Middle of June already and the festival season well under way. Foot Stompin' will be keeping you up to speed with new releases, reviews and events from the great trad music scene here in Scotland.
1. New at Foot Stompin': includes Maeve Mackinnon, Nuala Kennedy; Chris Stout
2. Snippets: includes The new Trad Top 100 Radio programme
3. Studying Traditional Music in the Hebrides
4. Foot Stompin' CD Launch - Maeve MacKinnon
5. Ayepod.net - what's new!
6. Latest Living Tradition Magazine
7. Reviews: includes Third Flight Home
8. Foot Stompin' Celtic Music Discussion Forum: includes Fantasy Trad Band
9. Events in June
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1. New arrivals at Foot Stompin' Celtic Music (10% discount on all sales after first
purchase.)
FOOT STOMPIN'S OWN!! Don't Sing Love Songs - Maeve Mackinnon: We are delighted with this latest release on our Foot Stompin' label featuring Gaelic and Scots singer Maeve Mackinnon alongside Ali Hutton (guitar, whistles, pipes), Duncan Lyall (double bass, electric bass, piano, Rhodes), Martin O'Neill (bodhran, kit, percussion), Patsy Reid (fiddle, viola, cello). Maeve has a beautiful voice and her debut album, interweaves Gaelic songs with folksongs from Scotland, Ireland and North America, maintaining a distinctive and exciting groove throughout. It has to be an album of the year. £9.89 (£10.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/footstompin_music/dont_sing_love_songs
TOE -TAPPIN' !! The New Shoes - Nuala Kennedy: Irish born flautist Nuala has spent her professional musical career in Scotland and is best known as a founder-member of acclaimed trio Fine Friday. Here, with her band of talented musicians which includes Patsy Reid, Aly Hutton and Claire Mann, this accomplished and versatile musician has branched out with a lovely album of tunes and songs demonstrating her wide repertoire of Scottish and Irish traditional and contemporary music. .£12.59 (£13.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/celtic_bands/the_new_shoes
THE BEST TUNES!! Devil's Advocate - Chris Stout Quintet : Here we have a powerful combination of technical expertise and sheer musicianship from fiddler Chris Stout (Fiddler' Bid & Finlay MacDonald Band) on a CD that provides a natural link between Chris?s love of traditional and contemporary music. The quintet also features Catriona Mackay on harp and piano, Fraser Fifield on saxophone, Neil Harland on bass and Malcolm Stitt on guitar. .£11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/fiddle_music/devils_advocate
PIPING MASTERS!! Masters of Piobaireachd vol 9 - Robert U. Brown and Robert B. Nicol: The "Bobs of Balmoral", was the name given to pipers Robert U. Brown and Robert B. Nicol. They served as pipers at the Balmoral Estate in Scotland from 1927 until their deaths in the1970's. In their lifetimes they achieved legendary greatness in Scotland and abroad for their piping, particularly as piobaireachd (classical bagpipe music) players and teachers, and taught many pupils. They inspired generations of dedicated pipers. ?Volume 9? in this highly acclaimed series follows the successful formula of the previous CDs, with a minimum of interference to original recordings. An authentic record of the teachings of two men who dedicated their lives to ceol mor. .£11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/bagpipe_music/masters_of_piobaireachd_9
2. Snippets
New Radio Scotland Show: The Trad Top 100
The Trad Top 100 with Cameron Stout. - Sundays 1300-1500, BBC Radio Scotland, June 24 - July 22.
The Trad Top 100 is your chance to help build a unique portrait of Scotland's musical heritage. If a particular song, tune or set brings back memories or evokes a special time and place, the programme would love to hear about it - You can vote via the programme's website. Tell them why your choices are close to your heart. Include your contact details and you could be on air with Cameron, telling the nation why your favourites should be at the top of the Trad Top 100.
BBC Radio Scotland: 92.4 - 94.7 FM and 810 MW.
Programme website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/music/features/thetradtop100.shtml
The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama Honours Sheena Wellington
The Academy has announced it will award an honorary degree to leading Scots singer Sheena Wellington. Her singing of ?A Man's A Man For ?a That? at the Opening Ceremony of the first Scottish Parliament for three hundred years was by critical and popular acclaim the highlight of that very special day.
http://www.footstompin.com/artists/sheena_wellington
Scottish Bands to Rock Holyrood
Performers from across Scotland, traditional and contemporary, will join together for a day of Scottish Parliament activities on Saturday 30 June celebrating Scotland?s heritage and modern achievements. Amongst the artistes entertaining the crowds will be Blazin' Fiddles, The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, TNT , Catriona Watt, Inverness Gaelic Choir, Salsa Celtica.
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=85160
New Director for the Traditional Music & Song Association of Scotland
Congratulations to Kay Thomson on her appointment as new National Director of the TMSA. She brings a wealth of knowledge of and enthusiasm for traditional music to the organisation. More about Kay:
http://www.tmsa.org.uk/news/tmsa-news.asp?newsID=141
3. Studying Traditional Music in the Hebrides
Scottish fiddler and composer Anna-Wendy Stevenson (Fine Friday, Calluna) is now lecturing in traditional music at the Benbecula campus of Lews Castle College in the idyllic Western Isles of Scotland, home to the Gaelic traditions of music, song and dance. Ailig Hunter caught up with her to find out more?.
Q. What courses do you teach at the college?
A. The college offers 2 courses in traditional music - both a year in duration - the HNC in music and the NC qualification in Gaelic and music. The HNC concentrates on performance and studio engineering; the students on this course produce their own cd. There are modules on understanding the creative industries, music theory and sound engineering. Many of the students on this course use the qualification as a stepping-stone to other degree courses such as the RSAMD traditional music degree. The NC course in Gaelic and music gives people who have no previous musical experience but plenty of enthusiasm the chance to learn an instrument and develop their knowledge of music through appreciation, theory, invention and ensemble classes with an emphasis on Gaelic.
Q. Who else teaches on the course?
A. Iain MacDonald - pipes, flutes and whistles, Will Lamb Bouzouki and mandolin, Paul MacCallum and Naomi Harvey - Gaelic song, and many visiting tutors. Having visiting tutors is a great way to get to see all the people I have been working with and want to keep in touch with â?? get them to come to us. In fact we are becoming a stop off point for touring top class musicians including Julie Fowlis, Rick Taylor - group work, Tori Amos? sound engineer, Luke Plumb - mandolin, Mhari Hall - piano, Ewen MacPherson on guitar, Angus Grant on fiddle, Sandy Brechin on accordion, Peter Daffy (guitar), up and coming Ross Anslie - he took great composition class which had everyone coming up with funky riffs. Andy Thorburn, keyboard player with Blazin Fiddles. These are just a few of the guest tutors that have been enticed and invited this year! We?ve also included step dance workshop days with dancer John Sikorski. Apart from being a real winner with our students, this is an opportunity to hear how this area?s music has really strong links to the dance?.
Lews Castle College (LCC), Benbecula campus is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands network and the traditional music and Gaelic courses have steadily been growing in reputation since their inception in 2000. Read about the courses: http://www.footstompin.com/articles/the_scottish_music_scene_today/obj85105
Read the full article: http://www.footstompin.com/articles/obj8849/obj85121
Anna Wendy Stevenson: http://www.footstompin.com/artists/anna_wendy_stevenson
4. Foot Stompin' CD Launch
The Launch of Maeve Mackinnon's brilliant new CD 'Don't Sing Love Songs? is happening in Glasgow on 25th June. We'd love to see you so do come and say hello and join Foot Stompin', Maeve and the band for a drink and some great music! The Universal, (8pm) 57 Sauchiehall Lane, Glasgow, G2 4AB.
http://www.footstompin.com/music/footstompin_music/dont_sing_love_songs
5. Ayepod.net - what's new!
Just uploaded are two new podcasts featuring Orcadian fiddler Sarah McFadyen (from the bands Harem Scarem and Aberfeldy) and acclaimed Scots singer Sheena Wellington. Also available from Ayepod.net are a reasonably priced range of downloadable instrument and singing tuition courses also the Foot Stompin' own label CD catalogue as single tracks and complete albums. Ayepod.net are giving away free podcasts of Scottish music. We have two strands - Ayepod Radio featuring the latest releases in Scottish music and Ayepod 11 Questions where we ask Scottish musicians to talk about their lives and music.
http://www.ayepod.net
6. Latest Living Tradition Magazine
The Living Tradition is a full colour, bi-monthly Folk & Traditional music magazine that has been in publication for over 14 years. The main aim of the magazine is to highlight the rich heritage of traditional music in the British Isles and further afield, and attempt to bring it to a wider audience. A great 'read' for folk fans with consistently fine articles, reviews, insights and more into the world of traditional music. The latest edition features articles on Kathleen MacInnes, Peta Webb & Ken Hall, Alistair Anderson (part 2), Shona Kipling & Damien O'Kane and more. .£2.95 (£3.25 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/books/magazines/obj85082
Check out our book selection: http://www.footstompin.com/books
7. Reviews
CD: Third Flight Home - Simon Thoumire & David Milligan: reviewed for The Scotsman by Kenny Mathieson.
The duo of concertina player Simon Thoumire and pianist David Milligan is a well-established musical partnership, and one that offers a diverse range of stylistic options. The combination of instruments is an unusual but effective one, and both players wear their considerable virtuosity lightly. Their selection of material, much of it from contemporary sources, is spot-on, and the music has a refreshing zest and sparkle that never flags, whether on conventional reels and Strathspeys from the Scottish tradition or more off-the-wall selections like Russian pianist Misha Alperin?s Wedding in the Wild Forest.
http://www.footstompin.com/music/concertina/third_flight_home
CD The New Shoes - Nuala Kennedy: Reviewed for Scotland on Sunday by Norman Chalmers
The Scots-domiciled Irish lassie's first 'solo' album is a real beauty, due in no small part to the superb musical partnerships with fellow flute player and singer Claire Mann (who also plays fiddle here) and the other half dozen great players, including guests Cathal McConnell and Canadian Daniel Lapp. The CD is unmistakably traditional in sensibility. Kennedy has an original and highly accomplished sound on the wooden flute, and a simple, sensitive and beguiling way with a song.
http://www.footstompin.com/music/celtic_bands/the_new_shoes
DVD City of Lights - Runrig: Customer Review 5 Stars
Lets start as I mean to go on, and indeed as Billy Sloan states in the video, "Runrig are not just a rock band, Runrig are an institution", and by God is this video an institution. This video is one of those you never ever tire of watching, the footage from the Barrowlands (and all the Runrig fans out there will know all about the bouncy floors and the sweat soaked gigs), coupled with great editing and footage from around the Highlands and Islands is a masterpiece...Read Calum Kirk's full review
http://www.footstompin.com/dvds/celtic_bands/city_of_lights_dvd
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!
Fantasy Trad Band
Ok you've been given a commission to form a 5 piece band. Who would you have in it? It can instrumental or song based.
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=84643
Ach the noo
I am not even sure if that is the correct spelling. My Grandfather has recently passed away and he always said that. It became so common in our family, I never even asked him what it meant. Can anyone help with the meaning of this phrase?
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=84991
Children at festivals
There are many festival goers who claim that bringing childern to the festival is a brilliant idea as they get exposed to friendly atmosphere of music and friendship (plus a good chance they might take up an instrument by themselves), outdoor activities, socializing with their peers...But there are others who are not so keen on the idea... http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=84773
9. Events
17th June: Folk Session in Linlithgow at The Black Bitch Tavern. With the session taking place two days before the historic Riding of the Marches, music and songs associated with Linlithgow's biggest day of the year will be featured. 14, West Port, Linlithgow, from 2pm.
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=85149
20th June: Nuala Kennedy 'The New Shoes' album launch at The Bongo Club, 37 Holyrood Road Edinburgh. A great night of music. Entry £5. More details:
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=85085
22nd - 24th June: Falkland Traditional Music Festival - A great wee traditional music festival in the rural heart-land of the kingdom of Fife. Guests includes Gordon Shand and his Scottish Dance Band, Shooglenifty.
http://www.footstompin.com/articles/festivals/june/obj79370
22nd - 24th June: The Outsider is a new event for 2007 Taking place on the beautiful Rothiemurchus Estate in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, The Outsider will allow people to make the most of some of the UK's most glorious scenery. Access is easy as the site is only two miles from the A9 at Aviemore. There are two official festival campsites to choose from. Guests include Blazin? Fiddles, Salsa Celtica, Peatbog Faeries.
http://www.footstompin.com/articles/festivals/june/obj79083
27th - 30th June: Fèisean nan Gàidheal are organising 4 ?Ceòl nam Fèis? showcase concerts, involving around 50 of the cream of young singers and musicians who take part in Fèisean. The concerts - in Perth, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh - will bring the best of traditional music and song from the youngsters involved in Fèisean to parts of Scotland where they haven?t played before in this year when Scotland celebrates Highland Culture. More details:
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=83478
30th June - 1st July: Scottish Traditional Boat Festival: This north east festival takes place at Portsoy about 50 miles west of Aberdeen. This is a Festival where every member of the family can discover, enjoy and participate in the maritime and cultural heritage of the North East. This includes sailing, fishing, history, crafts, theatre, literature and language, music, dance and dancing and food and drink. Guests include Stephen Quigg, Old Blind Dogs.
http://www.footstompin.com/articles/festivals/july/obj14248
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