Celtic Connections review: Transatlantic Sessions, Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall

Celtic Connections’ institution Transatlantic Sessions – so good they do it twice – kicked off on the last Friday night of the festival with the failsafe formula of old friends and new faces. Master of ceremonies Jerry Douglas was sure this year would top any previous editions, Phil Cunningham wrote a fresh slow air for the occasion, guitarist John Doyle stepped forward to bring a firebrand edge – nothing too strident though. This is a comfort zone after all.

However, in the new faces category, they offered two trump cards – Belfast singer-songwriter Joshua Burnside, who has a natural ability to carve disarming melodies and thoughtful lyrics out of the air, and the undeniable star power of Carlene Carter who, despite her legendary country lineage, seemed genuinely humbled and excited to be invited to this good-spirited party.

Banjo and fiddle duo Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves brought their authentic mountain music pincer movement back for a second year, now subsumed into the sedentary frontline alongside curator Aly Bain, fiddler John McCusker and piper Michael McGoldrick, making the purest of transatlantic folk connections. Double bassist Daniel Kimbro stepped forward to lead on his tribute to Michael Collins, delivered in characterful Loudon Wainwright style.

From over there, Nashville singer/songwriter Lindsay Lou brought the fragrant country vibes with an infusion of Sixties folk; from over here, award-winning Gaelic singer Kim Carnie offered some hard sentiments in a sweet coating.

The sets of tunes ranged widely from a Cape Breton-by-way-of-Skye slow waltz to some dusky blues with fine dobro licks from Douglas but the biggest treats were dispensed by the sparky Carter who mined her heritage for a traditional harmony take on The Carter Family’s Wildwood Flower and led a massed singalong to her mother June’s amour fou classic, Ring of Fire.