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Seoda Ceoil 1 & 2 Gael Linn

Gael Linn celebrates its 60th anniversary this year and, among other activities, the label has revived these two albums, originally released in the late 1960s – something that promises to revitalise the repertoires of traditional musicians for years to come. Pipes lovers can bask in the glorious recordings of Willie Clancy and Seamus Ennis, with Clancy also contributing some glistening tin whistle tunes. Aligning these two piping giants with sean nós singing legend Joe Heaney, fiddler Seán Keane and fiddle and concertina master John Kelly makes for a distillation of much that was vital to the revival of traditional music some five decades ago. The playing of The Chieftains' Seán Keane is particularly lissom, its sinuous contours tracing the finest routes through his tune choices. John Joe Gannon and Seán Ó Conaire also feature on this timely re-issue. gael-linn.ie

Download: The Wind That Shakes the Barley