A Celtic Celebration

Like The Siskin Quartet, The Bookends are a quartet formed by the bringing together of two couples. Hailing from Stratford, Ontario, Canada, they collectively play fiddle, banjo, piano, accordion, whistles, flute and guitar. For this, their second album, The Bookends performed as guests of the Stratford Symphony Orchestra for the orchestra's annual Celtic Celebration concert.

The resulting live album of original compositions and traditional Scottish and Irish tunes is outstanding. The orchestral arrangements are lavish, warm and bright, reminding me of the London Festival Orchestra's contribution to The Moody Blues’ Days of Future Passed, and The Bookends’ playing is consummate. They seem remarkably at ease sharing a stage with 50 other musicians. ‘The Allenvale Medley’ melds the traditional players’ performance perfectly with the orchestra's, while ‘Wild Atlantic’ is a joyous pairing of jigs. It's easy, as you lose yourself in the music, to forget that it's a live album until the applause at the end of each track breaks the spell. The musicianship is superb in this delightful and lively celebration of Canada's Celtic connections.