Beth Patterson is an independent artist who mainly preforms in her home town of New Orleans. She puts on a great show, has a lovely voice and is very musically talented. Beth's music consists of some self-written Irish Bayou Music, and some songs that seem to be Cajun in origin or Traditional Irish in origin. Some of the tracks are instrumental only, featuring Beth playing a bouzouki, which according to my Webster's dictionary is a long-necked instrument of Greek origin that resembles a mandolin, and some feature Beth's beautiful voice. All the instrumentation is nicely played. This CD contains 13 tracks and runs about 47 minutes.

Tracks:

1. A Crack in the Doorway/Hell to Pay/Dip in the Road--Beth Patterson, Irish Bayou Music (5:44). This is a great instrumental piece featuring a fiddle played by Clare Fitzpatrick, and Beth on the bouzouki. It has a great moving melody line that will hook you from the time you push play and take you where it wanders. It has a full sound that I really enjoy. Great way to start the album.

2. Je M'enders (The French Blues)--Traditional (2:48). This is my least favorite track, probably because it is in French. Features Beth on the bousouki and as the vocals. It has a ballad type of sound.

3. Mambolkas: Tumbling in the Quays/The Winking Lion--Beth Patterson, Irish Bayou Music (4:57). This is a very playful tune that features the flute, bouzouki, and some guitar. I can just see a dancing lion in my mind's eye when this track plays.

4. Heather on the Moor--Traditional (3:26). My second favorite track. Beautiful song about spending a day on the moor among the blooming heather and a chance meeting of two people. Features the bouzouki and great vocals.

5. Jigs: Mary Pattern's/All in the Family/The Rathfarnham Lilters--Beth Patterson, Irish Bayou Music (5:01). This is a very upbeat piece featuring the bouzouki, flute, fiddle, tin whistle and low whistle.

6. The Lass of Aughrim--Traditional (1:22). Short but beautiful harmonized vocal piece.

7. Waltzes: Hauling Coffee/The Road to Guapiles--Beth Patterson, Irish Bayou Music (4:38). Very lovely instrumental piece featuring the bouzouki, mandolin, bass guitar, and caixixi. I love the string's sound in this one.

8. Ye Jacobites by Name--Traditional (2:43). Piece has a march feel with great percussion featuring the bodhran, snare, and Scottish marching snare.

9. An Dro/Catch my Hat--Traditional (3:24). Very nice piece. I always want to move in time with this piece. Its kind of catchy. Features the bouszouki, asjiko, zills, rhumba box and a whip.

10. Steer by the Stars--Beth Patterson (5:07). This is my very favorite track. Its a very lovely but sad song. The lyrics are great. The chorus goes "How can a blind man steer by the stars, How can a poor man find power, How can a dead man rise from his grave, How can I find hope in this hour. Features bouzouki and uilleann pipes. It tugs at every heart string that you have. It brought me to tears the first time I really listened to it (hit a little too close to home). It touched me that much.

11. Rags: Flying on the Edge/Travis Reel--Beth Patterson, Irish Bayou Music (4:04). Laid back and feel good piece. Good to pick you up after the tenth track. Features fingerstyle bouzouki, bass guitar, ashiko, guitar, and drums.

12. Mardi Gras--Traditional (2:38). This piece is great. Has a very interesting sound. Features the bombo, caixixi, uilleann pipes, and didjeridoo. Believe the lyrics to this one are also in French.

13. O'Carolan's Farewell to Music--Traditional (1:41). This is an arrangement for solo on the bouzouki and is played on the fingerstyle bouzouki. Doesn't have as full a sound as the other tracks which featured either multiple instruments or added vocals, but still a nice tune and a good way to close the album.

This is a CD you will not be sorry you tried. To properly appreciated this album, you will just have to hear it for yourself to discover its depth and beauty. I do not listen to a great amount of instrumental music. I usually prefer music with vocals. It takes an exceptional piece of instrumental music to hold my attention, and the ones on this album do just that. I would have never discovered this album on my own. A friend of mine gave me the album introducing me to this great artist. Let me pass that favor on to you. Don't pass this one by. You won't regret it.

Recommended: Yes

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