Journey, The Best Of Donal Lunny

Journey is not merely a trawl through the ubiquitous Donal Lunny's back pages but a compulsory purchase potted summary of three decades of Irish trad and the company it's been keeping. It's a timely reminder that this remarkable musical genius was a pivotal member of three of modern Irish trad's most important outfits, Planxty, Bothy Band and Moving Hearts, and has also worked alongside such local heroes as The Edge, Christy Moore, Sharon Shannon, the Ni Dhomhnalls, Frank Harte, Paul Moran and Liam O Maonlai. Not to mention his contributions to the tv series Bringing It All Back Home, River Of Sound and Sult (all of whom and which are featured).

The set also includes Lunny's 'Millennium Suite', available here for the first time. The suite kicks off with the lively 'Gleasaigi' and over six sections showcases a bewildering array of musicians from home and abroad, such as Carlos Nunez, the fine Welsh harpist Llio Rhydderch and Scotland's Aly Bain among others in what turns out to be a beguiling stew of Celtic musics that points the way towards the future.

But perhaps the most arresting tracks are the eerie 'Cathain', composed by Ronan O'Snodaigh from Kila and sung by O Maonlai over a background of intense percussion, and 'April The 3rd' which blends music from centuries back with rhythmic inflections from the electronic age to sublime effect. Elsewhere, Christy sings the quasi-political 'The Time Has Come' with all the power you would expect.

Meanwhile, Lunny's latest incarnation Coolfin are best represented by the electrifying 'Glentown' kicked along by some fiery drumming from Ray Fean, and 'The Blacksmith' with vocalist Eddie Reader.

That we were spared the contrived tv commercial version of 'Dulaman' is another plus among many. As to the album's title, surely they omitted the "volume 1" bit?