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Musicians who take inspiration from their own roots are the ones we want to listen to, writes Siobhán Long

WHAT IS IT that draws a listener to a musician? Is it the distinctiveness of the voice? The originality of the music? The comfort zone it evokes? The sheer genius of the player? Chances are that there are as many reasons as there are listeners on the planet, but one thing's for sure: players who choose the road less travelled: those who take their musical direction from their own roots - whether they be Yossou N'Dour, Miriam Makeba, Omara Portuondo, Bess Cronin or Seamus Ennis - celebrate their local accent above all else. It's that distinctive, indigenous identity that drives their music, and it's about as far removed from the vagaries of the music business as sleán-cut turf is from the low slung hum of a hybrid engine.