Celtic music | World Music Central

The album cover for On the Lash - Fireside featuresh a delicate watercolor illustration. Framed by a rustic brick wall, an arched window reveals a cozy interior scene: a crackling stone fireplace, a soft armchair draped with a blanket, and a small wooden shelf adorned with books, a lamp, and a vase holding a single flower. The artwork is credited to Elizabeth June LaPeer.

Album reviews

Trad-Inspired: On the Lash Ignites Irish Folk with Fireside

On the Lash – Fireside (2025) Midwest-based Irish folk quartet On the Lash will release their debut EP, Fireside, on April 4, 2025. The ensemble…

The album cover for Passage by The Tannahill Weavers features a futuristic, geometric frame in shades of black and gray, creating a tunnel-like effect. At the center, a photograph of the band members is embedded, showing them standing in front of a modern glass building, dressed in 1970s-style suits and holding instruments. The typography is bold, with "Passage" displayed in a green digital-style font and the band's name in yellow.

Album reviews

Tannahill Weavers’ Passage: A Pivotal Evolution

Ryan Emmert March 5, 2025 No Comments Celtic music Tannahill Weavers world music

Tannahill Weavers – Passage (Green Linnet, 1984) In 1984, Tannahill Weavers expanded their international reach by signing with U.S. label Green Linnet, aiming for the…

The album cover for The Road Home From Skye: Scottish & Irish Tunes by Stephanie Claussen features a landscape photograph of a Highland valley. A winding river cuts through the green and brown terrain, leading the eye toward towering mountains partially shrouded in mist.

Album reviews

The Road Home from Skye Through Celtic Harp Music

Ryan Emmert February 28, 2025 No Comments Celtic music harp Stephanie Claussen world music

Stephanie Claussen – The Road Home from Skye (self-release, 2019) The Road Home from Skye is a collection of traditional Scottish and Irish tunes arranged…

The album cover for Sanju by Flook features a minimalist and elegant design. A delicate arrangement of white roses and slender, twisting branches stands against a stark white background. The typography is bold and modern, with "FLOOK" in a geometric gray font and "SANJU" in red.

Album reviews

Flute Expectations: Flook’s Timeless Sound Evolves with Sanju

Angel Romero February 19, 2025 No Comments Celtic music English Folk music Flook flute Irish folk music world music

Flook – Sanju (Flatfish Records, 2025) Flook has entered its fourth decade with Sanju, an album that reaffirms their distinct, deeply-grounded, engaging and dazzling flute-driven…

Crossroads Concerts 2025 poster. A collage of photos of artists set to perform.

Events

Irish-Indian Fusion at the Crossroads in New York

World Music Central News Room February 14, 2025 No Comments Celtic music Irish folk music New York Irish Center world fusion world music

The New York Irish Center continues its world music series, Crossroads Concerts, with a fusion of Irish and Indian folk traditions on Thursday, February 27,…

This album cover by the Irish band Notify features an image of an orchestra bathed in purples and blues, with a hint of cosmic texture. The text highlights a collaboration between the Irish Concertina Orchestra, the MGCE Concert Orchestra, and Cormac McCarthy.

Album reviews

NOTIFY’s ‘Worlds Collide’: A Bold Fusion of irish Tradition and Innovation

Angel Romero February 14, 2025 No Comments Adam Taylor Celtic music Davie Ryan Hugh Dillon Irish folk music Irish music NOTIFY Pádraig Rynne Rory McCarthy Tara Breen world music

NOTIFY – Worlds Collide (Liosbeg Records, 2025) NOTIFY, a six-piece contemporary instrumental ensemble from Ireland, has released an ambitious and extraordinary new live album, Worlds…

Artist Profiles

Lissa Schneckenburger: A Multifaceted Voice in Contemporary Acoustic Music

Angel Romero January 31, 2025 No Comments American folk music Celtic music fiddle Lissa Schneckenburger violin world music

Lissa Schneckenburger, a Vermont-based fiddle player, composer, and songwriter, has been a prominent figure in the American acoustic music scene for over two decades. Born…

Antonio Giuliani etude violin by Kennedy Violins. Horizontal view.

Articles

The Violin: A Cherished Instrument Across Time and Genres

Angel Romero January 28, 2025 1 Comment Celtic music fiddle violin world fusion world music

(headline image: Antonio Giuliani etude violin by Kennedy Violins) The violin, often called a fiddle in informal or folk music contexts, is a wooden string…

Festival Internacional do Mundo Celta de Ortigueira 2025 poster

Events

Ortigueira’s International Celtic World Festival to Honor 50th Anniversary of Escola de Gaitas

World Music Central News Room January 20, 2025 No Comments Alana Buíoch Celtic music Festival Internacional do Mundo Celta de Ortigueira Flook Galician music Gwendal La Bottine Souriante Milladoiro Spanish music world music

On January 18, the Ortigueira City Council unveiled the 2025 program and official poster for the International Celtic World Festival (Festival Internacional do Mundo Celta…

Folk in Fusion 2025 poster. A collage with photos of the artists et to perform.

Events

Folk in Fusion: A Celebration of Roots Music at Ireland’s ‘Your Roots Are Showing’ Conference”

World Music Central News Room January 14, 2025 No Comments American folk music Americana Bluegrass Celtic music Irish folk music world music

The kickoff concert for Ireland’s premier folk conference, Your Roots Are Showing (YRAS), presents “Folk in Fusion – YRAS Live,” on January 14th, 2025, a…