Storyteller: Gwilan's Harp & Other Celtic Tales

Storyteller includes five classic Irish tales and a telling of the haunting, bittersweet Gwilan's Harp, a contemporary fairy tale by celebrated author Ursula K. LeGuin. In each case, Ball's storytelling has a gentle, musical quality. With subtle accompaniment from the harp and other traditional Irish instruments, Storyteller easily transports the listener to an earlier, simpler time.

Ball uses such well-known Irish airs as Bonny Portmore, Carolan's Farewell, and Donal Og as the settings in which to spin his yarns. He is joined by talented piper and flutist Timothy Britton and renowned fiddler Martin Hayes. But the real star of this release is the storytelling itself. Whether it is the charm and wit of The Matchmaker or the melancholy of The Soul Agony, Ball's tales evoke images of the warm hearth and the family gathered around the fire.

Storyteller comes at a time when interest in Celtic music is high. Children's tales are again being found on recordings and on the radio. Patrick Ball's combination of Celtic tales and Celtic music will strike a chord with many listeners, and bring a little bit of Ireland to the whole family.