Mention Celtic music and many people will think of the songs sung on Saint Patrick's day while downing a pint or two. But for Canada's own Loreena McKenitt those songs are nowhere to be found. While eclectic – everything from traditional to new age - the music of Loreena McKennittis always about the Celts. On her album "Nights from the Alhambra" McKennitt calls her infatuation with the Celts a journey of discovery. And her music is a tour of that discovery.
"Nights from the Alhambra" is a two CD and one DVD set from a live performance held at the ancient castle. The music on the CDs are the same as that in the DVD. But with the DVD our shots of the castle grounds. The real jewel of the DVD is a commentary by Loreena herself interspersed throughout the disc.
Most of the 18 tunes included on the set are original works by McKennitt but there are also a couple of traditional tunes that will be familiar to many people even those who do not follow Celtic music. The first is a song that has been recorded many times by numerous artists including Art Garfunkel - "She Moved the Fair". The second will be very familiar to fans of the Highlander series. "Bonny Portmore" was used in the episode where immortal Duncan Macleod returned to his homeland of Glenfinnen.
Also missing on the CDs but occurs on the DVD are monologues by McKennitt discussing the thoughts behind or the origins of some of the songs.
The concert does not include a number of fancy costume changes or wild dance numbers. It is simply Loreena McKennitt singing as she plays a harp, a piano, or an accordion as her band of traditional instruments - along with a few new ones - accompany her.
Among the instruments played by band members are a Hurdy Gurdy, uillean pipes, karoun, and many drums and percussion. But the big surprise is how well the electric guitar and the pipes sound together.
The Alhambra (Arabic for the red) was begun by Charles V in 1527. Charles V is the grandson of famed King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. He chose Granada, Spain as the site for his castle that took 1000 years to complete. It was nearly destroyed by Napoleon.
Loreena McKennitt was born in the Canadian Province of Manitoba. In 1981 she moved to Stratford, Ontario where she still resides. She owns her own record label Quinlan records. Over the past 20 years Loreena has sold over 14 million records. Her music has been heard on television and the soundtrack for the movie Highlander III.
