Sometimes music is just fun, and it’s enough. You don’t always need to have a bright new idea or a unique take on something to produce music that’s just plain… good.
Alba’s Edge was (I presume they’re not active anymore) a North American Celtic/Jazz hybrid whose sole full album, Run To Fly, is one of those “this is really nice” outings. It may not be stunningly original but it works.
Celtic folk and jazz join hands every now and then in several Irish and Scottish artists’ output but this album married the two traditions very tightly together. The lineup consisted of fiddle, piano, bass and drums and most the album’s music is, depending on the tune, either Scottish folk played within a strong jazz frame or jazz played with a big dollop of Highlands fiddlery and influences.
As I said, Alba’s Edge didn’t invent anything particularly original but they made it work beautifully. It’s fun to listen to and makes me feel good and Aidan O’Rourke‘s production retains a nice live gig feel in the music. Perfect stuff for those moments when you just need some nice music to get you going.
