David Kidman

Just Around the Bend is of monumental importance and an engrossing release not least, of course, due to the gentle force of Mike Seeger’s own personality, his over-reaching enthusiasm for old-time and its practitioners.

Northern Lights is a fabulous “welcome back” record from a band with real charisma. And those vocal harmonies are to die for…Very highly recommended.

Throughout “An Evening With…” I’m struck over and again by the sheer wow factor, the spine-tingling effectiveness of this particular extraordinary musical partnership of John Renbourn & Jacqui McShee. However many albums you own by these two musicians, you’ll still need this one!

Sara and Kieron have been touring together for a good ten years now, and their bond is palpably close and empathic; an evening spent in their company is a treasurable experience indeed – as is this CD.

The Lost Tapes features over 20 previously unreleased recordings from Canadian folk duo Ian & Sylvia Tyson. Recorded in the 1970s, it finds them in cracking vocal form; an album that fans of the duo will doubtless be very pleased to now own.

Featuring innovative banjoist Jacken Elswyth and Herefordshire duo Alula Down, Betwixt & Between 5 is already proving to be the most irresistible instalment in the series so far.

So busy is she that Sandra Kerr’s discography to date barely reaches double figures so a brand new solo CD is cause for celebration indeed. Rebel with her Chords finds her in mighty fine canny fettle and eternally committed to the cause.

The pleasure Topette!! derive from playing together spreads like proverbial wildfire to its listeners with the result that Rhododendron is one of those rare instrumental – and dance-oriented – albums which gives virtually equal proportions of cerebral and visceral pleasure. Seriously recommended.

Illinois-based contemporary roots-bluegrass-Americana five-piece Old Salt Union return with their fourth album ‘Where The Dogs Don’t Bite’. Produced by Alison Brown, the album brings out the best in the band and plays to their strengths.

Released in December 1968 as a private pressing of 200 copies, Kusudo & Worth’s mega-rare “Of Sun And Rain” gets re-issued and proves an inordinately fascinating album, a privileged glimpse into a creative maelstrom that still after several playthroughs promises to reveal even more delights.

Featuring Tatiana Hargreaves, Hard Drive deliver high-octane bluegrass-old-time style, delivered with deep intuitive insight, manic exploratory zeal and seriously powerhouse instrumental (and vocal) chops but also, importantly, with an abundant and overwhelming sense of fun.

The simplicity and apparent effortless ease of Damien O’Reilly’s playing is highly deceptive and inevitably there’s more to his artistry that’s revealed primarily by further attentive listening to Dúchas.