Linda Dewar’s Top Ten

* CD: Daniel Thorpe – The Curiosity Shop

* Artist: Innes Watson – guitarist, fiddler, singer, composer/arranger.He’s innovative and interesting, and was just named Instrumentalist of the Year at the Scottish Traditional Music Awards.

* Event: Perthshire Amber Festival – organized by Dougie Maclean. This festival gets better every year. If you plan a visit to Scotland, try to come in the fall and take in the concerts, workshops, hill walks, and sessions.

* Concert: Greentrax 25th Anniversary Concert – 25 years of the definitive Celtic music record label, celebrated by some of the best folk and traditional recording artists in Scotland.

* CD: Syncopaths – Five Gears

* Live gig: Nick Keir – live at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. A tiny wee venue with a tiny wee stage and Nick at his best. I miss the McCalmans, but the solo stuff that he’s writing is brilliant, and I can hardly wait to hear his new solo CD.

* CD: Ciaran Dorris – Home

* CD: Manran – Manran Album of the year at the Scottish Traditional Music Awards

* Television: The Choir – Military Wives with Gareth Malone I’m told that this series has been shown on BBC America and will undoubtedly be repeated. If you want to be reminded how powerful and healing music can be, this will do it for you.

* CD: Men of Worth – Live in Encinitas Ardent fans of this duo know that they are at their best in live performances.At last, they’ve recorded another live album, and it’s definitely ‘worth’ the wait.