Personal Favorites of 2000/Across The Atlantic

This begins two weeks of my annual exercise in futility in which I highlight a Baker's Dozen and then some of CDs I particularly enjoyed and appreciated during the previous year. Keep in mind that the selections are very subjective but usually made with an eye to listener response during the year, historical context, general excellence and accessibility. It is an exercise in futility because of the huge number of really fine CDs that are produced each year. But at least it provides a direction for those interested in the best. Another folk programmer could come with an entirely different list -- and be entirely correct as well!

Here's a Baker's Dozen Plus One of music from across the Atlantic. Most of the performers are from there although some (such as Solas and Whirligig) are America grown.

Artist, "Title", Album, Label

• Malinky, ' Medley,' Last Leaves, Greentrax

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• Solas, ' Last Of The Great Whales,' 'A Miner's Life, ' The Hour Before Dawn, Shanachie

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• Altan, ' Ten Thousand Miles,' 'Summer Will Come, ' Another Sky, Narada/World

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• Ceolbeg, ' Cairn Water,' 'Eppie Moray, ' Cairn Water, Greentrax

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• John Wright, ' Lord Franklin,' A Few Shortlines, Greentrax

• Pete Morton, ' Maybe Nothing's Spoken,' Hunting The Heart, Harbourtown

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• Niamh Parsons, ' Black Is The Colour,' In My Prime, Green Linnet

• June Tabor, ' The Water Is Wide/St. Agnes/Jeannie And Jamie,' A Quiet Eye, Green Linnet

• Susan McKeown, ' The Lowlands Of Holland,' Lowlands, Green Linnet

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• Billy Ross, ' Gloomy Winter,' Shore Street, Greentrax

• Aileen Carr, ' Banks of Green Yarrow,' Green Yarrow, Greentrax

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• Maighread & Triona Ni Dhomhnaill, ' The Banks Of Claudy,' Between The Two Lights, Green Linnet

• Sangsters, ' Barbara Allen,' Sharp And Sweet, Greentrax

• Whirligig, ' Favorite Sharks,' Spin, 1-800-PRIMECD