Harps have been a part of Celtic music for over 1,000 years. Ireland has been famous for its harpists (one of the best known was Turlough O'Carolan), as has Scotland. Two Scottish harp players/vocalists who have been doing their part to keep Scottish/Celtic harp playing vital and fresh are Mary... [+] Expand

Harps have been a part of Celtic music for over 1,000 years. Ireland has been famous for its harpists (one of the best known was Turlough O'Carolan), as has Scotland. Two Scottish harp players/vocalists who have been doing their part to keep Scottish/Celtic harp playing vital and fresh are Mary Macmaster and Patsy Seadon, who comprise the duo, Sileas. Play on Light isn't a CD for Celtic purists; Sileas combines Celtic harp playing with elements of modern folk, pop and rock, and the duo's risk taking pays off. Macmaster and Seadon are obviously well-versed in Scottish/Celtic traditions -- they know their way around traditional Gaelic language songs like "Buain a'Choirce," "Pi Li li Liu," "Domhnall Dubh" and "Laill Leathag." But what they do with such songs isn't entirely traditional; for Sileas, learning from tradition doesn't mean you have to be enslaved by it. One of the high points of Play on Light is Sileas' take on Bill Withers' 1971 soul classic, "Ain't No Sunshine," which works quite well in a Scottish/Celtic setting. Play on Light is a forward-thinking CD that has a lot going for it. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide [-] Collapse

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