Northwind Crossing

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Northwind Crossing is a performing quintet of northern Minnesota musicians drawn together by their common love for performing traditional and folk Celtic music. The bulk of Northwind Crossing's music comes from the past and is of some Irish and Scottish antiquity.

Much of their repertoire is known to have been current in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and some is of even earlier origin. Their performances include "story telling" that presents the historical contexts for many of the tunes and songs performed by Northwind Crossing. The stories provide brief glimpses into the rich cultural heritage of this art that is Celtic music.

Northwind Crossing preserves some of the ancient sounds of Celtic music with traditional instruments of fiddle, tin whistles, harp, accordion and bodhran drum. They augment the Celtic instruments with guitar, mandolin and bass, adding something of their own American flavor to the traditional sounds.

Northwind Crossing was formed in 1999 and has performed throughout northern Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin at theaters, clubs, resorts, conventions, trade shows, ethnic and community celebrations, county fairs, coffeehouses, churches, weddings and parties. Northwind Crossing also enjoyed three successful summer seasons performing regularly at the Woodtick Musical Theater in Akeley Minnesota.

Northwind Crossing has researched and rediscovered two and three hundred year old tunes and songs that were played in the Irish and Scottish countryside on fiddle, harp, pipes and tin whistles in the 18th and 19th centuries with some harp airs written by O’carolan dating as far back as the 17th century.

Northwind Crossing is Fran Gack from Akeley Minnesota on fiddle, mandolin, guitar and vocals; Tamie Jensen, who lives on Island Lake in Becker County Minnesota, on Irish tin whistles, recorders, accordion, Celtic harp and vocals; Bill Meyer from Wolf Lake Minnesota on rhythm guitar and vocals; Elijah Jensen on bodhran, autoharp, Celtic harp, and accordion; and Willis Mattison, from Osage Minnesota, who plays bass guitar and also acts as the narrator/historian for the group.

Celtic IV Traditional Celtic tunes done as only Northwind Crossing can. Includes "The Cross Reel", traditionally played in the Shetland Islands only on the eve of the new year, "O'Carolan's Farewell to Music", said to be the last aire that Turlough O'Carolan ever composed, and "Green Grows the Rushes", with words first written by Scottish poet Robert Burns. CD Price: $14.97

Harvest Home - A Celtic Journey This strong third outing is home-themed, and continues the band's mix of traditional Celtic tunes with a few originals and classic tunes such as Ian and Sylvia's "Four Strong Winds." CD Price: $14.97

A Cold Winter's Day - Seasonal Celtic Tunes The second recording by Northwind Crossing containing seasonal Holiday music. including traditional songs such as "Silent Night" and "The Christ Child's Lullaby", originals such as "Christmas Is", and non-originals such as Pat Surface's "Let Us Pray." CD Price: $14.97

Skye Vision - A Celtic Dream The first recording by Northwind Crossing featuring some of their favorite traditional Celtic songs, including "Skye Boat", written in 1884 by Sir Harold Boulton recounting the story of young crown prince of Scotland, Charles Edward Stewart. CD Price: $14.97

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