This CD of Scots songs and ballads comes under the banner of The Tradition Bearers i.e. one in an ongoing series  of 'honest recordings'. The phrase  is used to mean straightforward recordings of traditional music and musicians with a minimum of 'extras'. Not exclusively solo performances but these are at the core. The Tradition Bearers project aims to bring to the fore the role of the current generation of traditional singers and musicians in our musical heritage.

The voice of Dundee born Maureen Jelks is one of the finest of Scotland's traditional music scene. In this collection, she sings such gems as Mary Mild - better known under the title The Four Marys and The Bonnie Hoose O' Airlie a ballad about the burning in 1645 of the House of Airlie by the Argyles during the reign of King Charles 1. Many of the songs are unaccompanied but  Maureen is occasionally joined by Tom Spiers on fiddle and Arthur Watson on whistle.

A lovely tribute to Scotland's traditional songs.