The Chieftains - The Wide World Over: A 40 Year Celebration

In The Chieftains' four decades of recording, they've changed labels a handful of times, and each label has seen fit to record at least one or two collections of the band's output under their tenure. At this point they have so many best-ofs and greatest-hits compilations, it's tough for the listener to know the best of what they're actually hearing. New millennium -- new collection: the band's longtime label, RCA Victor, has done the celtic community a favor by releasing a collection that deals more with the band's journey through their different phases as opposed to trying to reassemble a hits package. The end result is almost like listening to a radio station that only plays Chieftains songs. There are some live tracks, their countrified romp through "Cotton-Eyed Joe"; Van Morrison's adult-contemporary "Shenandoah"; an unusual introduction of the bandmembers in Chinese; appearances from Sting, Diana Krall, and Art Garfunkel; and a couple of new recordings. The breezy cover of "Morning Has Broken" fares better than the hybridized "Redemption Song" (in fact, it's a challenge to think of any instances of a successful celtic/reggae alloy). The album will be enjoyed by Chieftains fans as a fun collection of songs they have never heard back-to-back before, and those looking for a greatest-hits collection will have plenty of other places to look. ~ Zac Johnson, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alastair McMillan Engineer, Assistant Engineer Allen Sides Engineer, Mixing Anúna Choir, Chorus Art Garfunkel Performer Belfast Harp Orchestra Performer Bill Somerville-Large Mixing Bob Conlon Assistant Engineer Bob Loftus Mixing Brian Masterson Mixing, Engineer Carlos Nunez Bagpipes Chris Kimsey Engineer, Mixing Ciaran Cahill Assistant Engineer Cincinnati Pops Orchestra Performer Derek Bell Harp, Keyboards, Tiompan Diana Krall Vocals Don Was Bass, Percussion, Producer, Mixing Elvis Costello Vocals Erich Kunzel Conductor Faith Chorale Vocals Fiachra Trench String Arrangements Garfunkel Vocals James OMara Art Direction, Photography Jason Mauza Assistant Engineer Jean Butler Dancer Jeffrey Lesser Mixing, Engineer Joe Jackson Liner Notes Jonathan Ford Assistant Engineer Jonathan Mooney Assistant Engineer Joni Mitchell Guitar, Vocals Kate Ryan Art Direction Kevin Conneff Vocals, Bodhran Kevin Doyle Engineer Kieran Lynch Assistant Engineer Larry Hamby A&R Linda Ronstadt Performer Mark Guilbeault Assistant Engineer Matt Molloy Arranger, Flute Michael Bishop Mixing, Engineer Noel Hazen Assistant Engineer Paddy Moloney Uillean Pipes, Producer, Arranger, Mixing, Tin Whistle, Compilation Producer Patrick Clifford A&R Paul Offenbacher Assistant Engineer Pearse Dunne Mixing Richard McCullough Assistant Engineer Ricky Skaggs Mandolin, Vocals, Guitar Rik Pekkonen Engineer, Mixing Robert Friedrich Assistant Engineer Robert Woods Producer Ry Cooder Guitar (Electric), Mandocello Seán Keane Arranger, Fiddle Sharon Riley Vocals Simon Osborne Engineer Sinéad O'Connor Vocals The Corrs Performer The Rolling Stones Performer Traditional Performer Troy Halderson Assistant Engineer Van Morrison Arranger, Vocals Ziggy Marley Guitar, Percussion, Vocals