Review by Margaret Davis of Avalon Rising/Broceliande fame:
Old Loves is a treat to the ear and an inviting blend of Celtic, World Music, and jazz styles. The stellar Celtic harpistry of harpists Kyle Wohlmut and Jennifer van der Harten is amply highlighted, but Old Loves also features the intriguing sounds of Mongolian fiddle as played by Solongo Damdin, plus accordion (Paul Espinoza, of Golden Bough), bass (Jarmila Bogusova), percussion (Pete Gascoyne), vocals (Ines Caffier), and viola (Jennifer Arnold).
From the sparkling wire-strung harp intro to the closing arrangement of O'Carolan's "Bridget Cruise", Old Loves clearly demonstrates the originality, versatility, and virtuosity of these two young harpists. Stand-out tracks include the first, fourth, and fifth cuts. The bonus track, the Breton "An Dro" features a beautiful, jewel-like duet between wire-strung and nylon-strung harps, played with exacting rhythm and intonation. The fifth track, an unusual set of Mongolian folk tunes entitled "Gobi Dick Set", introduces the exotic sounds of the Mongolian fiddle, expertly played and contrasting very successfully with the wire-strung harp. In the first tune of the set, the delicate chimes of the harp's high register form a counterpoint to the rich, expressive Mongolian fiddle. The second tune of the set showcases the lower register of the harp, playing the melody against a rhythmic counterpoint in the higher register, for a lovely, rather mournful mood. The intriguing "Prince of Darkness", one of my favorites, showcases the electric harp in an evocative, melancholy melody with elements of modern jazz. There are some beautiful song sections reminiscent of the work of Andreas Vollenweider, expertly played on the electric harp and featuring some unusual harp techniques to create bent notes and slides. Interesting voice-over bits add to the mystery.
The other tracks on this CD include a Mexican waltz, a Catalan song, original new treatments of My Lagan Love and Bridget Cruise, and three of Kyle Wohlmut's enticing originals. Highly recommended.