Nightnoise-The Parting Tide (1990)

When discussing traditional Celtic music, one cannot overlook Nightnoise, an innovative Oregon-based group comprised of Irish, Scottish, and American musicians, considered the spearhead of the Irish folk revival in the 1980s. However, Nightnoise's style wasn't solely rooted in Celtic folk; it also incorporated elements of jazz and chamber music. Their origins trace back to the early 1980s when American violinist Billy Oskay, bassist Tommy Thompson, and Irish guitarist Michael Ó Domhnaill released their self-titled debut album, "Nightnoise," on the prestigious Windham Hill label. This first release showcased a style that fused the relaxed atmosphere of classical music with jazz, all within a distinctly Irish framework. Some time later, the band expanded with the addition of Irish vocalist Triona Ní Dhomhnaill and American flautist Brian Dunning, thus completing the group's most stable and renowned lineup. In the following years came other works that are considered fundamental to new age music, such as "Something Of Time" (1987), "At The End Of The Evening" (1988), "The Parting Tide" (1990), "Shadow Of Time" (1993), and "A Different Shore" (1995). All of these were very well received in new music circles and garnered favorable reviews from the specialized press. In each and every one of them, Nightnoise managed to perfectly blend traditional Celtic music, ambient music, and jazz.