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Canadian Celtic/new age/worldbeat architect Loreena McKennitt may be an odd choice for the legendary jazz label that released benchmark albums from Charlie Parker and Miles Davis, but Verve may have been moved by the undeniably talented harpist/composer/vocalist's large collection of globe-spanning gold, platinum, and multi-platinum sales awards. McKennitt's records (this is her first set of new material since 1997's Book of Secrets) tend to play like independent soundtracks to National Geographic documentaries -- kind of like a more ornate, expensive version of Dead Can Dance. An Ancient Muse may break little new ground for McKennitt, but it won't disappoint longtime fans. Her fascination with Celtic, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern instrumentation (hurdy-gurdy, nyckelharpa, kanoun, uilleann pipes, bouzouki, lyra, and oud) and her preoccupation with mythology and poetry have won her great favor with the new age/adult alternative crowd, and rightly so, as Irish-tinged ballads such as "Never-Ending Road (Amhrán Duit)" and "Penelope's Song" are just Enya songs with more instruments than vocal tracks. Her penchant for quality instrumentals, in this case "Kecharitomene" and "Sacred Shabbat," sets her apart from the more stereotypical new age artists like David Arkenstone and John Tesh, and her extensive, diary-like liner notes invoke ancient archeological sites and obscure Rumi poetry without coming off as too self-absorbed. This CD was nominated for a Grammy award in 2007 for Best Contemporary World Music Album.
© James Christopher Monger /TiVo
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Stuart Bruce, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, Voices, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Loreena McKennitt, Composer, Producer, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Findlay, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Welsman, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Marco Migliari, Programmer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wendy Rose, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Rick Lazar, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Steafan Hannigan, Clarinet, Voices, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Hughes, Producer, Electric Guitar, Assistant Producer, Voices, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Annalee Patipatanakoon, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Roman Borys, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Bridget Hunt, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Daniel Blackman, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Donald Quan, Producer, Associate Producer, Viola, Voices, AssociatedPerformer - Gabe Moffatt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Carina Reeves, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Carol Lynn Fujino, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Redfield, Viola, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Quinlan Road Music Ltd.
Stuart Bruce, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Loreena McKennitt, Producer, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tim Landers, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tal Bergman, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Haig Yazdjian, Oud, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Findlay, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marco Migliari, Programmer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andreas Papas, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Panos Dimitrakopoulos, Lyra Viol, AssociatedPerformer - Caroline Lavelle, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Hughes, Producer, Bouzouki, Electric Guitar, Assistant Producer, Oud, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Socratis Sinopoulos, Lyra Viol, AssociatedPerformer - Giorgos Kontogiannis, Bouzouki, AssociatedPerformer - Petros Kourtis, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Donald Quan, Producer, Associate Producer, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Gabe Moffatt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Evangelos Karipis, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Hossam Ramzay, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Quinlan Road Music Ltd.
Stuart Bruce, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Loreena McKennitt, Producer, Accordion, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Nigel Eaton, Hurdy Gurdy , AssociatedPerformer - Tim Landers, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tal Bergman, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Haig Yazdjian, Oud, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Findlay, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marco Migliari, Programmer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andreas Papas, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Panos Dimitrakopoulos, Lyra Viol, AssociatedPerformer - Caroline Lavelle, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Hughes, Producer, Bouzouki, Electric Guitar, Assistant Producer, Oud, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer - HUGH MARSH, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Socratis Sinopoulos, Lyra Viol, AssociatedPerformer - Giorgos Kontogiannis, Bouzouki, AssociatedPerformer - Petros Kourtis, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Donald Quan, Producer, Associate Producer, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Gabe Moffatt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Evangelos Karipis, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Quinlan Road Music Ltd.
Stuart Bruce, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Loreena McKennitt, Composer, Producer, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - William Hunt, Viola da Gamba, AssociatedPerformer - Richard Boothby, Viola da Gamba, AssociatedPerformer - Richard Campbell, Viola da Gamba, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Findlay, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marco Migliari, Programmer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sir Walter Scott, Author - Ensemble Plus Ultra, Choir - Brian Gascoigne, String Arranger, Vocal Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Hughes, Producer, Assistant Producer - Choristers Of Westminster Abby, Choir - Susanna Pell, Viola da Gamba, AssociatedPerformer - Donald Quan, Producer, Associate Producer, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Gabe Moffatt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Asako Morikawa, Viola da Gamba, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Quinlan Road Music Ltd.
Stuart Bruce, Percussion, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Loreena McKennitt, Composer, Producer, Keyboards, Percussion, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Nigel Eaton, Hurdy Gurdy , AssociatedPerformer - Manu Katche, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Ed Hanley, Drum, Tabla, AssociatedPerformer - Charlie Jones, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tal Bergman, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Haig Yazdjian, Oud, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Findlay, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marco Migliari, Programmer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Panos Dimitrakopoulos, Lyra Viol, AssociatedPerformer - Caroline Lavelle, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Rick Lazar, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Steafan Hannigan, Clarinet, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Hughes, Producer, Bouzouki, Electric Guitar, Assistant Producer, Oud, Nylon-String Guitar, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer - HUGH MARSH, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Grossman, Hurdy Gurdy , AssociatedPerformer - Donald Quan, Producer, Associate Producer, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Gabe Moffatt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2006 Quinlan Road Music Ltd.
Stuart Bruce, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Loreena McKennitt, Producer, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Charlie Jones, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Haig Yazdjian, Oud, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Findlay, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marco Migliari, Programmer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Caroline Lavelle, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Hughes, Producer, Assistant Producer - HUGH MARSH, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Annbjørg Lien, Unknown, Other - Donald Quan, Producer, Associate Producer, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Gabe Moffatt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2006 Quinlan Road Music Ltd.
Stuart Bruce, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Traditional, Composer - Loreena McKennitt, Producer, Arranger, Keyboards, Work Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Haig Yazdjian, Oud, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Findlay, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marco Migliari, Programmer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Panos Dimitrakopoulos, Lyra Viol, AssociatedPerformer - Caroline Lavelle, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Hughes, Producer, Assistant Producer - Socratis Sinopoulos, Lyra Viol, AssociatedPerformer - Donald Quan, Producer, Associate Producer, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Gabe Moffatt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2006 Quinlan Road Music Ltd.
Stuart Bruce, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, Voices, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Loreena McKennitt, Producer, Keyboards, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tim Landers, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Charlie Jones, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tal Bergman, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Findlay, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Welsman, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Clive Deamer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Marco Migliari, Programmer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Wendy Rose, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Caroline Lavelle, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Rick Lazar, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Steafan Hannigan, Clarinet, Pipes & Whistles, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Hughes, Producer, Bouzouki, Electric Guitar, Assistant Producer, Voices, Nylon-String Guitar, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Annalee Patipatanakoon, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Roman Borys, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Hann, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Socratis Sinopoulos, Lyra Viol, AssociatedPerformer - Bridget Hunt, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Daniel Blackman, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Donald Quan, Producer, Associate Producer, Viola, Voices, AssociatedPerformer - Gabe Moffatt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Carina Reeves, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Carol Lynn Fujino, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Redfield, Viola, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Quinlan Road Music Ltd.
Stuart Bruce, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Loreena McKennitt, Producer, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Ben Findlay, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marco Migliari, Programmer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andy Pask, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Panos Dimitrakopoulos, Lyra Viol, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Gascoigne, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Caroline Lavelle, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Steafan Hannigan, Pipes & Whistles, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Hughes, Producer, Electric Guitar, Assistant Producer, Nylon-String Guitar, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Louise Hogan, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - George Crawford, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Donald Quan, Producer, Associate Producer, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Gabe Moffatt, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Natasha Kraemer, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Malgorzata Ziemkiewicz, Viola, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2006 Quinlan Road Music Ltd.
Album review
Canadian Celtic/new age/worldbeat architect Loreena McKennitt may be an odd choice for the legendary jazz label that released benchmark albums from Charlie Parker and Miles Davis, but Verve may have been moved by the undeniably talented harpist/composer/vocalist's large collection of globe-spanning gold, platinum, and multi-platinum sales awards. McKennitt's records (this is her first set of new material since 1997's Book of Secrets) tend to play like independent soundtracks to National Geographic documentaries -- kind of like a more ornate, expensive version of Dead Can Dance. An Ancient Muse may break little new ground for McKennitt, but it won't disappoint longtime fans. Her fascination with Celtic, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern instrumentation (hurdy-gurdy, nyckelharpa, kanoun, uilleann pipes, bouzouki, lyra, and oud) and her preoccupation with mythology and poetry have won her great favor with the new age/adult alternative crowd, and rightly so, as Irish-tinged ballads such as "Never-Ending Road (Amhrán Duit)" and "Penelope's Song" are just Enya songs with more instruments than vocal tracks. Her penchant for quality instrumentals, in this case "Kecharitomene" and "Sacred Shabbat," sets her apart from the more stereotypical new age artists like David Arkenstone and John Tesh, and her extensive, diary-like liner notes invoke ancient archeological sites and obscure Rumi poetry without coming off as too self-absorbed. This CD was nominated for a Grammy award in 2007 for Best Contemporary World Music Album.
© James Christopher Monger /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 9 track(s)
- Total length: 00:54:21
- Main artists: Loreena McKennitt
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Loreena McKennitt P&D
- Genre: World
© 2014 Quinlan Road Music Ltd. ℗ 2021 Quinlan Road Music Ltd.
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