Instrumental

No one plays the Northumbrian pipes like Kathryn Tickell, and she proves it sublimely on her first band album in a few years. As the title implies, it's all instrumental, featuring her band — fiddle and melodeon/piano, with significant contributions from clarinet, bass, percussion and, perhaps surprisingly, charango. Out of that she makes a very regional album that also offers several flights of fancy, as on "Trip to Wales," which ends up tipping its hat toward Celtic Spain. Although the compositions are mostly originals, many by Tickell herself, there's a very traditional feel to the tunes, even when they spark away from there, which happens regularly, as with "Tiger's First Bird," which turns into a wild romp. There are many gorgeous moments, and plenty of surprises that delight the ear. Though it can be introspective, there's a great joy among the players, along with plenty of fabulous communication. With this, Tickell has delivered another winner.