Scottish Folk News

Greetings from your friendly Foot Stompers! In your orders this month (and future) we will include a wee bar of Scotland's McCowans Highland Toffee just tae keep ye chompin’ while listenin’ tae the great music!

1. New at Foot Stompin': includes Dick Gaughan (Gaughan Live! At The Trades Club), Capercaillie (Roses and Tears),
2. Recommended Reading : Masters of Piping (available for the first time)
3. Foot Stompin’ Spring Sale - a selection of amazing Scottish music at fantastic prices
4. Snippets: The Trad Awards on TV, Trad Music Classes in Aberdeen
5. Scotland Week - an expanded programme.
6. CD Reviews: includes Session A9; Catherine Ann MacPhee
7. Foot Stompin' Celtic Music Discussion Forum: includes’ How much, for your favourite instrument?’
8. 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: Roses and Tears - Capercaillie: Brand new studio album from Scotland’s finest celtic band. The album features many songs sourced from the Gaelic song archive at the School of Scottish Studies, new songs and reels penned by Donald Shaw and a beautiful rendition of John Martyn’s anti-war song “Don’t You Go”. £12.59 (£13.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/roses_and_tears

A MAN OF CONVICTION!! Gaughan Live! At The Trades Club - Dick Gaughan: You go home from a Dick Gaughan session feeling exhilarated, not just at the wonderful skills of the most potent singer ever to emerge from the Scottish folk-music revival, not just at the astonishingly fluent and explosively eloquent guitar playing, but by the sense of the stark exposition of wrong and the tremendously argued legitimacy of right. Even those who disagree profoundly with his view of life recognise the conviction and the supreme artistry. This Live album brings that performance into your own home. £11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/gaughan_live_at_the_trades_club

NEW MUSIC!! The New Harp – William Jackson: Internationally known composer, harpist and multi-instrumentalist William Jackson has been at the forefront of Scottish music for many years. In 1976 he was a founding member of the top Scottish band Ossian. On The New Harp CD, he plays his lovely music with great skill and artistry. Traditional and newly composed tunes on gut and wire strung harps, whistle and bouzouki.
£11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/the_new_harp

WIRED FOR SOUND!!The Sma’ Glen – Bruce Thomson: A companion CD to the book of the same name. This is a CD of pipe music played on the electric chanter. The selected tunes are from Bruce Thomson's book of some 49 tunes, and fine tunes they are too, covering a wide range of tempos and laid out in pipe form. - and the CD isn't purely chanter either as Bruce has enlisted some friends to accompany him. Dr.Bruce Thomson - Electric Chanters. Derek Richardson - Guitar, Whistle, Mandolin & Keyboard. Bob Elder - Percussion. Marion Anderson's Band. CD: £11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers). Book: £9.90 (£10.99 for first time customers).
The Sma’ Glen CD: http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/bagpipe/the_sma_glen_cd
The Sma’ Glen Book: http://www.footstompin.com/products/books/the_sma_glen_book

More 'new arrivals' at Foot Stompin': http://www.footstompin.com/collections/new

2. Recommended Reading
Masters of Piping – Seumas MacNeill: Now available for the first time a book on our piping heroes of the past..... Patrick Og, GS, Bob Reid, Donald Mor, Calum Piobair, John Ban, Willie Gray, John MacColl, the list goes on and on. Gain fascinating insight into the lives and times of these giants of the piping world. Masters of Piping, written by Seumas MacNeill in his own elegant style. Although the author died before the book was completed it is still a wonderful piece of work..some of the pictures are amazing! The old pipers in their regalia looking both splendid and fearsome at the same time! £10.79(£11.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/products/books/masters_of_piping
Read more about Seumas MacNeill: http://www.footstompin.com/artists/seumas_macneill

3.Foot Stompin’ Spring Sale
A selection of amazing Scottish music at fantastic prices. Check out albums by Back of the Moon, Stuart Cassells (of the Red Hot Chilli Pipers), Emily Smith and many more. http://www.footstompin.com/collections/sale

4. Scotland Week
Ahead of flying out for this year's expanded Scotland Week programme in the US which has been built around the annual North American Tartan Day celebrations, Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond was given a rare opportunity to view the original Declaration of Arbroath document at a secure National Archives of Scotland facility in Edinburgh.

The Declaration of Arbroath is without doubt the most famous document in Scottish history. Like the American Declaration of Independence, which is partially based on it, it is seen by many as the founding document of the Scottish nation. It was drafted on the 6th April 1320 - a day the United States of America has declared to be Tartan Day.

The famous extract from the Declaration reads;

‘It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.’

The Declaration is a Latin letter which was sent to Pope John XXII in April/May 1320. It was most likely drafted in the scriptorium of Arbroath Abbey by Abbot Bernard on behalf of the nobles and barons of Scotland. It was one of three letters sent to the Pope in Avignon, the other two being from King Robert Bruce himself and from four Scottish bishops, attempting to abate papal hostility. The document received the seals of several Scottish barons and it then was taken to the papal court at Avignon in France by Sir Adam Gordon.

The Scotland Week programme for 2008 showcases Scotland's academic reputation, our business expertise and our cultural success on the world stage.

5. Snippets
Scots Trad Music Awards 2008
Yippee! The Awards have made it on to TV for the 2008 show! More info:
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=150973

Trad Music Classes in Aberdeen
Scottish Culture and Traditions Association, is launching a new programme of evening classes in North East fiddle, Scots song and guitar accompaniment, among others, that will be running in Aberdeen for 6 weeks during the summer. Joining the tutor roster are North East fiddle aficionado Paul Anderson, and young tradition bearer, Shona Donaldson. More info:
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=151057

Skipinnish Records – Job Opportunity
Skipinnish Records are looking to recruit a full time office manager/administrator. The successful applicant will work alongside the company partners in all aspects of the day-to-day operation of this successful Highland music record company. More info
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=150825

Broken Sky – Album of the Week
David Ferrard’s brand new CD Broken Sky was given the accolade ‘Album of the Week’ by both The Sunday Herald and BBC Radio Scotland’s popular ‘Iain Anderson Show’.
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/broken_sky

6. Reviews

CD: 'Canan nan Gaidheal' by Catherine-Ann McPhee, Customer Review 5 stars
Absolutely great. As a Gaelic-speaker, these songs brought me home. Superbly performed by a masterful artist of the Gaelic-singing world.
Tapadh leibh gu leor, a Chatriona (thank you so much, Catherine-Ann)…..Robert http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/canan_nan_gaidheal

CD: The Return of The Two Heided Man by Matt McGinn. Customer Review 5 stars
It is said that prophets are rarely appreciated in their own land. If ever there was a case in point, it is Matt McGinn. He was called a songwriter, but only as the term could be applied to Rab Burns or John Clare. For I think it is arguable that Matt McGinn is as important a poet for Alba as Burns was…Jess http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/the_return_of_the_two_heided_man

Live Concert: Findlay Napier & the Bar Room Mountaineers at Edinburgh Folk Club – Reviewed for Hi~Arts by Sue Wilson
FOLLOWING the swansong late last year of his previous band, the popular traditional outfit Back of the Moon, the singer, songwriter and guitarist Findlay Napier has wasted no time launching this new four-piece line-up, again featuring his good lady Gillian Frame on fiddle and backing vocals, now alongside percussionist Paul Jennings and Douglas Millar on keyboards……. His overall stylistic palette, and that of the band’s arrangements, took in elements of folk, rock, pop, country and even a touch of jazz, united by a voice whose rugged, vibrant, superbly commanding accents remain entirely his own..Read the full review
http://www.hi-arts.co.uk/Default.aspx.LocID-hianewnl6.RefLocID-hiacg5005.Lang-EN.htm

CD: Bottlenecks And Armbreakers – Session A9 Reviewed for Scotland on Sunday by Norman Chalmers
Charlie (Capercaillie) McKerron's original Scottish fiddle album project, Session A9, has grown into a gigging band and released a second studio recording. No rough edges here, the sound gleams like polished mahogany – and no rough brogues either, this is music for the drawing room rather than the bothy. The music is irreverent and imaginative, filled with sly key changes, dramatic entrances, startling stops and irresistible 12-bar blue strathspeys. And… you can unfold the sleeve to play the band game, Get tae Wick, and chase round Scotland's famous arterial road.
http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/fiddle/bottlenecks_and_arm_breakers

7. 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

Singer - Musician - Entertainer
I've always had a theory that there are many excellent musicians and singers around but being excellent at either does not necessarily make one an entertainer.
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=150967

How much, for your favourite instrument?
There's a Clifford Essex Paragon Tenor Banjo for sale on eBay right now ~ starting price £10,000! …
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=151033

9. Events
4th – 6th April : Dunure Festival: This is a free, child friendly, festival set in the beautiful harbour village of Dunure, just outside Ayr. Sessions concerts open stage and more.
http://www.footstompin.com/public/article/festivals/april/obj150790

11th-13th April: Orkney Ceilidh Weekend, Kirkwall: You can choose Scottish Country, Ballroom and Old Time so you can progress throughout the weekend or find a level that suits your interest. There is also Shetland dance, Folk dance, Scandinavian dance and Shetland Quadrilles and Lancers. Friday morning is the “Orkney Morning” where you can learn the Orkney style of Lancers, Quadrilles and Eightsome reel with local tutors Fringe events take place throughout Orkney in the lead up to the event.
http://www.footstompin.com/public/article/festivals/april/obj150360

17th April: Which Side Are You On? The Life And Times Of Pete Seeger. An Illustrated Word and Song Presentation from Alistair Hulett & Jimmy Ross. Water Sports Club, Irvine Harbourside, Ayrshire.
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=138563

17th April: A’ Adam’s Bairns – Queens Hall Edinburgh. A’ Adam’s Bairns is a musical reflection on Scotland’s historical and ongoing journey towards social inclusion and racial and religious tolerance over the last 200 years. The National Library of Scotland, Scotdec and Dr Fred Freeman have joined forces to produce a folk music CD and teachers resource pack which will go out to every school in Scotland. In this concert the songs will be performed by a star-studded line-up of Scottish folk singers including Rod Paterson, Tich Frier, Nick Keir, Steve Byrne, John Morran, Ross Kennedy, Dave Taylor, Emily Smith, Wendy Weatherby and Gillian McDonald accompanied by Sandy Brechin, Aaron Jones, Frank McLaughlin, Stevie Lawrence, Shona Mooney, Richard Werner and Chris Agnew.
http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=151073

18th – 20th April: Glenfarg Folk Feast. An annual spring festival taking place in various venues over three days in the lovely village of Glenfarg, Perthshire. Concerts, competitions, children’s events and more. Guests include The McCalmans, Malinky, Jim Malcolm, Sileas, Steve Tilson.
http://www.footstompin.com/public/article/festivals/april/obj150395