Customer Reviews

The Wide World Over: A 40 Year Celebration

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The miracle of the Chieftains is not just that they have collaborated with so many popular musicians to bring Irish music where it might not otherwise have gone, but that they have been doing it for forty years -- a feat seldom equalled in any music genre. _The Wide World Over_ is a wonderful retrospective of this work, featuring collaborations with artists ranging from Joni Mitchell to the Chinese National Ensemble, as well as several new recordings. The album is also a fine tribute to Paddy Maloney's skill as a composer and arranger. In recent years a great many Celtic groups have explored the fusion of traditional music and tunes with "popular" genres, but Paddy Maloney was one of the first to do so, and remains one of the best and most effective arrangers in this area.

_The Wide World Over_ draws heavily from the Chieftains' work of the past ten years, and features more collaborations than it does traditional and traditionally arranged tunes and songs. As such, it may not appeal to Celtic music purists. This is not a CD that is going to stun the listener with the virtuosity of the players, an element that has come more and more to the forefront of the genre in recent years. In fact, in many of the tracks the band takes a back seat to the guest artist. What is conveyed, though, is a real joy in the music and an understanding that Celtic music is a living and changing tradition with relevance and parallels in many different global cultures. Good music is good music, no matter where it comes from or who plays it.

You may not want to purchase this CD if you already own the entire Chieftains catalogue. However, if you don't and you want to add just one of their CDs to your collection, _The Wide World Over_ would be a good choice.

On the one hand, I sure hope that the Chieftains aren't leaving their traditional roots, and on the other hand, I enjoy their explorations of different musical styles.

These are all cuts from previous albums, so he who has all of their albums probably won't want this one. For the rest of us, there are some realy outstanding cuts. I especially enjoyed Sinead O'Connor's singing of the traditional "The Foggy Dew". That one's followed by The Corrs and "I Know My Love", another traditional with a fresh twist. Ricky Skaggs joining the group for "Cotton-Eyed Joe" was a real high point, spotlighting the relation of Irish traditional reels and jigs to bluegrass. Joni Mitchell is one of the greats, and hearing her own "The Magdalene Laundries" backed by the group is a real treat. And Van Morrison bares his soul in "Shenandoah", again highlighting the Irish influence on American music.

I was a bit disappointed with Diana Krall & Art Garfunkel's "Morning Has Broken", which certainly doesn't compare with Cat Stevens. So you can't win them all. Sting didn't seem appropriate on "Mo Ghile Mear" either.

However, I was pleasantly surprised by "Full Of Joy" with the Chinese Ensemble. That's one where it sounded everyone was having fun. And the closing rendition of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" featuring Ziggy Marley was a winner.

All in all, if you don't have most of these on other Chieftain albums, you'll want this one.

If you have never purchased a Chieftain's CD, this is the one to pick. If you have almost everything the group has ever recorded, this is still a good purchase.

The CD includes a variety (17 tracks) of favorite Chieftain recordings from over the years. With only two new tracks, some might think this just a rehash. But, the tracks included include some great work by the Chieftains (Live from Malloy's Pub, The love theme from Barry Lyndon, etc.) as a group AND most of my favorite collaborations from over the years.

The strength of the Chieftain's 40 years started with their amazing ability to reach back and preserve/refresh traditional old Irish tunes in danger of being forgotten. Not content to master the body of Celtic work from the past, they composed on their own and then moved on to work with world class artisans from other genres - bringing a Celtic sincerity and energy to each work. I love these guys and this CD is an excellent choice for anyone interested in reliving music history. You get to hear collaborations with The Rolling Stones, Joni Mitchell, Sinead O'Connor, Ricky Skaggs, Sting, The Corrs, Van Morrison, Art Gunfunkel, etc. For pure star power alone, this is a good buy.

The new cuts deliver all we have come to expect from a Chieftain's cut - fresh arrangements of Celtic themes impeccably adapted by the group.

Let's all hope there is more "new stuff" from the Chieftains left in their bag of tricks.

listened to the entire thing over thanksgiving dinner, something for everyone... and the chieftans have outdone themselves if that is possible. a great intro to the chieftans if you know someone who doesn't like to explore on their own.

Throughout their long careers, the Chieftains continually surprised their fans with the collaborations they'd create. Everyone from the Rolling Stones doing a rollicking version of "Rocky Road to Dublin" to Ziggy Marley's version of his Dad's "Redemption Song" are here.

This collection's not all jollity. Of course, you've got the deeper more thoughtful songs like "Magdalene Laundries" by Joni Mitchell, which details the forced servitude of 'fallen women' controlled by the Catholic Church in Ireland. There's also the haunting "Foggy Dew" by Sinead O'Connor.

Probably my favorite song of the whole bunch, if it's possible to have one, is "Morning Has Broken" with Art Garfunkel. His pure voice intermixed with the strings is one of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard.

If you don't own any Chieftains and want a good sampling of their work, this collection's a good start. If you're like me and do own a lot of their music, it's still good to have this collection to put on as a collection of varietal music.

Rebecca Kyle, August 2009

When you're talking about Irish music, the Chieftains' name will inevitably come up. In many ways, this seemingly-immortal group pioneered the popularity of jigs and reels, and, thanks to the guidance of pipe player Paddy Maloney, worked to combine traditional fare with the best of pop and rock.

Aptly titled "The Wide World Over", this collection focuses more on the group's recent collaborations with mainstream artists than their traditional pieces. Some of the highlights include the Corrs' light-hearted duet, the traditional 'I Know My Love', Sting's powerful 'Mo Ghile Mar', Van Morrison's 'Shenandoah', and the powerful anthem 'Long Journey Home', featuring Elvis Costello.

Why four stars, then? I would have liked to have seen more traditional fare on a compilation album. While there are some fantastic jigs on here, including 'Live from Matt Molloy's Pub' and 'Morning Dew/Women of Ireland', overall the album is lacking in the types of songs that have made the Chieftains famous. And, while the collaborative efforts are commendable, they represent a mere drop in the ocean of what the Chieftains have accomplished. It's a good album, but by no means contains the full spectrum of what this innovative band has recorded.

After listening to this CD, I was simply blown away by the quality and range of music. This is my first Chieftains CD (just heard about them) and am simply amazed by the quailty of the songs and the performances. The CD is a keeper.

For me, this is a great CD! I have listened to it several times and only skip one or two songs. Considering that there are very few discs that I listen to start to finish, this is a hit in my book. Should every Chieftains fan rush out and buy it? NO! If you didn't like "Long Black Veil", you won't like this. For anyone who just loved LBV, this will be another hit. For newcomers, I (personally) think that this is a good way to learn about the Chieftains. By reading the cover notes you can decide which discs appeal to you and which you'd rather skip and get a little bit of each in the process.

I found the collaboration with the Rolling Stones on "The Rocky Road to Dublin" to be brilliant! "Cotton-Eyed Joe" with Ricky Skaggs was just a ton of fun. The very first track on the disc, "March of the King of Laois", made me want to pack my bags and head to Dublin! And "Mo Ghile Mear" with Sting has always been a favorite.

For those who would just as soon the Chieftains stick with their roots, this is not the disc for you...you will probably be put off by Ziggy Marley as well as the Linda Ronstadt/Los Lobos collaborations. There will however, be a few tracks that will appeal.

I love the variety - the styles, performers and venues...

Really liked all the different artists singing with the Chieftains. Wide range of music. Really enjoyed it.

We are huge Chieftans fans and fans of Irish music in general. This CD has been playing non-stop since we got it on Christmas day.