“There are a number of things to recommend Larry Stephenson’s approach to traditional bluegrass, but above them all stands his high and lonesome lead vocals.” —All Music Guide

“Stephenson has honed his voice into one of the best bluegrass tenors this side of Bobby Osborne.”—Kansas City Star

“One of the finest singers in bluegrass” —Country Standard Time

Larry Stephenson delivers one of the finest albums of his career on his Compass Records debut WHAT REALLY MATTERS. The album comes on the heels of the Larry Stephenson Band’s win for Recorded Event of the Year at the 2010 International Bluegrass Music Awards for his bluegrass star-studded previous effort, 20th Anniversary, Stephenson again teaming up with co-producer Ben Surratt. Armed with 12 outstanding tracks and surrounded by a road-tested band that includes Kenny Ingram (banjo), Kevin Richardson (guitar) and Danny Stewart (bass), Stephenson’s distinctive vocals are showcased to great effect. Standout tracks include Jimmy Martin’s “Beartracks”, the title track and a spirited reworking of “Philadelphia Lawyer” featuring Sam Bush on fiddle and harmony vocals.

Big Train

“If you like moody, sometimes dark, folk music, punctuated by beautiful musicianship and artistry, then you will find nothing to dislike here. —PopMatters

“Lien’s spectral fiddling proves hauntingly absorbing as it introduces the past to the future.” —The Washington Post

A virtuoso of Norwegian traditional music deeply inspired by the music of other cultures, fiddler Annbjørg Lien crosses musical borders as a pioneer for true “world music.” Khoom Loy, Thai for “Paper Lanterns,” is Lien’s eighth solo album and explores a broad spectrum of traditions ranging from her traditional Norwegian folk to Irish and Asian music, with Lien playing her native Hardanger fiddle as well as the keyed fiddle. Lien says of the album, “this is a tribute to a lovely ritual of the East: releasing lanterns in remembrance of the dead, or as a prayer for a good life. They serve as bridges connecting us to the past and the future, the east and the west, tradition and innovation.”

Steeped in the music of other cultures, Khoom Loy also represents a first for Lien—her world vocal debut to stunning and haunting effect, notably on the title track and “Den Storste Daarlighed,” which also offers a unique fusion of the Indian tabla with Celtic whistles. The album features Bjørn Charles Dreyer, Hans Fredrik Jacobsen, Bjørn Ole Rasch, Per Elias Drabløs, Per Hillestad, Orsa Spelmän, Kristiansand String Quartet, and Pat Broaders.

Winner of the Garmeleng Prize for classical folk and the Hilimar Award in her native Norway, Lien is also is a member of the world music fiddle group String Sisters (Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Liz Knowles, Catriona MacDonald, Liz Carroll and Emma Härdelin) and has collaborated with American fiddler Bruce Molsky amongst many others. Lien comes from a musical family and learned traditional music from his father and classical music at the music school in Ålesund. She has since been teaching privately with other top musicians, as Hauk Buen from Telemark.


Like this track? Buy the whole album here. 

Dancing Larry

Butterfly

Nuala Kennedy is an Irish singer and flute player whose music features her
liltingly beautiful vocals, adventurous instrumentation, and an imaginative mix
of influences. Although she is rooted in the Celtic music of her native Ireland
and adopted homeland of Scotland, Nuala has gained critical attention for her
eclectic cross-genre work. She has performed and recorded Will Oldham (Bonnie
‘Prince’ Billy), Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub), Euros Childs (Gorky’s) and the
late Canadian composer Oliver Schroer.

Paddy's Lamentation

Colin Hay  - Down Under 2012

Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill - The Clare Reel - Welcome Here Again

Andy Irvine & Paul Brady - Mary And The Soldier - Andy Irvine & Paul Brady

The Bothy Band - Do You Love an Apple - Best of The Bothy Band

“McManus has shown that traditional Celtic music can form the basis for an original and masterful solo-guitar style that transcends genre.” —Acoustic Guitar

“His command of acoustic guitar technique is flawless, with a chesty, rounded, gorgeous tone and a knack for well-marked rhythms and singing phrases.”
—All Music Guide

Tony McManus is well known around the world as the most accomplished practitioner of fingerstyle Celtic guitar playing, but when friend and mandolinist Mike Marshall challenged him to learn Bach’s E major Prelude for solo violin on the guitar, he was forced to look at his instrument in a new light and think in a completely different style. McManus not only took Marshall up on his challenge, but also proceeded to learn more classical guitar pieces, creating a unique collection of performances that he has collected on his new album Mysterious Boundaries. It took McManus seven months to learn the Bach Chaconne in D minor, and with that under his belt, he turned to the challenging “Les Barricades Mysteriouses” by Francois Couperin from which the album derives its name. Mysterious Boundaries demonstrates just how much of a virtuoso McManus really is and simultaneously raises the bar in the world of fingerstyle guitar.

Compass Records Group

Popular tracks