Carlos Nuñez is the poster boy of Galician music, but it's a title he has earned by both talent and hard work. With chops like Hendrix on the local bagpipes (called gaita), but a penchant for researching the tradition and its origins, he has become one of Spain's most recognizable musicians and a major force behind the reconstruction of the Galician musical tradition. He has successfully explored northern Spain's strong musical ties to both Ireland and Scotland, as well as other strands that have taken his music through flamenco and even into North Africa and the Middle East. ~ Chris Nickson