There's a lovely story going round that Cathy-Ann McPhee, performing at the Greentrax's "Gaelic Women" concert, informed the surprised audience that "If it wasn't for Ian Green there would be no Gaelic Women". Not content with creating Gaelic women singlehandedly, Ian Green has now manufactured the Scots counterpart (not!). Seriously - what Ian has done is to assemble for a concert and this CD almost every major female singer that is still alive in what is a truly astounding collection of voices, songs and combinations. Masterminded musically by the Mighty McNeill (Brian), this double CD has no highlights - it's simply one huge highlight of perfection. It would be invidious to pick out favourites, but I'll mention a few tracks just to give you a flavour of the diversity therein. Heather Heywood and massed forces issue the CD's calling card of "The Sands O' the Shore", Sheena Wellington gets "A Man's a Man" on record for the first time, Cilla Fisher is welcome back from Kettleland with a stunning "Sodger Laddie" and Sheila Stewart and Karine Polwart bring seasoned campaigner and fresh blood together seamlessly in "Halloween". It's also a great joy to hear Corinna Hewat's subtly different take on the Nic Jones epic "Anachie Gordon".
I realise that I'm dribbling a bit here - but this is very, very good indeed ... setting the standards in honest-to-goodness, crafted-with-love- and-care folk on CD. Pretty much life as normal for Greentrax, then! (Double CD)Alan Murray, www.folkmusic.net
The Scots Women singers performing at this concert are Aileen Carr, Elspeth Cowie, Cilla Fisher, Anna Grace, Corrina Hewat, Heather Heywood, Maureen Jelks, Gordeanna McCulloch, Alison McMorland, Chris Miles, Anne Neilson, Karine Polwart, Stravaig ( Phyllis Martin / Susie Kelly / Jean McMonies / Moira Greenwood), Sheena Wellington. musicians: - Andy Thorburn, Mike Travis, Duncan MacGillivray, Brian McNeill, Annie Grace, Corrina Hewat, Karine Polwart.
Media Reviews
A great success...
Brian McNeill took on the job of musical director for Celtic Connections' Scots Women concert with feelings of both apprehension and delight which doubled when Ian Green asked him to produce a live CD of the event. The diversity of styles and combined possibilities of Sheila Stewart, Cilla Fisher, Gordeanna McCulloch and Sheena Wellington to name but four of the eighteen women involved, must have been daunting. He needn't have worried: the concert was a great success and this CD does a good job of capturing the live atmosphere.
The results of mixing and matching the individuality of each of the performers are fascinating; in some cases the lead vocals are shared with different singers taking a verse each, such as the rousing opener The Sands O'The Shore and A Wee Bird Cam Tae My Apron. In others a solo voice takes centre stage and none is more powerful than Sheila Stewart with The Twa Brothers. The lovely duet of Sheena Wellington and Karine Polwart is a particular highlight of the second CD and Gordeanna McCulloch's voice is beautiful, strong and clear as she performs Tam I' The Kirk.
There's a real homely feeling to parts of this CD. Not every performance is spot on key but the voices and the stories that they tell are compelling and the styles are varied and interesting. All credit to the musicians - Andy Thorburn, Mike Travis and Duncan McGillivray along with Brian McNeill, Corrina Hewatt and Annie Grace (the latter two also singers) - for their sympathetic backing of these remarkable women. It will be interesting to see if, a few decades down the line, any of these new versions become standards for new singers to learn.
Heather, Corrina & Chris with full band and chorus
2.
The Twa Brothers
Sung by Sheila Stewart
3.
The Good-Looking Widow
A cheerful tale of serial marital mayhem with its roots in the music hall tradition
4.
Time Wears Awa'
Alison was given this song by border shepherd Willie Scott who had it from his mother around the year 1910
5.
Fause, Fause Hae Ye Been
Annie Grace learned his from the singing of Rod Paterson
6.
Fair Rosie Ann
A chilling incest ballad sung by Maureen Jelks
7.
What Can A Young Lassie?
This song comes from the repertoire of Cilla's sister Ray.
8.
Oh tae be in my bed and happit
A song from the Greig-Duncan collection. The melody was written by Anne.
9.
The Braes o' Strathdon
A lovely and rather plaintive tale of unrequited love collected in Aberdeenshire by Peter Hall.
10.
The Pier o' Leith
Stravaig collected this relatively unknown song themselves.
11.
Ye Banks and Braes
A classic known in nearly every home in Scotland
12.
A Wee Bird Cam Tae My Apron
Alison, Anne & Gordeanna with full band and chorus.
13.
The Sodger Laddie
This song was given to Cilla by singer guitarist Brian Miller
14.
Jamie Foyers
Ewan McColl's haunting song set in the Spanish Civil War sung by Chris Miles.
15.
Whaur Dae Ye Lie
Karine wrote this song which is dedicated to the women of Srebrenica, Bosnia where a massacre took place of mainly Muslim men and boys carried out by Bosnian Serb troops. This despite the town's status as a UN safe are.
16.
Halloween
A fine setting by Jim Reid of an evocative Violet Jacob poem.
17.
The Fisherman's Wife / The Arran Boat
Heather Heywood sings this song written by Ewan McColl.
18.
Annachie Gordon
Sung by Corrina Hewat, this northeast Scotland ballad - a muckle sang - was brought to a new generation of young singers by Ireland's Mary Black.
19.
Tam I' The Kirk
The words of this song performed by Gordeanna McCulloch come from a poem by Violet Jacob and the tune was adapted from McCunn's Scottish Dances.
20.
Alison Cross
Elspeth Cowie sings this powerful northeast witchcraft ballad learned from the great Lizzie Higgins.
21.
A Man's A Man For A' That
A Robert Burns Classic sung by Sheena.
22.
Mickey's Warning
A comic song with serious undertones
23.
The Shearin's No For You
sung by Sheena, Alison, Elspeth, & Stravaig with full band and chorus
24.
The Lichtbob's Lassie
Sung by Aileen, Annie, Maureen & Karine with full band and chorus.
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Scots Woman - Live from Celtic Connections 2001 by Scottish Women
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