I hadn't heard Liz Carroll's playing before, but I had heard of her and was very curious to hear and discover her style of playing.

She seems with this CD to be sharing with us many places and people who give her life musical inspiration -- including the lakeside city of Chicago, family events and many cultural and historical aspects of her family and environment. She has composed almost all the tunes along those lines and the liner notes give particular insight into each one.

Liz's playing and compositions never waver far from her distinctive Celtic fiddle sound. She may add a flavourful note or two, but that's just like adding a dash of salt or pepper to enhance a good meal (and maybe a splash of this and that ... just to try it).

She's got it all on here, at least enough of what I was looking for: reels, jigs and airs. Her airs are not the type to make you want to pull out your hair and scream "Get on with it!" For instance, "A Day and an Age" is absolutely captivating with its old sound and majestic bowing.

You couldn't ask for any better than the energy and fun in the set of three reels called "Potato on the Door," "Mary and the Tea Bag" and "Perpetual Check." "The Jump Ball" was another reel that I took an immediate fancy to.

Liz played "Catherine Kelly's" with a fairly unique arrangement and that was followed by her title track "Lake Effect," which almost spun out of control until she reined it in. It remains in my mind a great example of where the music can take you if it isn't pampered too much.

The CD contains music that is disciplined and creative and reaches out an exploring finger or two. It is a lot of fun to listen to and yet there are some serious moments as well.

John Doyle adds solid accompaniment with guitar and a few tracks have interesting pieces with viola and cello in the arrangement. I encourage you go out and grab this one -- before summer comes! -- because it is the best thing you could throw in your bag for a party on the beach (if you don't play this well yourself). Expect the party to last all evening because no one will want to go home if you have this CD dancing on the airwaves.

- Rambles
written by Virginia MacIsaac
published 22 February 2003