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Artist: Beth Patterson
Album: Hybrid Vigor
Eclectic. That’s how you might describe this album by Beth Patterson. She drums up the courage to sing in French on only the second track – which is not entirely inappropriate for a Louisiana native – and manages to pull it off. With that test out of the way, it’s easy to continue down the path of eclecticism she’s walked into.
The album includes tracks that, while retaining the typical Celtic sound, venture boldly into jazz and Cajun territory, and sound all the better for it. Traditional Celtic tunes, such as ‘Heather on the Moor’ and ‘Ye Jacobites By Name’, are also present. Far from being safe choices however, Beth Patterson manages to give them a twist that really makes them swing, just like the rest of the music on Hybrid Vigor.
With all of this talk about eclecticism though, don’t be afraid that the album is inaccessible. Both fans of traditional and fans of more adventurous Celtic music will find something to their liking here. And if you’re not yet a fan, Hybrid Vigor is a good place to start, because it shows how wonderfully varied Celtic music can be.
Jan Jacob Mekes has a passion for history, writing, and writing history (and music, of course). He runs an online cultural magazine, Cultural Zest. You can read more examples of his writings on his portfolio. Jan also writes reviews for Marc Gunn’s Celtic MP3s Music Magazine.
