Celtic Tides – A Musical Odyssey
starring Mary Black, Caperaillie, The Chieftains, Old Blind Dogs, and others
MPI Home Video
Let’s assume you’ve been living in a Taliban cave for the last 30 years and missed River Dance, The Chieftains, or the whole Celtic music revival in general. This disc might be of interest. It provides a pleasant introduction to who the Celts are and what they sound like in the 20th century, all backed with views of ruggedly beautiful Cape Breton, straight from a travel poster. The Celts, we are reminded by Heather Rankin, were fierce, naked warriors who decorated their houses with the severed heads of their enemies, yet had a deep reverence for poetry, words, and music. In other words, if they didn’t kill you first they’d talk your ears off.
That’s the theme of this disc – it’s filled with reminiscences about learning to play before you can walk and speculation about how the Celtic tradition has influenced the music, and vice versa. Interspersed with interviews are short snippets of performances by Mary Black, Caperaillie, Old Blind Dogs, and a dozen other top-of-the-line bands including the Chieftains themselves. Not all the performance numbers are complete, and that’s a shame. This DVD needs more music and less talk.
MPI Home Video: http://www.mpihomevideo.com
