TREASURES: THE VERY BEST

A compilation album bringing together some of the finest moments from the first three Iona releases and spanning their days with Word Records. Personally I find it very difficult to believe that anybody in the country doesn't actually already own those first three albums, at least judging by their consistent appearance in Christian Bookshop charts and Premier listings. That aside this is of course a sublime listening experience. Iona are one of the few truly original bands in a derivative world, the individual experience and influences of the musicians brings together a vast array of sounds from traditional Celtic folk to progressive rock to contemporary jazz and yet more. The combination of the gentle wind instruments of Dave Fitzgerald, Mike Haughton and Troy Donockley with the ethereal keyboards and inventive guitar work of Dave Bainbridge and the astounding work of Nick Beggs, one of the world's finest bassists creates a beauty rarely matched in music and the perfect vehicle for vocalist Joanne Hogg. Cross Rhythms regular Mike Brooks has done a magnificent job in selecting the tracks, I love "Chi Rho", "Columcille" and "Here I Stand". I would have liked to see "Beijing" included but then it must have been a very difficult task deciding what to leave out.