Irish singer Susan McKeown continues her world explorations

Susan McKeown 

Sweet Liberty (World Village, 2004) 

Irish singer
Susan
McKeown has been living in New York City
for the last few years.  Musically, she’s gone through an exciting evolution
that has taken her from  folk rock to outstanding contemporary Irish
folk mixed with world music elements. 

In multicultural New York, McKeown has worked with
musicians from many different lands, including Scotland, India, Mali and Mexico.
Sweet Liberty has a sad story to it. It is the last recording Scottish
fiddle master
Johnny
Cunningham made with Susan McKeown before he passed away.
Both musicians had toured together extensively in the past two years and had
developed a close friendship.The songs on Sweet Liberty are traditional, with exquisite acoustic
arrangements by McKeown and some her collaborators. The musicians involved
include many well known names in the American, Irish and British Celtic music
world. But there’s more. McKeown has continued her world music explorations and
treats the listener with a stunning call and response song she recorded with
Malian group Tartit. She also invited Ramón Ponce Jr. and some of his musicians
from Mariachi Real de Mexico to accompany her on a fascinating version of a song
that Gypsy singer Priscilla Cooper used to perform. [buy
the CD].