Shetland traditional-style fiddler Aly Bain knows how to mesmerise an audience.

As he told his collaborator, dobro guitar legend Jerry Douglas, on BBC 4's recent Transatlantic Sessions, "You hold a note, you watch for the tear in their eye, you see the tear start to move, you release the note."

Last night a sprawling bunch of world-class musicians from Scotland, Ireland and America drew tears - and laughter - from the off.

Kickstarted by Glasgow's redoubtable Celtic Connections festival, this annual live event continues to explore shared folk roots and unearth new common ground.

With Douglas as host and featuring an acoustic line-up of his pals - including Irish singer/songwriter Paul Brady, American alt-country singer Allison Moorer and Jude Law's favourite Appalachian fiddle-and-banjo-stylist, Dirk "Cold Mountain" Powell - the two-set concert was as down-homey and free-wheeling as it was kick-ass and polished.

undefined undefinedA backing band of folk royalty (John McCusker, Russ Barenberg, Aly Bain himself) provided classy accompaniment for a variety of songs and instrumentals. Every artist oozed singular talent: petite Scotswoman Julie Fowlis played penny whistle, harmonised and sang pure-voiced songs in Gaelic.

The bespectacled Paul Brady took in rollicking rhythms from Africa, Cuba, Ireland and Paraguay on his song The World Is What You Make It; his stirring version of Baker Street, all soaring fiddles and keening uilleann pipes, was a fitting tribute to the recently departed Gerry Rafferty.

Two leatherette sofas at the rear of the stage added to the back-porch vibe; musicians did their turns, then got comfortable, nodding and clapping in appreciation.

Joplin-esque gospel singer Ashley Cleveland, a Nashville-based triple Grammy winner, found sorrow and joy in the spiritual I See You; Allison Moorer's carillon-like rendition of Irish weepie Carrickfergus was achingly, heartbreakingly beautiful.

"You can cry during this one," said Douglas with a smile, and people did.