Scottish Folk News

Here's our regular newsletter complete with lots of releases, news and information.
1. New at Foot Stompin': includes Gordon Duncan, Sylvia Barnes, Battlefield Band
2. Snippets: includes Bob Dylan in Gaelic!, Transatlantic Sessions 3
3. Button Boxes & Moothies
4. Foot Stompin' Celtic Music Radio - September edition
5. TMSA Young Trad Tour 2007
6. Reviews: includes The Colour of Amber, Just For Gordon
7. Foot Stompin' Celtic Music Discussion Forum: Things best not said to a folk musician!
8. Events
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.
1. New arrivals at Foot Stompin' Celtic Music (10% discount on all sales after first purchase.)
SIMPLY THE BEST!! Just For Gordon - Gordon Duncan: Gordon Duncan, from Pitlochry in Perthshire, was widely regarded as one of the most skilled and innovative traditional music performers and composers of modern times. While steeped in the art of traditional highland piping, his approach to his music was always imaginative, fresh and at times radical, to the extent that his influence can be heard within an entire generation of younger musicians across Scotland and well beyond. Gordon died in December 2005, aged 41. The CD consists of vintage 'live' solo material gleaned from BBC archives, competition performances at Festival Interceltique, Lorient, Brittany, 1997, and the The Scottish Pipers' Association Knockout Competition of 1993, plus some tracks from a limited issue Cassette of 1990 and a solo track from the Vale of Athol Pipe Band, Motherwell Concert, of 1996. £11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/bagpipe_music/just_for_gordon
A HONEY VOICE!! The Colour of Amber - Sylvia Barnes: Among the very top flight of Scots singers, Sylvia Barnes is a dramatic performer with a wonderful voice. She can render passion, humour and gentle sentiment with equal ease and has been described as one of the finest ballad singers of her generation. A lovely album from the "Scots Singer of the Year" (2006 Scots Trad Music Awards) which also features musicians Sandy Stanage on guitar along with Jennifer Wrigley (fiddle), Hazel Wrigley (piano, guitar) and Frank McLaughlin (pipes, whistle, guitar). £11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/scottish_song/the_colour_of_amber
30 YEARS ON!! Dookin' - The Battlefield Band: After 30 years, and nearly as many solo and band albums, what can you say? There is always continuity from one album to the next but, from this band of virtuoso and creative musicians, there is always something new and surprising. Newly discovered and self-penned songs and tunes - guests invited, not for their celebrity, but for their musicianship - new instruments and sounds. Consistently excellent music from Alan Reid, (vocals, keyboards) Mike Katz (pipes, whistles), Alasdair White (fiddle), Sean O'Donnell (vocals, guitar). £11.70 (£12.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/celtic_bands/dookin
CLASSICAL FOLK!! Lion - Concerto Caledonia: Scotland's baroque ensemble, specialising in the music of 18th century Scotland played on period instruments; but that's just the tip of the iceberg from this extraordinary ensemble. This remarkable recording delivers much more than 18th century music of Scotland: works of Tobias Hume, Nathanial Gow, Thomas Morley & James Oswald are presented along with striking arrangements of Piazzolla, Stina Nordenstam and the Buzzcocks. £12.60 (£13.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/new/lion
FIDDLE DI DEE!! Best of Scottish Fiddle - This compilation is an exhilarating instrumental collection featuring some today's great players. More than an hour of fiddle music featuring tracks from Jerry Holland and Archie McAllister, Jonny Hardie & Gavin Marwick, Coila and more... £11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers))
http://www.footstompin.com/music/fiddle_music/best_of_scottish_fiddle_cd
More arrivals at Foot Stompin' http://www.footstompin.com/music/new
2. Snippets
Transatlantic Sessions 3 - New Series
The new television series (6 programmes) starts Friday 14th September on BBC Two Scotland and BBC Four 8.30-9.00pm. Against a backdrop of the Highlands, Transatlantic Sessions 3 brings together the best of Nashville, Ireland and Scotland to perform what has been called 'the greatest backporch shows ever'. The first programme combines Paul Brady remembering Louisiana, Karen Matheson with some astonishing Gaelic mouth music and American star Joan Osborne.
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=90806
Bob Dylan in Gaelic!
Skye-based poet Rody Gorman has converted the lyrics of some of Bob Dylan?s classic songs into Gaelic. 'Knockin' On Heaven's Door' into 'Cnogadh anns an Speur', 'All Along The Watchtower' into 'Shuas mun Chnoc-fhaire' and 'If You See Her, Say Hello' into 'Ma Thachras tu Oirre Fhein'. Maybe a CD won't be too far off?
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=90986
Stuart Liddell wins the Clasp
Congratulations to Stuart Liddell who has just won the Clasp at this year's Northern Meeting Piping competitions. The Clasp is open only to previous winners of the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting or at the Argyllshire Gathering in Oban and winning it is considered by many as the pinnacle of achievement in piping circles. Stuart was pitted against more than twenty of the world's best pipers in this year's event in Aviemore and his victory puts him firmly among the 'greats' of Highland piping.
http://www.footstompin.com/artists/stuart_liddell
3. 'Button Boxes and Moothies' - A Free Reed Convention in Aberdeen: 26-28 October 2007
A totally fantastic event for all lovers of free reed instruments. Great concerts, workshops, sessions and seminars and a guest list to die for! Jackie Daly - Button Accordion (Patrick Street, De Danaan); Mary MacNamara is the leading exponent of the anglo concertina in County Clare; Spider MacKenzie, star of the 'bloos moothie'; Régis Lechatellier, a Breton accordion player and a beautiful stylist who performs compelling tunes which will add extra spice to the programme; Katie Howson is an expert on East Anglian Music, particularly stepdance tunes.; Simon Thoumire from Edinburgh is a concertina virtuoso, composer, and educator; John MacDonald from Moidart is a fine button key accordionist in the West Highland style; Pip Murphy (mouth organ) is one of the legendary Murphy brothers from Co. Wexford, Stuart Eydmann, English concertina & fiddle (Whistlebinkies), a highly respected researcher of the free reed instruments in Scotland - and that's only some of the guests!
This will be a unique celebration of small 'free-reed' instruments, including mouth organs, concertinas, melodeons, diatonic button accordions, and Jews harps, the convention will be just the place to enjoy the appealing music of these delightful instruments from some of the very best talents around, both local to Scotland and from further afield. It will be a great opportunity to find out more about the instruments and their music. You can visit a beginners' session, join an elementary workshop, or if suitably experienced learn about style and repertoire at a players' workshop. There are also several opportunities for informal sessions in local music-friendly pubs.
All Weekend Events @ £25.00 (£20.00 Conc)
Friday afternoon seminar @ £5.00 (£4.00)
Friday Evening Concert @ £8.00 (£6.00)
Sat/Sunday Workshops & Meet the Artist
(max. of 4) @ £5.00 (£4.00) each
Saturday Evening Concert @ £8.00 (£6.00)
Saturday Late Soirée @ £8.00 (£6.00)
All other events are free!
Downloadable Booking form: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/documents/button-boxes-moothies-2007.pdf
To book by telephone: Call the Secretary of the Institute on 01224 272996 with your credit/debit card details.
Further information in our ?guides? section: http://www.footstompin.com/articles/festivals/october/obj91046
4 Foot Stompin' Celtic Music Radio
Another fine line-up for our popular programme. This month features tracks from Gordon Duncan, Sylvia Barnes, Fiona Driver, Cathie-Ann MacPhee, The Cast, Skerryvore.
http://www.footstompin.com/radio
5. TMSA Young Trad Tour 2007
To celebrate the ongoing work of the Traditional Music and Song organisation founded in 1966, the TMSA will be showcasing 9 of Scotland's finest young musicians in a nation wide tour in September.
Six of the young musicians were in the finals of the Hands Up for Trad and BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year held at the Celtic Connections festival in January where Gaelic singer, Catriona Watt was declared the winner. The other musicians on the TMSA Young Trad Tour 2007 are Edinburgh based fiddler, Mike Vass, Gaelic singer Darren Maclean, Glasgow based button accordionist Martin Hunter, Canadian born piper, Calum MacCrimmon and flautist Calum Stewart from Garmouth in Morayshire. Accompanists this year will be Innes Watson on guitar and Mhairi Hall on keyboard.
The tour will also include last year's winner, fiddler Shona Mooney from the Borders who has found her career has rocketed from the many opportunities offered since winning last year's competition.
Tour dates:
Sept 6 Culloden Academy, Inverness
Sept 7 Seaboard Memorial Hall, Balintore, Ross Shire
Sept 8, Lochcarron Village Hall,
(all of these concerts are run in partnership with the BLAS festival)
Sept 9 Strachur Village Hall, Lochgoilhead, Argyll,
Sept 21 Fochabers Public Institute, Fochabers
Sept 22 Recital Room @City Halls, Glasgow
Sept 24 The Sage Gateshead, Gateshead
Sept 25 Regal Community Theatre, Bathgate, West Lothian
Sept 26 Buccleuch Centre, Langholm, Dumfries and Galloway
Sept 27 Heart of Hawick, Hawick Scottish Borders
Sept 28 Caird Hall, Dundee
There is also a series of cultural exchange workshops which will happen in connection with the tour. This gives the musicians an opportunity to interact and share their music with musicians in a local context.
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=90022
6. Reviews
CD: The Colour of Amber - Sylvia Barnes: Customer Review 5 stars
Since Sylvia Barnes won "Scots Singer of the Year" at the Trad Awards 2006 I have been eagerly awaiting this solo album. The wait has been well worth it!
The voice, of course, is something special, true, warm, richly expressive and with that natural traditional Scots edge.
The songs are thoughtfully chosen, some fairly well-known like "Soo Sewin Silk" others like Les Barker's beautiful "The Turn of the Road", a revelation for those only familiar with Les's comic works, but all presented with freshness and integrity.

Excellent accompaniment too from Hazel & Jennifer Wrigley (guitar & fiddle), Frank McLauglin (small pipes & whistles) and Sandy Stanage who deserves top marks not just for his guitar playing and sensitive production but his lovely tune for "The End O't". "Fair Annie", the standout track by a short neck, is a masterclass in how a ballad should be sung and is closely followed by a heart wrenching and powerful "Prince Heathen".
"Lonely Waterloo", Carol Prior's setting of Violet Jacob's "Baltic Street", a loving rendition of "Glasgow Lassie" learned form Eck Harley, "What Can A Young Lassie" and the old favourite "Todlen Hame" are all sung with authority and style.
And if Sylvia's place in the pantheon of traditonal singers needed reinforcing it comes from the title track. Her 'cannae see the join' reworking of Mary Ann Haynes' "The Colour of Amber" is masterly. You need great skill, wide knowledge and a deep love of your art to do this really well. Sylvia Barnes does it brilliantly! Sheena Wellington
http://www.footstompin.com/music/scottish_song/the_colour_of_amber
CD: Just For Gordon - Gordon Duncan: Reviewed for Scotland on Sunday by Norman Chalmers (http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com)
A genius of the pipes, Gordon died far too young, but this retrospective album culled from previous recordings reveals the astounding technique, quicksilver imagination and sheer musicality of the Perthshire lad. His real memorial is to have ignited a passion for the music of the Highland pipes in a new generation, worldwide.
http://www.footstompin.com/music/bagpipe_music/just_for_gordon
CD: Take The Road To Aberfeldy - Margaret Bennett. Reviewed for Scotland on Sunday by Norman Chalmers (http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com)
Folklorist and singer Bennett, with the Aberfeldy and District Gaelic Choir and young musicians from Glasgow's RSAMD, revisits popular songs such as 'Mary Mac' and 'Singing Bird' along with half a dozen Gaelic songs. Eschewing studio or concert polish, they convincingly create a ceilidh in your kitchen.
http://www.footstompin.com/music/scottish_song/take_the_road_to_aberfeldy
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
Scottish Tribute Bands
In a quiet moment today, started thinking about Scottish names for tribute bands.... Scottish Motorhead tribute - ' Dunderheid'...
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=90899
Things Best Not Said To A Folk Musician...
The best thing I heard said to a musician was by a lady at The Loch Leven Music Festival many years ago...
'So what's your real job??
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=90858
8. Events
6th - 9th September: Linlithgow Folk Festival. Included in this year's Festival programme is a Family Ceilidh, a children's show, storytelling, music workshops, a day of Bluegrass music at Queen Margaret Hall, and musical cruises on the Union Canal. There will also be music and singing sessions in various venues, as well as a Craft Fair and an "OPEN STAGE" for budding performers. A new venture this year will see an Open Air Ceilidh take place on the Sunday afternoon in the town centre. Main Concert guest Karine Polwart Band.
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=90565
7th - 9th September: TMSA Kirriemuir Festival. A friendly festival where visitors are warmly welcomed. In addition to concerts on Friday and Saturday nights, there are lots of competitions, sessions and several ceilidh's
http://www.footstompin.com/articles/festivals/september/kirriemuir
8th September: Matt McGinn Tribute Show. Eastwood Park Theatre in East Renfrewshire is hosting the highly acclaimed 'Matt McGinn's Magic Songbook Show'. Matt McGinn is established as an icon of British folk music and the only Scottish entry in the Smithsonian Institute?s Top 100 Folk Songs of the 20th century. The Songbook Show is a tribute to the prolific songwriter who died tragically in 1977. It premiered to rave reviews at the Glasgow Fringe Festival in 2006 and has enjoyed sell out gigs across Scotland. Ticket info:
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=90672
14th September: 8pm Bonnar Hall, Dundee. Michael Marra and Sheena Wellington Benefit Concert. The University of Dundee is delighted that two of Dundee's most renowned performers, Michael Marra and Sheena Wellington will give an exclusive performance in aid of the University's Diabetes Research Campaign. Ticket info etc:
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=89109
More festivals: http://www.footstompin.com/articles