagpipes and their albums always include a few vocal pieces ( though usually the majority is instrumental ).
- Tamerlane
That is the Whistlebinkies have a little more grit than the Chieftains, who are sometimes a little too smooth for my taste.
- Tamerlane
I love the Chieftains.
There are always those CDs at Target and such which have all-instrumental stuff. But there are really good bands (such as the Chieftains) who do things like reels along with their vocal selections.
Others:
Patrick Street
Silly Wizard
Ashley McIsaac (from Nova Scotia, can really work that fiddle, can have a harder edge)
Afro Celt Sound System
Capercaillie
Altan
Milladoro (Celtic music from Spain)
In addition to those already listens, I would add, in no particular order:
Kevin Burke
Johnny Cunningham
Celtic Fiddle Festival- Comprised of Kevin Burke, Johnny Cunningham & Christian LeMaitre, 3 of the most renowned fiddlers today.
Kornog- Celtic music from Brittany
Tannahill Weavers
Martin Hayes
Cherish the Ladies
Liz Carroll
The Bothy Band
Eileen Ivers
Battlefield Band
I have found some outstanding artists on MP3.com, some of my favourite are:
Clandestine
Crannog
Lothlorien
Finally, I would encourage you to check out Green Linnet. They have a wide variety of celtic music. What is really nice is that you can listen to a number of their offerings, plus they are very good to deal with.
I second checking out Green Linnet, it is a wonderful source for music. I recommend Planxty (esp. The Well Below the Valley, and, if you can find them, The Boys of the Lough, (esp. The Piper’s Little Finger). Both are recordings of primarily traditional tunes–lots of jigs, lots of fiddles, harps and pipes, some singing–mostly in Gaelic. Both provide lots of music suitable for dancing.
The heavyweights from decades past are Bothy Band and Planxty. The current heavies are Altan and Solas. I also recommend Kevin Burke (an ex-Bothy)–perhaps the finest celtic fiddle-player ever.
This is where one should start, IMHO.
P. S. You’re just going to have to ignore the tracks with vocals (if you must).
I don’t need to ignore the vocal tracks. If they sound authentically Celtic and aren’t New Agey, I could probably get into them. Thanks for all the tips; I will be checking some of them out ASAP.
I’m still a big fan of Silly Wizard. They have a fair number of vocal pieces, but if it’s Andy Stewart singing, that’s all right with me!
Definitely not New Age-y.
Capercaille from Scotland are (were) very good.
Alan Stivell from Brittany, from the 1960s onwards. Modern, but I wouldn’t listen to him if I thought it was new age music.