Just saw in twitter that McCusker, McGoldrick and their friend John Doyle are touring in february and march, being the 20th of March their last date... that means they won't join
the MK recordings until after that date!
That is indeed an interesting question how much and when they will be present at BG this spring!
All the more reason I'd say the recording sessions will be in Late March at the earliest.....
I think in previous sessions for other records, they started recording the core of the songs with the band, and the folkie parts were added later. Actually I think the last record, DTRW, only features the folkies in two songs from the fourteen, "Drover road" and "One song at a time".
It's seems likely they start in February with all the musicians except the folkies, and in March they would come if they are needed.