A Touch Of Tranquility

Combining a live concert performance from Phil Coulter and his Orchestra recorded at the Grand Opera House in Belfast and luscious footage of the beautiful Irish countryside, A Touch of Tranquility is...well...a touch too tranquil for me, but fans of Mantovani and 101 Strings will feel right at home with these straightforward (not musically adventurous) versions of classic Irish songs. The dozen-plus songs include "Danny Boy," "My Lagan Love," "Raglan Road," "Spinning Wheel," and "Carrickfergus." Video footage includes the coast of Clare, the hills of Donegal, the banks of the Liffey, the glens of Antrim, the lakes of Killarney, and the streets of Derry. Guest artist Ralph McTell performs his "From Clare to Here," and Maura O'Connell sings a lovely version of "The Water is Wide." Coulter, who mostly performs at the piano, sings his song "The Town I Loved So Well," a remembrance of his childhood in Derry, and a song for which Coulter himself wishes to be remembered. Excellent video and audio qualities are evident throughout, and while I wasn't able to muster much enthusiasm for the program, many will find this pleasant. Recommended. (Available from: Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop, P.O. Box 802, Sparta, NJ 07871.)