IT is a privilege to see and hear the creative geniuses of The Chieftains and Capercaillie. Paddy Moloney, founder member of The Chieftains, turns a simple tin whistle into an orchestral instrument. This is why there is a Cambridge Folk Festival. Yet, the

IT is a privilege to see and hear the creative geniuses of The Chieftains and Capercaillie. Paddy Moloney, founder member of The Chieftains, turns a simple tin whistle into an orchestral instrument. This is why there is a Cambridge Folk Festival.

Yet, the other sublimeness of the event is discovering the unheralded gems.

This year, for me, they were: Rodrigo Y Gabriella, from Mexico (and now Dublin) who play acoustic guitars with Latin rhythms like you have never seen them played before, so that you imagine you are listening to an entire band.

And Croft No Five, a handsome young band from Scotland who are in spirit a rock band, except they play traditional Celtic tunes on Celtic instruments, fiddle, accordion, flute, bass and whistles. One of their compositions is called Crash, inspired by when their computer blew up. The entire tent was jumping up and down to it. They were the last act on Stage One on Sunday night, ending the festival, and the crowd would not have let them go, if it had not been the law.

ANGELA SINGER