Bodega are playing City Halls Glasgow on 17th, then in Strachur Argyll on 25th as part of Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop's partnership with Cowal Open Studios weekend
Tickets for Strachur concert can be reserved 01301 703559 or email mark@morvenlodge.co.uk
See www.fiddlefolk.co.uk for more details

For those of you who missed them in Glasgow another chance only an hour and a bit away! If you have seen them please post what you thought!
Strachur Memorial Hall Sat 25th 7.30
Ticket reservations 01301703559 or mark@morvenlodge.co.uk

The ‘Bodega’ Band are unique in having picked up two of the most coveted awards in the traditional and folk world – the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Band in 2005 and the Scottish Folk Band of the Year in last year’s Scots Trad Music Awards.

Formed when they were students at the National Centre for Excellence in Plockton, they quickly became an in demand act after the exposure at the BBC Radio 2 Awards, and have regularly toured the USA and Europe since. The combination of border pipes, whistle, guitar, accordion, djembe, clarsach and vocals give them a distinctive sound whether performing traditional Scottish and Irish music, or newly composed material by its members. They combine improvisation and eclectic influences from jazz, rock, funk, and other non-traditional genres, yet retain a strong link to their traditional folk roots.

Unusually for any band, they have been asked to perform at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections festival for five years in a row, and have also played at large festivals such as The Shetland Folk Festival and the HebCelt Fest.

Often compared with the early Altan albums, they are difficult to pigeon hole, but have picked up rave reviews both for their cd’s and their live performances: ‘One of the most exciting bands to hit the scene in a long time... Best traditional band since Silly Wizard. Excellent musicianship, compelling and exciting, with its own unique, tantalising and personalised sound.’ The American music magazine Sing Out said of Bodega
“This is the most exciting band to come out of Scotland since Capercaillie”

Bodega members are Gillian Chalmers from Fraserburgh (pipes, whistle, fiddle), Ross Couper from Shetland (fiddle), Tia Files from Oban (guitar, bass guitar, percussion), Norrie MacIver from the Isle of Lewis (lead vocals, accordion, guitar) and June Naylor from the Isle of Skye (clarsach).

Bodega is highly talented and versatile and together their music has a kind of fierce energy, imagination and joie de vivre, that you just don't hear very often. They do songs brilliantly. They do tunes superbly. They sing in Gaelic and English. They're funky, yet respectful of traditions. They have clever arrangements. They improvise. Individually they're among the very best young musicians we have today. Collectively, they may just be the future of traditional music. Get into Bodega now, because where they lead others will follow.

Cowal Open Studios have combined with Fiddle Folk/ Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop to add this concert into the COS weekend when local residents and visitors alike can appreciate the wide range of arts and crafts available in the area by visiting up to thirty local artists. More information on the weekend, which runs from 24th to 27th September, from www.cowalopenstudios.co.uk

Lart minute reservations for concert tickets for Saturday 25th at 7.30 in Strachur Memorial Hall (£10 Adults, Schoolchildren free) from 01301 703559, or by emailing mark@morvenlodge.co.uk

Scotsman review of Blas appearance at opening concert:
'Then the young team were back – albeit marginally older than the Ceilidh Trailers – in the shape of five-piece squad Bodega, whose dynamic balance of deep traditional fealty with absolutely up-to-the-minute technique and creative ambition confirmed them as a real powerhouse in the making'

" Best traditional band since Silly Wizard. Excellent musicianship, compelling and exciting, with its own unique, tantalising and personalised sound.’ The American music magazine Sing Out said of Bodega"

Funny they should say that!........As I sat squirming in my seat, it occured to me that this band were badly affected by Phil Cunningham Syndrome........Play VERY fast and stamp your feet VERY hard!

They seem to be to traditional music, as the Chilli pipers are to traditional piping....and I'm sorry to say both are only very loosely associated with the tradition.
This is not a traditional band, they are a band who base what they play on traditional material, but the end product bears little resemblance to traditional music.

The village hall was packed (150?), but I counted only a handful of locals, the majority seemed to have been bussed in from somewhere much more prosperous...urban types, the West end of glasgow perheps?.......But even they had a right hard job to raise a gallop......this group does not make the blood rise......even on the last set of jigs, as they attempted to wind up the audiance for the encores, it was heavy going.

There was little attempt to "connect" with the audiance, the between songs style of chatting amongst themselves did little to hold audiance attention and was often inaudible.

I couldn't help but contrast Bodega with the Tannahill Weavers, who had performed here a few months ago......and the oldtimers wid hiv blown the "new folkies" right oot the windae!!
Traditional music audiances want tae hear the bloody tune....no' marvel at hoo clever the instrumentalist is!

Positives?? The big man that did maist o' the singin' wis quite good at the country n' Western song.....The Ashley McIsaac impersonator nearly pulled it off ....an' ah hear bongo drums are makin' a come-back!

Ah well, it least ah missed the X factor, so it wisnae aw bad....... :0(

Akhenaton, Rob Adams was of the same opinion in the Herald last week. Seems he too felt they were far too showy.
He said the original unit had survived intact from winning awards in 2006 and added:
"It would be good to report that they sound like a band who have achieved continuity but this performance was only good in parts, and few parts at that. With an instrumentation that includes fiddles, guitars, accordion, pipes and harp, they lack nothing in confidence and play with undeniable appetite and zest. But their arrangements are often messy and short on texture and phrasing, not least when accompanying their singer, Norrie MacIver on his versions of songs from the Gaelic tradition and the blander reaches of Americana"
As if to emphasise your point, he added: "The opening sections of the Drams and Missing Tramp sets featured expressive, measured playing, but there's a tendency for everyone to pile in and add clever wee bits or for subtelty to get lost, leaving the impression that less might be more".

Not quite exactly the same as the award winning group.
Still bliddy talented musicians though.

"but there's a tendency for everyone to pile in and add clever wee bits or for subtelty to get lost, leaving the impression that less might be more".

The more I see of these mass produced young groups, the more I despair for the future of this music.
They are not cohesive units, but simply a collection of reasonably proficeint musicians, who have learned how to play, but not how to communicate emotion........the heart and soul of traditional music.

The cult of celebrity seems to have seeped into everything......the presenting of bandmembers to the audiance, demanding apppreciation for simply turning up.....dont they understand that their job as traditional musicians, is to present the music to the audiance in the best manner that they possibly can, ego massage should be discouraged, or we will end up with X factor trad.

When the Tannies performed here, I managed to get a few words with Roy Gullane, I asked him how after all the years he and Phil had been on the road, they managed to retain their energy and enthusiasm.
He he looked at me and smiled, "Dead easy my friend" he said "we love the music".......It was that simple, Roy understood the power that the music contains and has a deep respect for that power

When the Tannies are really goin' for it.......the audiance would follow them ower a cliff!

"The more I see of these mass produced young groups, the more I despair for the future of this music."

What a load of melodramatic tosh! So you didn't like Bodega. That is fine. They are maybe not everybody's cup of tea. There are still plenty of other options out there from musicians and singers, young and old and I am sure much of it will be more to your taste. Horses for courses and all that. To imply it is a sign that all young musicians do not understand the soul of the tradition is overstating it just a tad.

Not enjoying one Bodega concert does not spell the end of traditional music. LFW have lots of concerts in the course of the year and I am sure another one will be along just shortly.

Aye, a typical naive rant. These guys are very young and have got loads to learn, which is really great for traditional music. How good, and what taste did the Tannies have at that age akhenaton? Traditional musicians have to evolve over time, expecting youngsters to have it all just because they've got great talent is naive and narrow minded.
"Dead easy my friend" he said "we love the music"
What? You assume young bands don't love the music because you don't like their music? Wakey, wakey.

Im sorry that one or two of you did not enjoy the concert we put on, but worth picking up a couple of points. About 70% of our audiences are local, people who trust us to put on a range and variety of music. The feedback we get is tremendous and people appreciate our voluntary efforts to put on good and enjoyable concerts, so they can hear live music in a rural setting rathjer than slapping up to Gl;asgow!
If our publicity etc encourages people to travel to our area to see music I certainly wont complain
The fact that 20% of the audience were youngsters seems a great strenght. If Traditional music does not appeal to those we are trying to teach where is its future?
What you call it _Trad or fusion or Modern Trad Im not too concerned about
Most young bands have some rough edges, but if we dont give them the opportunities to play/develop we are dead in the water
The fact is that -in this area - an audience of that size is a hell of an achievement and should be encouraged and not harped at!

Sad old people, jealous of other peoples youth - now theres a new thing !

Well well, I see my naivety has raised the ire of the "intelligentsia"....God help us now! :0)

Of course, the real naivety resides in the minds of those who believe Traditional music can be taught like mathematics, or promoted like detergent!

Most of us oldies have actually seen the tradition at work and it has absolutely nothing
to do with vocal or instrumental expertise....Traditional music will never be a "business".....if it becomes such, we will have lost it forever.

Dear Akhenaton
Ive never been described as 'intelligensia' before!! Clearly not meant as a compliment!
Not sure, but presume you are a local in Cowal
'Trad music taught like mathematics' Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop has been teaching Trad fiddle to 30+ adults, and 95 children a week in 5 local schools. We have imported some of the most respected tutors on the trad scene - Amy Geddes, Anna Wendy Stevenson, Fiona Dalgety, Sarah Naylor and now Mike Vass. The schools consider it one of the most successful partnerships with the local council. Our protegees are going to, and sometimes winning, medals at Mod and festivals, enjoying the music, attending residential Feis weekends and often coming to concerts -as you would have seen at Bodega. I dont think anyone would accuse the tutors as being like ' teachers of mathematics' (actual teachers reading this might find it a slur anywaY!) The tutors are all devoted to the 'tradition' and to keeping it alive in this area, but also recognise the reality that young pupils are interested in, and influenced by, lots of different styles. Trad music in the area would, I hope you agree, be a lot poorer without the efforts being put in
' Promoted like detergent' Few volunteers would put in the enormous effort that cl;asses, concerts and weekends take up if we were just selling Persil - and certainly would not do it for no pay.
Maybe you are thinking of Celtic Connections, festivals, YTMoTY competitions, Radio 2 Folk Awards Footstompin itself etc etc. But surely to build audiences and increase interest things have to be 'sold' and promoted. Whether anyone like all the music at these events is not the point -the fact is that these events have expanded the interest in, and attendences at, Trad music events
You say ...Traditional music will never be a "business".....if it becomes such, we will have lost it forever.'
There is a place surely for both the amateur and professsional. I love the sessions I go to, but if we are to have training grounds for young trad musicians like RSAMD /Strathclyde etc and they want a career in performing (as most of them do) they need training in business and need venues to play at that are run professionally (I mean well rather that necessarily paid) If they cannot make a living (however meagre) they will be forced away from Trad music - and I think that - more than anything - would mean we have lost it forever!

I've seen loads of young bands "come and go" over the years and the only observation I'll make here(Adopting my "sitting on the fence" stance again) is that such comments and opinions made by Akhenaton and even those opposing views from the band's supporters are not that new.

As I recall, the "intelligentsia" of the late seventies and early eighties didn't particularly care that much for bands such as The Tannies, Battlefield Band. or even Silly Wizard that much. They were all regarded to be a little too "unsubtle" for many people's tastes and the only acceptable new band were "Ossian"..... for a while at least... then it was a case of "They've never been the same since Billy Ross left them".

However, Ossian continued to be a great band for many years after that with new line up changes and the others mentioned above also endured and proved their worth too. As far as Bodega are concerned, time will surely tell too.

"Young"? Anyone who calls these guys young clearly has no idea about traditional music. If they were really following Scottish tradition, by their age one of the men would have the black lung, another would have been lost at sea and the third lost a hand or a whole limb in the mills. One of the women would be dressed in mourning clothes and the other in a maternity dress with three bairns on each knee.

Gah! Youse guys don't know the meaning of tradition!

Davie Gardner of Atlantic Edge Music Services email me in reply to my email to him about this thread. He is Bodega's agent. I emailed him as I was concerned they might be hurt by some of the comments above. Davie has agreed to me posting his reply:
Cheers Mark and great news sir. Many thanks for that, all you efforts and everything again.

Yes I've read the thread and of course heard it all before - and although it might sting a bit for the 'kids' it makes no impression on me. Congrats however on your responses which are measured, fair and in my personal opinion accurate on all counts.

If it had not been for a dyed-in-the-wool traditionalist like Tom Anderson I doubt if there would have been much by way of trad music left in Shetland at all today. However even Tom saw the need for it to evolve (as lets face it it always has - Tom himself playing music in his day that would not have been considered 'pure' trad a few years earlier) and for it to appeal to younger generations or indeed "all would be lost" in that particular world.

Shetland's great trad fiddler Willie Hunter also saw this too and actively encouraged the music to become more vibrant and develop among the younger generations (he was the main and original driving force behind Fiddlers Bid for instance)

There's still the argument up here too as to whether the likes of Fiddlers Bid, Filska, Catriona Macdonald - God help us even Aly Bain himself etc are trad. No matter on the wording I believe - the fact of the matter is that through their efforts, talents and vision they have brought hundreds of new young players and 'listeners' to a musical table which a few years earlier they would never have had 'face' or indeed interest to sit at metaphorically speaking - hence the success of events like the Shetland Folk Festival and Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Festival now attended by many young people - performers and audience alike.

So thank God things have developed as they have or our friend on Footstompin would have a helluva lot less to listen to today than he / she does.

Equally how 'traditional' would the Tannahill Weavers have been as viewed by older generations?? Not as a pure trad band I believe and lets not even mention the Battlefield Band in that respect either. No, I belive Trad music has always developed and moved with the times and that's the only reason it still survives as it does and is as vibrant as it is today - employment opportunity or otherwise. It's still recognisable as the indigenous music of Scotland on a world wide basis and that can only be for the good of everyone involved and our tradition (whatever anyone views it to actually be)

And as for music being taught like maths - well again you've said it all Mark, but once again that particular approach was the cornerstone of Tom Andersons life and legacy to Shetland trad music and again without it Shetland would more than likely currently be 'nowhere' terms of our music and culture (let alone our international standing in tht respect) if the education element had not happened when it did.

Well done again sir on all counts and once again a million thanks for all your support and kindness.

Davie

Jeez- I've been to plenty concerts and never felt the need to run straight home, get on the internet at 11.30pm on a Saturday night, and slag off a band if they're not particularly my cup of tea!!

We each have our own taste - I don't care for many bands/ singers who are very popular - no big deal. It would be a sad and boring world if we all liked the same thing!

Mind you, Akheton, I don't see how you can say Bodega do everything at 100 miles an hour - with songs like Wagon Wheel and Lost Little Children.

Whether you like Bodega or not, they must have done something right to win the Radio One Young Folk Awards and be the current Scottish Folk Band of the Year.

Not bad for a band who have not pursued this full time, as they each, sensibly, put their college/ university courses and other occupations first - no attempts at "celebrity or X- factor".

Wee Neilly...Ye dae a fine line in irony sir.......but it appears you have stumbled onto an important truth.

The community I was born into WAS hard and impoverished, the arty farty intellectuals we see "supporting and promoting" traditional music today had not yet evolved.

Traditional music was performed not by the well fed produce of music colleges or centres of excellence, but by tinkers, travellers, and members of the local community...labourers, postmistresses, joiners, bus drivers........just a few from my personal memories.

The hardships you mention were real, but traditional music was the antidote, the friday night concert the reward for a week of back breaking toil.
Folks respected the tradition , although Gaelic had more or less died out, all knew the choruses of the Gaelic songs that were sung. Traditional music was an integral part of our community.

Today it is viewed as staircase to celebrity...albeit a rickety one. There are many who feed from the corpse of the tradition, both financially AND egotistically!.......but as we all know, it is a niche market, and as society continues to dumb down, so the niche continues to get smaller.

For traditional music to be reborn, we need a society where everyone has a place, a value, and a contribution to make.....perhaps someday soon we will forced to accept that todays society is unsustainable,inequitable and unnatural.....I only hope it happens before the managers,promoters and educators turn our lifeblood of music and song into watery gruel.

"The community I was born into WAS hard and impoverished, the arty farty intellectuals we see "supporting and promoting" traditional music today had not yet evolved."

While I wouldn't use such an extreme description, I'd suggest that although the music and song itself mainly emerged from the "grass roots" and was performed by ordinary (often poorer) people there has always been involvement especially in the organisational side of things from so called intellectuals, academics, and members of the "middle classes" in general. At least, this has been my memory of the folk scene in both Inverness and Edinburgh although both of these locations are probably fairly unique.

In Edinburgh, for example, there always have been many University lecturers, teachers, journalists, graduates of every description, members of the local constabulary even(!) who have been heavily involved in all aspects of the music from organisation, presentation and even performance. There has been a long standing Unversity Folk society, a Police Folk Club, while the Edinburgh Folk Club itself has also boasted more than its fair share of academics over the years.

While Inverness Folk Club was a little more "down to earth" , it was certainly not run or frequented by "impoverished peple", although everyone was welcome, but generally by those from more "middle class" occupations(Not necessarily "well off", of course) .....though such labels are probably meaningless these days.

Can't we just agree that, actually, a love of traditional music unites people today across the generations, and from all backgrounds-"arty-farty" and everyone else?