Celtic music is a surefire melodic bromide for those who’ve grown tired of mainstream musical fare. Undulating melodic lines and complicated musical textures define the genre, which at times sounds Middle Eastern because of its serpentine forms and rhythms. Chip Lamson has spent a great deal of time immersing himself in these old stringband traditions and the results can be heard on All Young.

The tunes here are not only arranged by Chip Lamason, but he plays all the instruments, too. The cornucopia of gear would fill a well-stocked vintage shop and includes a 1924 Gibson Lloyd Loar F-5 mando, ’24 and ’27 F-4 mandos, ’24 A-1, ’18 H-4 mandola, ’35 Gibson TG-1 tenor guitar, mid-’30s Bacon and Day Senorita tenor banjo, ’74 Gibson J-50 guitar, ’97 Guild acoustic bass, ’41 and ’47 Martin 00-18s, and assorted percussion instruments.

The recording quality is exemplary. If you want to hear why connoisseurs of tone think so highly of vintage instruments, you merely have to give All Young a listen. The tonal patina of these fine old instruments can be heard, thanks to producer/engineer Tom Espinola and mastering maven David Glasser.

To order, contact Lamason at (703) 527-2923, or chessae@aol.com.