It's close to 20 years since I heard something new from Nerea Gourlaouen Alonso or, as she prefers to be known these days, Nerea the Fiddler. I first encountered her in Cape Breton in 2003, when she joined local stepdancing legend Burton McIntyre and performed during the finale of the Whycocomagh Gathering. Then, some five years later, she sent me her debut CD Footprints, which she had released at the tender age of 16, for review.

So, when I heard she had a new album coming out, I had to hear what she's been doing for the past 18 years.

Apparently, she's done a lot of wandering. Her website notes that she has performed on four continents, which is an impressive sum. Of course, she was apparently born to wander; as her website explains: "Although she was raised in Canada, Nerea was born ... in Los Angeles, California, to a Spanish mother and French father leaving her no other choice than to become a nomad."

She was kind enough to send me a copy of Off the Beaten Path over the holidays.

After so long a break between recordings, Nerea starts things with "The Return," a strong medley featuring "Michael Rankin's Reel" and perennial favorites "High Road to Linton" and "Gravel Walks." It gets things off to a great start. She starts playing around with her arrangements a little more in the second track, "Evolution," which combines "Mrs. Ferguson of Raith," "Paresis" and "Catharsis." Then she spotlights her deft footwork in "Let's Dance," comprising "2 Mile Bridge," "McGuire's 25th" and "Beauties of the Ballroom."

The rest of the album is more of the same, which is to say it's a collection of fun, lively fiddle tracks that will touch the spirit of anyone who loves the instrument.

Besides playing fiddle on all 10 tracks, Nerea adds footwork to three of them. Joining her on one or more tracks are Tony Branch and Valentine Iacob (guitar), Ryan MacNeil (keyboard), Jose Ramon Nunez (keyboard and synthesizer), Yudel Vergara Machado (drum kit) and Pino Pro Music (bass). None of the tracks are overproduced or dense with instrumentation; the fiddle is nearly always at the forefront, and most of the arrangements are sparse enough to make sure it can be heard clearly. That's not to say the other musicians don't get opportunities to shine; Iacob, for instance, has a lovely guitar line in "Crested Hens (Les Poules Huppees)" by French hurdy-gurdy musician Gilles Chabenat.

Various Celtic styles dominate the music, with occasional dips into French traditions. Near the end of the album, Nerea plays one of a handful of her own compositions that appear on the album: the dramatic "In Memory of the Sea," which is starkly different from the other tunes, but fits neatly into the eclectic blend. The final, climactic track features her own driving "A Moment of Absence," followed by traditional "Jock Wilson's Ball" and "Sleepy Maggie."

It's been a pleasure getting reacquainted with Nerea through this album, which again shows her to be an immensely talented fiddler who expresses joy through her music. Off the Beaten Path is a good time, and I recommend giving it a listen.

[ visit Nerea online ]