Celtic Solstice

Paul Winter is a global eclectic who picks from the world's traditions, maintains their integrity, and at the same time retains his own distinctive voice. Few musicians could, in the span of two years, venture from the solo saxophone improvisations of Canyon Lullaby to the bossa nova of Brazilian Days and now Celtic music with Celtic Solstice and not sound like a dilettante. Winter sounds as committed as ever. He has been infatuated with Celtic music for years, and since 1996, some of the greats of Celtic music have participated in his annual Winter Solstice Celebration at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. Most of those musicians appear on Celtic Solstice, and many of the tracks were recorded in the cathedral. From the opening notes of Winter's soprano echoing in that reverberant space on "Triumph," it's clear this isn't your typical contemporary Celtic album. Winter is joined by organist Paul Halley and Irish uilleann piper Davy Spillane, and it's an impassioned, intuitive improvisation that swirls in echoing harmonies that lift to the cathedral's ceiling. And that's just the first track. Winter has put together a series of solos, trios, and larger ensemble pieces that work a similar magic. He's joined by singer Karen Casey from the group Solas on the serene "Golden Apples of the Moon." Tin whistle player and flutist Joanie Madden from Cherish the Ladies offers one of her loveliest compositions, "Running Through the Woods with Keetu," named for Winter's toddler daughter. But Celtic Solstice isn't all serene evocations of the Celtic spirit. Riverdance fiddler Eileen Ivers, harpist Carol Thompson, and uilleann piper Jerry O'Sullivan join a full ensemble of Irish, African, and South American percussion on "My Fair and Faithful Love/Blarney Pilgrim," which slow-builds to a full Irish stomp. Paul Winter has tapped into the communal nature of Irish music. It's the same spirit he takes from his jazz background. When he joins the pipes and whistles in dizzying improvisations or contemplative ruminations, there's a sense of shared exploration that takes you with him. --John Diliberto