More sparkling items from the Scottish music scene brought to you by Foot Stompin’.
1. New at Foot Stompin': includes Shetland fiddler Jenna Reid, Gaelic supremo Margaret Stewart.
2. The Living Tradition Magazine
3. Live Concert Reviews
4. BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2008
5. Books: Scotland’s Music
6. Foot Stompin’ February Radio Programme
7. Snippets
8. Foot Stompin' Celtic Music Discussion Forum
9. Events
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1. New arrivals at Foot Stompin' Celtic Music (10% discount on all sales after first purchase.)
BUBBLY & SPARKLY!! Laughing Girl – Jenna Reid: Beautiful, lyrical fiddle playing from the young Shetland star and her band. Jenna who was nominated in the category ‘Best Instrumentalist' in the 2007 Scots Trad Music Awards has appeared recently in the acclaimed television series 'Transatlantic Sessions 3' and in Phil Cunningham's much talked-about "Scotland's Music". This is a stylish album from a master technician. £9.89 (£10.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/fiddle/laughing_girl
THE SINGERS SINGER!! Togaidh Mi Mo Sheolta (Along The Road Less Travelled) – Margaret Stewart: This long awaited album offers a variety of Gaelic songs from various parts of Gaelic Scotland – an ancient waulking song, an Ossianic ballad, a Jacobite epic, humorous songs from Lewis and Uist, love songs, a MacDonald praise song, a lullaby, two emigrant songs and much more.. £11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/togaidh_mi_mo_sheolta__along_the_road_less_travelled
IT’S A PLEASURE!! My Joy of You– Doris Rougvie: Doris’s choice of songs work really well with her fresh clear voice. Anyone who has attended Glasgow's annual Celtic Connections Festival will know Doris from the popular 'House of Song' where she can be found sharing songs with other enthusiasts often from countries around the globe. On this CD she has enlisted her musical friends including Joe Aitken (one of the finest exponents of north-east bothy style) with whom she sings the duet Huntingtower £11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/my_joy_of_you
ARE YE DANCIN?!! Live & Kickin’ - John P & the Westray Band: Led by John P Drever on accordion, this popular Orkney dance band are full of enthusiasm and if the CD is anything to go by, they make their gigs go with a swing! The band membership is fluid depending on who's available and where the dance is being held but this seems just to add to the all round enjoyment. 17 tracks of grand dancing music! £11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/live__kickin
BROWN_HAIRED BOY. Love and Loss – Margaret Bennett.(3 tracks) In November 2007, Margaret Bennett appeared in the 'Love & Loss' section of Phil Cunningham's acclaimed television series 'Scotland's Music'. In the course of the programme she spoke of her late son Martyn, the talented musician and composer who died of cancer in 2005, aged 33, and sang Padraig Mor MacCrimmon's 'Cumha na Cloinne' (Lament for the Children (1650). This 3 track CD was made in response to the messages Margaret received following the broadcast of the programme. £4.49 (£4.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/bagpipe/love_and_loss
More ‘new arrivals’ at foot Stompin’: http://www.footstompin.com/collections/new
2. The Living Tradition Magazine
The Living Tradition: issue 77 has the usual mix of great folk interest items, reviews and pics and among the features, includes articles on concertinist Steve Turner, The Askew Sisters, Ray Fisher, ace mandolin player Kevin Macleod and the Shetland Fire Festival Up Helly-Aa. £2.93 (£3.25 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/books/the_living_tradition_issue_77
3. Live Concert Reviews
Jenna Reid, Celtic Connections 26th January 2008. Reviewed for The Scotsman. 5 stars
One of the few support acts to earn an encore at this year’s Celtic Connections, Jenna Reid might have given the headline act cause for concern had she not been backing up one for the world’s top folk acts, Swedish Trio, Vasen. The Shetland Fiddler bestows an almost classical style for a supposed young folky; her clean slinky technique both aurally gripping and aesthetic. When she wasn’t sprinting down the single track roads of 'The Laughing Girl', she was holding back the tears of the audience with a slow air about her late grandparents, Willie and Eileen. Make no mistake; Jenna Reid is a talented fiddler with the world at her feet….Barry Gordon
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/fiddle/laughing_girl
Margaret Stewart, Celtic Connections. Reviewed by ISEABAIL T NicDHÒMHNAILL in The Scotsman.
There were some notable musicians accompanying Margaret Stewart in the second half of the concert: Griogair Lawrie, Iain MacDonald, Anna Wendy Stevenson and Ingrid Henderson amongst them. We were given the opportunity to hear some of the songs which are to be on Margaret’s new CD, and it can be said with certainty that this is one CD which will surely deserve to be entitled a ‘classic’. Margaret’s singing comes from her heart, and the knowledge and understanding she has of the oral tradition of the Gael comes through so clearly in her singing. Among the many songs she sang was ‘The Harp Key Fair’ by the Blind Harper, where Ingrid Henderson’s accompaniment was exceptional. She also sang some lighter songs, such as ‘The Wedding in Drab Keistle’, The Batchelor’s Song and ‘That Little Drop Went to my Head’. Roisin returned to the stage at the end of the night to join Margaret in ‘Clan Donald in the Wars’. A great ending to a superb night of traditional singing of the highest calibre.
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/togaidh_mi_mo_sheolta__along_the_road_less_travelled
More live concert reviews from Celtic Connections:
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=106048
4. BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2008
The BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award 2007 was won by singer guitarist Ewan Robertson, from Carrbridge, The concert which was opened by Linda Fabiani, Scottish Government Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture, was held at City Halls Glasgow on Sunday 27th January as part of Celtic Connections Festival.
Ewan’s original instruments of choice were fiddle and bagpipes, but, whilst studying at the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music, a lack of guitar accompanists at the school caused him to become interested in this instrument and to make it his main focus for study. He helped form the band Breabach, winning a Danny Award with them at Celtic Connections Festival in 2005. Ewan beat off stiff competition from, Ailie Robertson, Amy Lord, Robert Menzies, James Duncan MacKenzie and Steven Blake, to win the prize, which includes broadcasting opportunities, invitations to play at prestigious festivals both at home and overseas, the opportunity to record an album with Greentrax Recordings at Watercolour Music Studios, membership of the Musicians Union and The Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland (who also arrange a popular tour for the finalists in September).
Last year’s winner, Gaelic singer Catriona Watt, also performed with her band.
This Award exists to encourage young musicians to keep their tradition alive and to maximise their musical potential by the pursuit of a career in traditional music.
Past winners: Gillian Frame (Arran), Emily Smith (Thornhill), Anna Massie (Fortrose), James Graham (Lochinver), Stuart Cassells (Falkirk), Shona Mooney (Lauder), Catriona Watt (Lewis)
www.handsupfortrad.co.uk
5. Books
Scotland’s Music: John Purser's major work encompasses the whole of Scotland's music, from the third millennium BC to the present day. Describing both classical and traditional music, "Scotland's Music" pursues the fascinating relationship between them through the centuries and shows how they illuminate Scottish history and culture. This book is generously illustrated and, with over 200 music examples, provides a unique resource. This is a one off book - buy it while you can. £26.99 (£29.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/books/scotlands_music
6. Foot Stompin’ February Internet Radio Programme
Check out this week’s programme which features music from Shetland fiddler Jenna Reid, Gaelic singer Margaret Stewart, Orkney Islands' The Chair, Perthshire's Doris Rougvie, Highland fiddler Lauren MacColl and Red Hot Chilli Piper Stuart Cassells.
You can now keep abreast of this radio programme with our Foot Stompin' podcast. Simply insert the link below into Itunes, Microsoft Outlook or other feed programme. http://www.ayepod.net/podcasts/ayepod_radio.xml
http://www.footstompin.com/radio
7. Snippets
New Ross Ainslie & Jarlath Henderson CD
Titled ‘Partners in Crime’ and featuring two of the finest young pipers on the contemporary music scene, the album is due at Foot Stompin’ later this week
http://www.footstompin.com/artists/ross_ainslie__jarlath_henderson
Bothy Ballad King
Congratulations to Geordie Murison from Netherley near Stonehaven on being crowned Bothy Ballad King at the Champion of Champions competition in Elgin last night.
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=106588
Good luck to Lau and Julie Fowlis
Tonight’s the night of the Radio 2 Folk Awards so good luck to Gaelic singer Julie and Lau (Aidan O’Rourke, Kris Drever Martin Green)
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=106618
Danny Award Winners 2008
Well done to Feolta – Glasgow-based traditional Scottish/Irish four-piece band; John Langan – contemporary singer-songwriter from Ayrshire; Neil Ewart and Suzanne Houston – Glasgow-based fiddle/piano duo; Maggie Adamson – Shetland fiddler; Debra Salem – Perth-based Jazz singer with band; Bethan Nia – Welsh Celtic harpist who all picked up a Danny Award. The annual ‘Danny Kyle Open Stage’ is in memory of Danny Kyle one of the best-loved persons on the Scottish folk music scene. Danny died in 1998.
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=106584
8. Foot Stompin' Celtic Music Discussion Forum:
Here are some of the topics under discussion at the moment on our Foot Stompin' Celtic Music Forum. Feel free to join in! http://www.footstompin.com/forum?forumid=3
What's going on at the RSAMD? Why the active education of young people in traditional music is important.
The influence of other sorts of music is far more pervasive, perhaps because trad music is for some reason not seen as sexy…..
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=106422
It had to come eventually......
....from a CD distributor's 'New Releases' sheet - "Best of Scottish Panpipes"
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=106621
9. Events
7th February: Christine Hanson (cello), Anna Massie guitar/fiddle), Bruce MacGregor (fiddle) at The Star Folk Club, St Andrew’s in the Square (off Saltmarket) Glasgow. Three of Scotland’s finest musicians join together in an unique collaboration.
http://www.starfolkclub.com/star_gig_guide.htm
11th February: The Sangsters – Fab singing group from Fife at Stirling Folk Club, Stirling County Rugby Footbal Club, Bridgehaugh Park, Causewayhead Road, Stirling
12th February : Sarah McQuaid at Leith Folk club. Sarah is one of the leading exponents of the celtic style of guitar playing using DADGAD tuning, and will be running a Guitar Workshop (5 to 6 pm, £5). Before her evening concert at the club. This is a rare opportunity for players of any standard to learn from a great player and superb teacher. The Village on South Fort Street, Edinburgh EH6 4DN
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=106438
13th February: Tam White at Edinburgh Folk Club. The wonderful Gravel voiced singer is always popular. The Pleasance Cabaret Bar Edinbugh. Doors open 7.30pm
http://www.edinburghfolkclub.org.uk
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