Seven-time all-Ireland accordion champion John Whelan comfortably explores 15 jigs and reels on his 2002 album Celtic Roots. Recorded with small ensembles including guitar, bass, fiddle, uilleann pipes, and of course accordion, Celtic Roots steers clear of any syrupy melodrama that has become standard on many of Narada’s Celtic collections, sticking instead to an hour of hard and fast traditional Irish (and Irish-American) dance tunes, all well-arranged, all expertly performed. – Zac Johnson