Turlough Carolan kicked open the door and let the light come blazing in. Perhaps that is as it should be. It is the way of creative people who are tuned to things outside our understanding to show us the way. Carolan unfettered traditional music from the confines of the tradition and set it free from the Pharisees and purists to become its own creature; to embrace and make a marriage with whatever was worthy, inspiring, and elevated man and music to be once more with the gods! I like to think that if Carolan himself were sitting listening to these new works and challenging arrangements of his own melodies, he would raise a glass in fond appreciation. Luke Daniels has chosen in this recording to explore musical bridges in and around one of the greatest sonic bridge builders in Irish music history – the 17th and 18th century harper Carolan. In so doing he has taken turnings off the main roads of the tradition down forgotten paths, and presents these for us through a fertile musical imagination. A voice is being worked out and worked through in this recording. Who knows what seeds will be borne on the wind of his creativity. Michael O'Suillebhain