Playing Favorites

Turning on a FiddleSticks CD thrusts listeners into the middle of a jig. They might recall scenes from Far and Away or Titanic aboard the lower decks of ships where the Irish proved their reputation for celebrating. The energy is in their music; it explodes from the fiddle, recorders, cello, and bodhran (Celtic drum), and anyone can feel the Davis family's ability to capture the wide-eyed hope of earlier times. They plunge listeners into a rich heritage drawn from Ireland, Scotland, England, and the United States. Playing Favorites boasts a lush sound on movers like "Cranking Out/Mutts Favorite/Lively Steps" and on more elegant tunes like "Shule Aroon." It's a virtual party that will make listeners want to roll up their sleeves and join in the reverie.