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Northern Minnesota quintet Northwind Crossing will perform a traditional Celtic concert 7 p.m. Saturday, August 28 at Salem Lutheran Church in Longville. A 12:00 pm daytime workshop on Celtic music and instruments will take place at the Longville Library on the same day. Kitchigami Regional Library System, the Margaret Welch Memorial Library in Longville and Northland Community Education are proud to present this special concert with funds dedicated by Minnesota's voters for arts and cultural heritage and by a grant from the Five Wings Arts Council through the McKnight Foundation. This public performance is free of charge.

Northwind Crossing is a quintet of northern Minnesota musicians drawn together by their common love for performing traditional Celtic music. The bulk of their music comes from the past and is of some antiquity. Much of their repertory is known to have been current in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and some is of even earlier origin.

Northwind Crossing, as with most Celtic bands over the years, consists of self-taught musicians. Tamie Jensen, who lives near Detroit Lakes is featured on Irish tin whistles, recorders, accordion, mountain and hammer dulcimer, Celtic harp and vocals; Larry Kimble from Walker, Minnesota on six and twelve string guitar and vocals; Elijah Jensen on bodhran, autoharp, Celtic harp, accordion and vocals, Jake Geise, from Akeley Minnesota on fiddle and vocals and Willis Mattison, from Osage Minnesota who plays bass guitar and also acts as the narrator/historian for the group. Performances include "story telling" that presents the historical contexts for many of the tunes and songs performed by the quintet. The stories provide brief glimpses into the rich cultural heritage of this art that is Celtic music.

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

Northwind Crossing has three successful CD albums out including "Skye Vision-A Celtic Dream", "Harvest Home- A Celtic Journey" and "A ColdWinter's Day-Seasonal Celtic Misoc" and have more CD's planned.

For more information, call the Longville Library at 218-363-2710 or Northland Community Education at 218-566-2351 ext 2020.

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