Dublin to Dakar: Celtic Odyssey

Celtic music and culture, often believed to be of Irish and Scottish descent only, has captured America's fancy. Lord of the Dance and its ilk feed into the phenomenon of a recently enamored public. Names like Caitlin, Breana, and McKenna serve themselves up on the circuit's Most Popular Baby Name lists; Irish bar bands flourish; and listeners from both coasts continue to groove to the abrasive defiance of The Pogues' Shane McGowan as rubbed up against melodious Guinness-fueled reels. Now Putumayo offers the compelling collection Dublin to Dakar, a veritable feast of worldwide Celtic music, accompanied by excellent liner notes detailing the migration-derived legacy of the Celts. Featuring multilingual artists from Italy, France, Spain, and Guinea, among other countries, the compilation is an exciting blend of tradition and startling innovation, ranging from slightly precious elfin sounds to reggae-inflected dance music and emotive balladry to a gypsy-inspired reel. --Paige La Grone