Kornog are the band that introduced the music of Brittany, the Celtic region in the northwest of France, to the world at large in the early "80s. They split up in 1987 to pursue solo projects, but over the years the band members stayed in touch and in the spring of 2000 they reunited to record Korong. As on their previous four records, Kornog blend the dance music of Brittany with the ballad tradition of Scotland. Singer-bouzouki player Jamie McMenemy has a genial stage presence that comes across well on CD, and he sings old songs like "Child Noyrce" and "The Braes o" Killiecrankie" in an emotional style laced with a sly wit and a subtle sense of humor. But as good as the songs are, the dance tunes are Kornog"s reason for being. Fiddler Christian Lemaitre; guitarist Nicolas Quemener, the band"s newest member; and flautist Jean-Michel Veillon have mastered the various dance rhythms of Brittany, which they sometimes slow down to better display the beauty of the melodies. Korong is a welcome return from some of the pioneers of the Breton folk music revival. --Michael Simmons