Album Notes

CANTIGA has been delighting visitors to Renaissance Festivals for almost thirty years. The band has a devoted following across America and has been called the "Quintessential Renaissance Festival Band".

Season after season, we have enjoyed playing great Celtic tunes and beautiful old haunting Medieval and Renaissance melodies, jamming together on them in a million different ways. And over the years, we've distilled off the best of all this ferment and bottled 4 great CDs of really magical stuff!

So have a listen!

Here's what folks have written us about The Otter's Pool:

"Having succumbed to the carefree tunes of their first creation - "Once Upon a Time", I was lulled most pleasantly to Cantiga's other gem 'The Otters Pool'. Close your eyes and imagine a place where festivity and merry making are the passing of the days, where music speaks emotions. The guys at Cantiga have an amazing ability to tap the emotions of the listener with their wonderful ménage of harp, fiddle, cello and flute. Merry, merry, merry". RATING FIVE STARS
Lawrence Dujmovic - Sydney, Australia

"I was taken to a Renaissance fair by my American daughter in law whilst visiting USA and heard Cantiga playing- thought they were so lovely to listen to. This CD brings back memories of happy times".
Susan Flaks Congresbury, North Somerset UK

"I heard them perform at the Sterling renaissance festival in 2004 and was hooked! This was our first visit to the festival and once I listened to them I felt like "man I have come home!"
Lawerence Wentworth Rochester NY

"I found the Cantiga CD "Once Upon a Time" at the public library, and loved it. Need more of the same!!"
Cindy Cantrell East Leroy, MI

"I hear Cantiga on Dish Network all the time. Whenever I hear a piece that I like, I say that must be Cantiga and sure enough it is!"
Perry King Manistique, MI



The "Otter's Pool" Reviewed by The Tudor Times

If you are a new fan, I urge you to collect everything recorded by these musicians that you can. If you are a long time loyal listener, you know what incredibly large musical footsteps fiddle player Mark Caudill follows in. (note: founding member fiddler Malcolm Smith died 1999) Rest assured, Mark is very talented, and the jigs, reels and brawls are made all the more merrier with his playing.

Listeners familiar with or new to Cantiga will delight in the blend of Celtic, Spanish, Islamic, Jewish and "medieval blues" running throughout the songs. Running throughout this musical tapestry are Max Dyer's consummate cello sounds--the ultimate "golden thread" which binds all the work together.

Complementing the cello and fiddle are lovely harp and flute sounds. It is difficult to feel melancholy, even on a rainy October day, when you can listen to Martha Gay and Bob Bielefeld playing.
Percussion masterfully handled by guest artists Jamal Mohamed and Nestor Prieto.

Reviewer: Maggie Boleyn The Tudor Times