The distinctive figure of this Glasgow fiddler is well known from his appearances with Beneche and other groupings. On this debut solo recording he mixes Irish and Scottish tunes ancient and modern, adding seven of his own compositions. There are some rare treats here:
Little Jennifer from the repertoire of Tommy Potts, Leddy From Cavan putting a name to one of Ed Reavy's many reels, and the cracking jig Miss Catherine Jane Sprees with Brian MacNeill's wizardry written right through it.
Jamie Smith fiddles in a clear, no-nonsense style, cutting through all accompaniment with ease. And the accompaniment is rich and varied here, ranging from the near-jazz of Edinburgh's folk scene on Clare Toast to the Spanish fiesta rhythms and Latin guitar on Palma Perfecto. Jamie's composition Ma's Taxi stands out, as do Eve's Jig by James Kelly and Christina's Set featuring Jamie's talented younger sister who divides her time between fiddling in Glasgow and painting in Edinburgh.
Jamie finishes with a real blast of powerful fiddling on Cuz Teehan's Barndance and Christy Barry's Jig, showing how well he can get inside a tune. His gutsy fiddle and fondness for the lower register make this a very interesting album, raw tunes over a meaty backing, promising plenty of pleasant surprises to come from Jamie Smith."......The Living Tradition Magazine
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