The Scottish music scene is turning out to be at least as playful, restless, and varied as the Irish equivalent. is a case in point, a renowned acoustic guitar virtuoso who is deeply engrossed in his native folkways, but also strongly attracted to music from the other Celtic nations and further afield. This time out, the set list is especially eclectic, ranging from tunes from Ireland, Scotland, and Brittany to a tri-partite Quebecois suite to ' , and concluding with a 17th century Jewish shabbat piyut (a hymn). is seldom literal in his interpretations; for example, he will apply a jazzy flourish to a Scottish dance while a piece from the canon gets transformed into a poignant . As usual, his command of acoustic guitar technique is flawless, with a chesty, rounded, gorgeous tone and a knack for well-marked rhythms and singing phrases. While he can spin out a lyrical sean nos (an old-style Irish song) melody until the cows come home, he never sounds rushed when essaying a lightning-fast jig or reel. His mandolin mastery is equally effective and adds welcome textural variations. He is accompanied by from the supergroup on bass, and , a denizen of the wild and woolly Scottish band, , plays Indian tabla drums on two tracks. Note to aspiring pickers: has released a pair of popular instructional videos as part of the series. ~ Christina Roden