Happy Easter from Foot Stompin'. Here are more fabulous new releases, news and info from Scotland.
1. New at Foot Stompin': Orfeid Uibhist (piping), Box Club, Living Traditional Magazine
2. Book of the week: The Fiddle in Scottish Culture – Aspects of the Tradition
3. Somethin’ Special! Maw Broon’s Cookbook
4. Snippets: The Chillis go Platinum!
5. CD Reviews: includes Oirfeid Uibhist, Jamie Smith
6. Foot Stompin’ Internet Radio Programme
7. The Border Gaitherin’
8. Foot Stompin' Celtic Music Discussion Forum: includes ‘Music in Scottish Schools’
9. Events
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1. New arrivals at Foot Stompin' Celtic Music (10% discount on all sales after first purchase.)
***CD OF THE WEEK***
Orfeid Uibhist - Brilliant 'Live' piping recorded at the Ceolas 10th Anniversary Concert with sixteen pipers / tracks of piping from all over including Highland pipes, Border pipes, Smallpipes, Uilleann pipes, Sardinian pipes and a song! If you are a piping fan, this is a CD you will love! If you're not this CD will convert you. Recorded 'live' in Daliburgh , South Uist in Scotland’s Western Isles, it is full of superb performances from visitors and local pipers including individual performances from each of the three MacDonald brothers, Dr Angus, Iain and Allan. Hear a track from Dr Allan MacDonald on our radio programme. £11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/bagpipe/orfeid_uibhist
THE BIG SQUEEZE!! Box Club - Box Club: The accordions on this CD are in the hands of four of Scotland's finest players - Mairearad Green, Gary Innes, Angus Lyon and John Somerville. Excellent choice of material which shows off not only their formidable abilities but also considerable arranging and writing talents amongst the individuals. £11.25 (£12.50for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/box_club
A BURNS FIRST!! The Gallant Weaver – The Mayfield Singers: This Orkney group have put together choral arrangements of Robert Burns songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Sir Michael Tippett, James MacMillan, Percy Granger and others. The CD, which was recorded in the Quoyloo Church, Sandwick, in the autumn of 2007 has an incredible 30 tracks of great singing and great songs. This would seem to be the first CD of unaccompanied choral settings of Burns, and should be of interest to an audience far wider afield than Orkney. The CD is based around the traditional structure of a Burns Supper, with the Immortal Memory, followed by the Toast to the Lasses, the Lasses’ Reply and ending with Auld Lang Syne. £9.90 (£10.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/the_gallant_weaver
BRIGHT INTERVALS!! Broken Sky – David Ferrard: Award-winning songwriter/guitarist David Ferrard has been compared to Woody Guthrie and Tom Paxton. He sings mostly his own material which ranges from gripping story songs, catchy tunes in the folk tradition and country ditties about love and heartache. He also performs traditional and folk material from both sides of the Atlantic, with a particular bent towards songs of political and social import. £10.80 (£11.`99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/broken_sky
Ceol UIbhist - Ceol UIbhist features a collection of Uist singers and musicians recorded for archive purposes. This CD was recorded over the last year or so from the many living tradition bearers in Uist at present. A fine recording which shows off the wealth of talent in the Uists and Berneray. NB: The sleeve notes and information for this CD are written in the Gaelic language. £11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/ceol_uibhist
‘THE’ FOLK MAGAZINE’ !! The Living Tradition Issue 78: A great 'read' for folk fans with consistently fine articles, reviews, insights and more into the world of traditional music. This issue lists the 2008 Festivals and includes articles featuring singers Mick West, Maeve Mackinnon, Ray Fisher, a behind the scenes look at Cape Breton’s Celtic Colours Festival. £2.93 (£3.25 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/books/the_living_tradition_issue_78
TAKE ME OUT DANCIN!! The Old Scottish Dance Bands: A selection of bands from the 1940s through to the 1970s when social dance was all the rage. First time on CD for most of these recordings and some well known artists such as Jimmy Shand, Jim Cameron and Jim Johnstone. The lesser known bands are equally proficient and extremely entertaining. Great music! 2 volumes at £9.90 each (£10.99 for first time customers)
Volume one: http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/the_old_scottish_dance_bands_volume_one
Volume two: http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/the_old_scottish_dance_bands_volume_two
More 'new arrivals' at Foot Stompin': http://www.footstompin.com/collections/new
2. BOOK OF THE WEEK
The Fiddle in Scottish Culture – Aspects of the Tradition by Katherine Campbell: The fiddle tradition in Scotland is rich and multi-faceted. This book explores the functions and place of the fiddle in society, using a variety of relatively untapped sources such as poetry by little-known writers, newspaper accounts, oral legends and works of art, a number of which are included as illustrations. The book takes as its starting point the introduction of the modern instrument in the latter part of the seventeenth century, examining fiddling at fairs and in processions, blind fiddlers and the lost art of singing while playing. The role of the fiddler at weddings and dances is also discussed, as are legends about fiddlers and the trows or fairy people of Scotland. Music for fifty tunes is included in the book, a number of which have been culled from historical or archival sources, and are rarely found in the repertoire of present-day musicians. £18.00 (£19.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/books/nonfiction/the_fiddle_in_scottish_culture
3. Somethin’ Special! “Maw Broon’s Cookbook”
Anyone with even a hint of Scottishness about them will have heard of “The Broons”, a comic strip launched in 1936 in the "Sunday Post" in Scotland. The Broons are undoubtedly Scotland's first family - the Nation's favourites - with a readership covering all generations. We found this book irresistible! Winner of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2007: Best Scottish Cookbook - Nominated for the Best Easy Recipes Book and Best Cookbook Design Awards. Here’s how Maw Broon’s Cookbook, a 192 page hardback, is described:
“a facsimile of Maw Broon's very own cookbook - borrowed from the sideboard at No. 10 Glebe Street - first made for her by her mother-in-law when 'Maw' married 'Paw', and added-to over the years with recipes for every day and special days, from friends and neighbours and others that simply caught Maw's eye in "The Sunday Post", or cut-out of the back of a flour bag. These are the very recipes that became the favourite dishes of the whole extended family - Maw and Paw, Granpaw, Daphne, Horace, Joe, Maggie, Hen, the Twins and 'the bairn'. There are some examples of the strip from years gone by that Maw must have clipped into her Cookbook - perhaps as reminders of special days. We've just left the 'bits and pieces' that you find tucked into a cookbook, exactly as we found them - stains and all."
£9.00 (£9.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/books/maw_broons_cookbook
4. Snippets
The Red Hot Chilli Pipers Go Platinum
THE Red Hot Chilli Pipers were presented with a platinum disc by Ewan McGregor at his charity Burns supper, for reaching record sales of 40,000 with their album Bagrock to the Masses. Well done lads!
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/red_hot_chilli_pipers__bagrock_to_the_masses
Culture Bill Presented to Parliament
A Bill to establish a new body to support Scottish arts and culture has been introduced to the Scottish Parliament....
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=138547
School Needs Books!
Newcastleton Primary School is looking for donations of Traditional music & song CDs, tapes, sheet music and song books for their Music Club. If you have any that you can offer the school, please send them to Newcastleton Primary School, Montagu Street, Newcastleton, Scottish Borders. TD9 0RZ.
Young Trad Winner joins The Long Notes
BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2008, Ewan Robertson has joined Jamie Smith, Colette O’Leary and Brian Kelly in “The Long Notes”. Singer guitarist Ewan is also a member of the band Breabach.
Special Guest of Celtic Music Radio!
This Wednesday (19th March at 7pm) on Celtic Music Radio, Gordon Hotchkiss' special guest is Simon Thoumire.
Gordon will be talking to Simon about his concertina playing, his musical career, and his record label, "Foot Stompin' Records".
http://www.celticmusicradio.net
Session News!
New Sunday Session in Edinburgh
A fortnightly open session started on 16th March at Thompson’s Bar 182-184 Morrison Street. All musicians and singers are welcome to join hosts Fozzie Sayers, John Martin and Allan Johnston.
Please come along to participate, sample a good beer or just to add to the craic and help it work.
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=138583
Friday night folk session in Glasgow has finally found a new home. Located in the southside not too far from the city centre! Ivory Hotel, 2-4 Camphill Avenue Glasgow
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=138521
5. Reviews
CD: Oirfeid Uibhist – Live Piping Concert from Ceolas: Customer Review 5 stars
A live concert dedicated to the art of piping. What a treat for us who never get the opportunity to attend such events. Smashing contributions from no less than five different MacDonalds including three of Glenuig's finest. Wonderful music, totally great musicianship all round. I loved this CD from start to finish..Rab Brodie
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/bagpipe/orfeid_uibhist
CD: Moments in Time – Phamie Gow: Reviewed for the Scotsman by Isabel T MacDonald.
Phamie Gow has some very different music on her new CD, ‘Moments of Time’, where we can hear her playing, on the piano, a string of musical pieces composed by herself. She was trained by Ronald Stevenson at the RSAMD, and she has also earned a reputation as a harpist. Her playing on this new CD is really lovely, with fine playing, lots of feeling and making full use of the different sounds which are available at both ends of the Steinway grand piano which she plays. A good example of the skill which Phamie has for composing beautiful tunes is heard on ‘Un Jour de Caroline’ and in ‘Annandale’. The CD has some strong music which has been composed with great imagination and deserves to be bought if only to listen to ‘Remembrance’ composed by Phamie in memory of those lost in war, and is composed in the style of a pibroch variation. It is very impressive...Isabel T MacDonald..Gaelic Review column
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/moments_of_time
CD: The Long Notes –Jamie Smith, Colette O'Leary, Brian Kelly, Reviewed by Alex Monaghan
In between the ensemble tracks are three solos and two songs. Jamie plays a set of his own compositions, catchy and elusive by turns. Colette does full justice to Steve Cooney's lovely air Ag Fas Fos with the depth and range of the accordion. Brian lashes into a pair of reels, the first another Tom McManamon tune and the second a session standard, played here with inimitabe flair. Bright Blue Rose and When I'm Gone are sung by Julia Reid and Ewan Robertson respectively, and a fine job they make of them: I was particularly impressed by the power and clarity of Julia's singing. Julia and Ewan also contribute accompaniment on a few tracks, as do Paddy Gallagher, Tim Edey, Martin O'Neill and Oscar Cainer. The end result is a very varied and thoroughly enjoyable album.
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/fiddle/the_long_notes
CD: Karine Polwart - This Earthly Spell. Reviewed by Doug Johnstone for The List
Karine Polwart is already established as Scotland’s premier purveyor of progressive folk, and this consummate and lush album consolidates that position. A flip side to last year’s traditional collection Fairest Floo’er, this album of crafted songwriting combines her intelligent lyrical style with indie-flecked Scottish folk of real depth and variety….
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/this_earthly_spell
If you are into having the CDs you buy signed by the artist, we have only four signed copies of ‘This Earthly Spell’ CD left in stock - first come first served....
6. Foot Stompin’ Internet Radio Programme
Features exciting tracks from Scots songbird Karine Polwart, firey pipe duo Ross Anslie and Jarlath Henderson, new Gaelic sensations Mary Ann Kennedy and Na Seoid, top piper Dr Angus MacDonald, the beautiful music of Margaret and Martyn Bennett and kicking jigs from the Long Notes. http://www.footstompin.com/radio
You can also 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
7. The Border Gaitherin’ - 30th May – 1st June 2008
A weekend of Traditional Music by the River Tweed with Tuition, Recitals, Ceilidh, Sessions and a Concert.
The Border Gaitherin Coldstream 2008, focuses on providing a range of traditional instrumental and song workshops featuring internationally renowned artists as both tutors and performers. Blend this with its reputation as a very friendly event, with something for all the family, in the beautiful surroundings of Coldstream, and you have a recipe for a great weekend.
Historic Coldstream is a perfect setting for this event – halfway between Edinburgh and Newcastle, right on the Border, on the banks of the magnificent Tweed, in sight of the wild Cheviot Hills, surrounded by historic places such as Kelso Abbey, Norham Castle, Flodden Field, and by stately homes such as Manderston, Paxton and Floors, a place to walk in (the Tweedside paths or the Hirsel with its rhododendron woods), fish in, paint in (Turner was inspired to paint some of his finest paintings here), cycle in (a warren of tiny country roads) or just explore, relax and enjoy.
Tutors/performers include;
Liz Doherty (fiddle), Desi Wilkinson (flute), Mairi Campbell (song) ,Lori Watson (fiddle)
Junior Davey (bodhran), Susie Kelly (song), Innes Watson (guitar), Lillias Kinsman Blake (flute, whistle & mixed instruments), Dianne Newmann, (Irish Step Dance), Graham Dolan (guitar), Carly Blain (fiddle) and many more .
'Absolutely Legless' Irish Dance Show (Sat 31st Lunchtime High energy 'Riverdance' style show)
Further information and inks to where you can book your ticket;
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=138638
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
Scottish music in Schools.
I am not sure if any one will have opinions on this but i am very disappointed with the lack of Scottish music in school's now. I wanted to sing a Gaelic song for my exam, but alas, there was only one Gaelic song SQA approved 'Griogal Cridhe' and although is a wonderful lullaby, it was not what i was looking for.
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=138653
The first "Folk Rock" group?
..I reckon Lonnie Donegan is quite an early example although it was generally referred to as skiffle at the time…
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=138473
9. Events
18th March: Mike and Ali Vass, 8pm at Leith Folk Club. Excellent fiddle and piano duo. South Fort Street, just off Ferry Road, EH6 4DN
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=138582 .
18th – 29th March: Aye: An Affirmation of Martyn Bennett – Tour. The work of maverick Scottish musician and composer Martyn Bennett celebrated in style, with performances from Mr McFall's Chamber, Tom Bancroft, Frasier Fifield and James Mackintosh. 9 Scottish dates. More details:
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=138623
19th March: Findlay Napier and The Bar Room Mountaineers. The band draw influence from genres like Blues, Americana, Folk, Funk and Country but there sound remains uniquely Scottish 8pm Edinburgh Folk Club, The Pleasance Cabaret Bar.
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=138539
21st March: Dick Gaughan at Paisley Arts Centre. One the few truly great musicians to come out of the British folk revival of the 1960s. more info;
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?forumid=3&threadid=138641&pageid=1&action=post
27th – 30th March: The Blend, Stirling's annual Roots and Music Festival taking place at the historic Tolbooth. Artists appearing include Jenna Reid Band, Lau, Jarlath Henderson, Ross Ainslie & Ali Hutton, Daimh, further info:
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=138663
29th March: Kenneth Thomson's 25th Anniversary Concert: celebrating 25 years as conductor of the Glasgow Gaelic Musical Association (aka the GGs) The choir will sing a small selection of the 60+ pieces Kenneth has arranged for choirs, quartets and duets over the past quarter of a century. The soloists, all Mod medallists, are: Norman Mackinnon, Alasdair Whyte, James Graham, Deirdre Mactaggart, Jenna Cumming, Kirsteen Macdonald and Jean MacKay. 7.30pm at the RSAMD, 100 Renfrew Street Glasgow. box office on 0141 332 5057
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=138483
8th – 13th April 2008: Lauren MacColl Trio- Spring Tour. Former BBC Young Folk Award Winner Lauren MacColl appears with her trio of Barry Reid (Guitar) and Mhairi Hall (Piano and Flute) will be touring in Scotland. Check out the dates where you can see this fine young group: http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=138546
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