David Davidson 'Celtic Fantasy' (Green Hill Productions GHDS191 ) This is an amazing album of virtuostic violin music. It's one of the finest acoustic string ensembles I've heard in a long time. To say that this group of players is an egalitarian ensemble is an understatement. They blend beautifully into one precision unit and it is stunning to hear a group of such caliber. The recording itself is highlighted by an extreme spectral clarity and separation of instruments. It is very much as if you were sitting with the ensemble around you. "My album, Celtic Fantasy, is Celtic-inspired music, of course," says violinist David Davidson, "but it's also my personal fantasy of Ireland and Scotland, of my heritage, and of the possibilities for this type of music. I bring my other background, especially my classical training, to everything I play. My family's lineage is Scotch-Irish with the Davidsons originally coming from Tullough County in Scotland. Looking at the success of Secret Garden and "Riverdance", why do so many people around the world love Celtic music? I believe it's genetics. The blood of the Celts has traveled from those islands over the centuries, and now there is a bit of it everywhere. There's a reason you can feel Celticmusic deep down in your subconscious." Although Davidson has played regularly with symphony orchestras and classical ensembles for the past two-and-a-half-decades, he broke into the Nashville session scene in 1983 and began playing on recordings by Alabama, Conway Twitty, Floyd Cramer, George Jones and Eddie Arnold. Over the years he has recorded with virtually every country act who uses strings on their albums -- Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Kathy Mattea, Clint Black, Patty Loveless, Marty Stuart, Faith Hill, Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride, Lorrie Morgan, Allison Moorer, Steve Earle and countless others. Some of Davidson's solo spotlights came on records by Tricia-Yearwood and Dolly Parton. But Davidson's versatility has taken him well beyond the country market. He has played pop music (Neil Diamond, Amy Grant), rock (Matchbox Twenty, Sixpence None The Richer, the Jimmy Page-Robert Plant "No Quarter Tour"), folk (Nanci Griffith, The Indigo Girls) and contemporary Christian (Phil Keaggy, Steven Curtis Chapman, Sandi Patti). David also has arranged strings for Michael W. Smith, Sonic Flood, Out of Eden, and Kim Richey. Joined by a group of incredibly gifted players, this album once again shows Davidson's mastery of both composition and arrangement. The recording is as stunning as the playing. So, what are you waiting for! Buy it! Review by Ben Kettlewell information: website: http://www.greenhillmusic.com email:ghinfo@greenhillmusic.com

BACK TO REVIEW DIRECTORY

This site is copyrighted AMP ®© 1997-2008. Alternate Music Press. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication and distribution of copyrighted material violates Federal Law.