John Whelan
“Celtic Crossroads,” Narada Lotus
Whelan, a winner of several Irish and English button accordion championships, was a featured musician in the spectacular Irish music and dance show “Riverdance,” as well as two previous, well-received Narada albums, “Celtic Odyssey” and “Celtic Legacy.” His soulful playing revives and instrument unnecessarily reviled for too long. But the centerpiece of the album is a gorgeous rendering of “There Were Roses,” Tommy Sands’ tragic plea for peace in Northern Irelans, by country music star Kathy Mattea.