Celtic Colours has been blessed over the years to host some of the very best guitar players in the world. The annual Guitar Summit concert serves as an obvious showcase for these world-class pickers, but this wealth of talent inevitably shines through in concerts throughout each Festival.

Guitar Jigs: Shenandoah (Traditional) / The Chorus Jig (Traditional) / Q Jig (J.P. Cormier)

J.P. Cormier is well-established as a master of stringed instruments, although he is probably best-known for his guitar-playing. As well-versed in the Bluegrass tradition as he is in the traditional Celtic world, he spent 10 years playing around the Southern states, including many appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. Here we see some evidence of this as J.P. seemingly effortlessly picks out some tunes during Ricky’s Rattlin’ Roarin’ Roots at Centre 200 in Sydney (10/17/15).

Featuring: J.P. Cormier

Slán le Máigh / Tiocfaidh Tu Abhaile Liom (Traditional)

Scottish guitar-player Tony McManus was one of the first Celtic Colours Artists in Residence in 2001 (with Mary Jane Lamond). He has performed at the Festival seven times since his first appearance in 1998. With this set of traditional tunes, recorded at a sold-out Louisbourg Playhouse during the Louisbourg Crossroads concert (10/15/14), Tony once again confirms his world-wide reputation as an acoustic guitar player with few peers.

Featuring: Tony McManus

Gaelic Air and Reels: Chùir I Glùin Air A’ Bhodaich [She Put Her Knee On The Old Man] (Traditional) / A Taste Of The Gaelic (Traditional)

A musician of many talents, Paul MacDonald has traveled throughout traditional music circles both at home on Cape Breton Island and abroad. Here the accomplished guitar-player picks his way through a tasty selection of Gaelic airs and reels with the legendary Brenda Stubbert on the piano during Tunes from the Northside at the beautiful St. Matthew Wesley United Church in North Sydney (10/9/17).

Featuring: Paul MacDonald with Brenda Stubbert