Kevin Crawford

Here are nine Irish fiddlers wrapped around the fine flute playing of Crawford, a major player in Moving Cloud who currently plays with Lúnasa. Add in such skilled, sensitive accompanists as guitarist Arty McGlynn, bódhran player Jim Higgins and keyboardist Carl Hession, and you have the right formula for some righteous playing of Irish traditional music. McGlynn knows exactly how to set the right and steady tempo; Crawford knows how to let the fiddles shine. On “Brian O’Flynn/Cailleach a Shúsa,” Martin Hayes’ viola has the evocative, bittersweet mood of an oboe beneath Crawford’s flute. Other fiddlers showcased here include Manus McGuire, James Cuillnan, Tommy Peoples, Sean Smyth, Conor Tully, Mick Conneely and Tony Linnane. And a chamber string ensemble backs Crawford on Neil Gow’s “Coilsfield House.” For those who equate speed-demon playing with quality, this 17-cut collection is enlightening.