Roots of Bluegrass
The Chieftains..BLUE GRASS?
Yep, shure 'nough is, y'all.
Well, sorta...

When people hear "Chieftains" they're thinking Irish, Gaelic..but BLUE GRASS? Actually it's not a stretch at all considering that Irish folk music played a major role in the creation of American folk music, Blue Grass (Tenessee, Kentucky)--and via Blue Grass to Country & Western. Of course other ethnic flavors are involved including Scottish & colonial British, French, Spanish & African (Gospel, Blues, Jazz.)

To offer a comparison, the soundtrack of "O, Brother, Where Art Thou?" gives a pretty good sampler of Blue Grass, & this CD does the same--but with more songs, more A-List US artists (John Hiatt, Bela Fleck, Earl Scruggs, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Lyle Lovetti, Paty Griffin & other greats) resulting in this more artistically cohesive CD.

So where are the Chiefains you might ask? Well, it's true they are more in the studio background than the forefront, but once you realize how effective that the background is, you can enjoy the final result.

The CD features the original musical treatment of such standards as Don't Let Your Deal Go Down, Whole Heaps of Little Horses, Tennesse Stud, and Katie Dear [A variant of Silver Dagger]

Long Black Veil
Water From the Well
Tears Of Stone
Northern Journey
Four Strong Winds
Early Morning Rain
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
The First 10 Years
Joan Baez
In Concert
Basket of Light

Great roots music!!
What can I say that hasn't been said already? This is a great CD. The song "Rain and Snow" by the Del McCoury Band is, in my opinion, worth the purchase alone. Other highlights include: "Dark as a Dungeon" by Vince Gill, "Molly Ban" by the always wonderful Alison Krauss, and "Tennessee Stud" by Jeff White. Celtic music is so ethereal whereas bluegrass seems to ground the music and give it that extra folksy feel. The music is passionate and describes lifestyles, especially those of the Appalachians, which weren't always glamorous yet were rich in heritage and pride. Tremendous musical combination!

MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN
Take the elegant, sweet vocals of Alison Krauss, and combine them with the crushing instrumental power of the Chieftains, and you have one of the greatest musical collaborations of the last 50 years. Absolutely top-to-bottom brilliance. Highly recommend to anyone who likes bluegrass, traditional folk, Celtic, oxygen, or food! A MUST OWN!

Martina McBride Is a Revelation
Excellent, if somewhat eclectic, album, and I wish the Chieftains had been more front and center. But I find the album a consistent delight, with (and to be expected)typically first- rate performances from Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss, Earl Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs, etc. But the revelation for me was Martina McBride's "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight." Where did that come from? She could out-Rhonda Rhonda Vincent when it comes to powerful Bluegrass ballad wailing. I've never been a big McBride fan, but I'd sure be interested in more stuff like this.

Irish Muusic and Bluegrass Is a Natural Combination
There are two types of people in this world: Those who were born Irish and the rest of us who wish we were. [I fall into the latter category.] I have been nurturing a love affair with both bluegrass and Irish music for more than thirty years, and the links between the two genres have never been more evident than on this meeting of the Chieftains and some of the biggest names in bluegrass and country music, including Bela Fleck, Earl Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs, the Del McCoury Band, Alison Krauss, Tim O'Brien and Vince Gill.

Highlights include the instrumentals "Sally Goodin" and the medley of reels, along with Vince Gill's Take on the Merle Travis classic "Dark As a Dungeon" and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings mournful "Katie Dear." The album closes on a rousing note with the 10-minute romp "Give the Fiddler a Dram."

While I have to agree with my fellow reviewers who feel that the Chieftains have been relegated to session player status on this recording, this is a thoroughly satisfying album from start to finish. [Playing Time 54:30] RECOMMENDED