Scottish Folk News

A bumper Spring edition to bring you news reviews and events from the great trad music scene here in Scotland.
1. New at Foot Stompin': Includes new Julie Fowlis CD
2. Snippets: includes Mary Ann Kennedy, Tartan Day
3 Dufton Scott - Stories in Braid Scots
4. DVD: The Vale of Atholl Pipe Band
5. The Living Tradition
6. Foot Stompin' Internet Radio: includes Julie Fowlis & Blazin' Fiddles
7. Reviews
8. Books: John MacColl, Eck the Bee, The Gathering of the Clans Vol 1
9. Foot Stompin' Celtic Music Discussion Forum: includes
10. April Events.
11. FREE Ringtone: Junction Pool
1. New arrivals at Foot Stompin' Celtic Music (10% discount on all sales after first
purchase.)
GLORIOUS GAELIC MUSIC !! Cuilidh - Julie Fowlis: This is the much-anticipated second CD from Hebridean songstress and Horizon Award-winner Julie Fowlis and it is a real treat! Cuilidh ( the word means a treasury or secret hiding place for precious things) is a selection of songs and tunes from North Uist and features Julie's beautiful voice, coupled with an all-star crew - including Eamon Doorley (Danu), John McCusker (Kate Rusby Band), Chris Thile (Nickel Creek), Mark Kelly (Altan), John Doyle (Solas) and Donald Shaw (Capercaillie). £12.60 (£13.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/gaelic_song/cuilidh
FLOWER POWER!! Daisy - Karine Polwart: We were delighted when singer songwriter Karine's lovely, gentle song 'Daisy' (from her acclaimed album Scribbled in Chalk) won the accolade 'Best Original Song' at the 2007 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards a few weeks ago. It also include new ?bothy? mixes from the album Here it is available as part of a 3 track CD. £3.60 (£3.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/scottish_song/daisy
THREE'S COMPANY!! When the newly released Alison McMorland & Geordie McIntyre CD White Wings came in to Foot Stompin' a few days ago we remembered reading about a book which Alison revised for re-published at the end of last year about borderer Willie Scott (1897-1989) a shepherd, crook maker and singer. We had also just acquired "The Shepherd's Song" for our Scottish Traditions and Culture section - Willie Scott's border ballads CD from 1967. The three seemed to us to naturally belong together and here they are:
(1) White Wings - Alison McMorland & Geordie McIntyre. A selection of songs and ballads demonstrating their individual involvement in the Scottish Song Tradition over a 40 years span of singing, collecting, research/publications and recordings. Represented here are Geordie's own songwriting - White Wings, Farewell To the Bens; The Virginnia Maid and John Barleycorn. Alison's close association with border shepherd and ballad singer Willie Scott and the Stewarts of Fetterangus, Lucy and her niece Elizabeth, connect her directly to the older singing style and repertoire such as The Rocks O Gibralter sung here. In 1989 when Willie died the Scott family requested Alison sang his mother's song (not usually sung publicly by Willie) Time Wears Awa at his funeral. In the words of Hamish Henderson it "in every sense goes to the heart". £11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/scottish_song/white_wings
(2) Herd Laddie O The Glen (Songs of a Border Shepherd) - This is Alison McMorland's very welcome revised and expanded reprint of the book on the late, great, Willie Scott, shepherd, crook maker and singer. This enlarged publication includes an extensive introduction by Hamish Henderson; over sixty songs and poems, song notes, memories, photographs and commentary, capturing a rare glimpse into a shepherding community and a way of life now gone. £9.00 (£9.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/traditions/herd_laddie
(3) The Shepherd's Song - Border Ballads: Listen to Willie Scott singing the Border Ballads on his CD recorded in 1967. Writing in the Scotsman Jim Gilchrist says " A man with an insatiable appetite for songs, many were venerable indeed such as the fragments of old Border riding ballads. Willie's singing of The Kielder Hunt, with that inimitable closing whoop, was something that seemed to echo from time out of mind, never to be forgotten" £11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/scottish_song/the_shepherds_song
BUT IS IT TRAD DAD?!! The Clyde Valley Stompers: We were surprised but delighted to see this music on CD because it seems that regardless of what sort of music people preferred, everyone loved The Clyde Valley Stompers. This just released album is the only one available featuring the most famous of all Scottish Jazz Bands. Most of the tracks were recorded live at a concert on June 30th 1956 in St Andrews Halls in Glasgow. There?s also six tracks recorded a little later in the Beltona studio. The band is led by trombonist Ian Menzies, the vocalist is the glamorous wee belter Mary McGowan. A rare memento of Scots traditional jazz 1950s style! £11.70 (£12.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/celtic_bands/clyde_valley_stompers
RIDING HIGH!! Don't Spare the Horses - Moishe's Bagel: Rip-roaring, toe-tapping jazz-influenced klezmer and Balkan music from some of Scotland's finest musicians. Moishe's Bagel bring passion, soul and irresistible energy to their playing. Traditional music as you've never heard it! £11.25 (£12.50 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/music/celtic_bands/dont_spare_the_horses
Check out more new arrivals: http://www.footstompin.com/music/new
2. Snippets
Well done Mary Ann Kennedy!
Lochaber-based production company Watercolour Music have been celebrating an international success at this year?s Celtic Media Festival. Musician and broadcaster, Mary Ann Kennedy, who runs Watercolour with husband Nick Turner, was awarded the prestigious ?Radio Presenter of the Year? at the festival, which was held this year on the Isle of Skye. More info:
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=80425
Tartan Day Parade: New York
9th Annual New York Tartan Day Parade April 14, 2007 - the largest Scottish celebration in Manhattan and one of the largest Scottish parades in the world. Unique among parades, the NY Tartan Day Parade features full pipe bands AND individual pipers and drummers from around the world. Scottish Parliament´s newly retired Presiding Officer, the Rt. Hon. George Reid MSP, will Serve as Grand Marshal. The parade steps off at 2:00 pm sharp from 45th Street and marches north on 6th Avenue ending at 58th Street. The parade announcer and reviewing stand will be located on 6th Avenue near 55th Street.
http://www.tartanweek.com
4000 dancers in Glasgow!
That's the number of competitors from across the world who this week have descended on Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall to take part in the 37th World Irish Dancing Championships. This is only the second time the Championships have been held outside Ireland. The event ends Sunday 8th April.
http://www.grch.com/grch/index.cfm?&pid=600&EvNum=32893
New Peatbog Faeries CD coming soon.
We hear it is to be called ' 'What Men Deserve to Lose'...more will be revealed on BBC Radio Scotland's Travelling Folk programme this Thursday 92-95FM and Online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland
Pasche / Easter
The Scots Language Centre is merkin Pasche wi a puckle readins fae the Lorimer ower settin o the New Testament. Tae hear Tom Fleming read fae the Gospel o Sanct Luke veesit (http://www.scotslanguage.com) aa this week an next. Mair info:
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=80487
3. Dufton Scott - Stories in Braid Scots
For over forty years, Dufton Scott was known throughout Scotland and beyond for his series of humorous stories and sketches in the north east dialect. Such gems as "Gee Up! Donal", and "Erchie Fleeman's Coortship" were appreciated for their witty and perceptive portrayals of rural life and people. These were performed without make up or props. He simply used his voice and an unerring sense of comic timing to gain the effect which he sought.
Born at Forgue in Aberdeenshire in 1880, the son of a drystane dyker, he started his working life as an assistant ironmonger in nearby Huntly. His interest in the entertainment business led him to join George Walker's touring party, performing his own monolgues in a broad mid-Aberdeenshire accent. In these tours he often performed on the same bill as the fiddlers James Scott Skinner and Mackenzie Murdoch.
By the time of the outbreak of the First World War, Dufton's popularity was widespread in his native Scotland, and he was encouraged to publish a collection of his monologues, "Humorous Scots Stories and Sketches" which he did from his bookshop business in Inverurie where he had settled on his marriage in 1911. Subsequent editions were issued having been updated with new material (In the 1934 edition there are twelve stories, and by the 1953 edition it had risen to twenty stories) and, such were their popularity, continued to be reprinted well into the 1950s.......
Read more about Dufton Scott: http://www.footstompin.com/artists/dufton_scott
Check out the CD Dufton Scott - Stories in Braid Scots: http://www.footstompin.com/music/comedy/stories_in_braid_scots
4. Buy DVDs
The Vale of Atholl Pipe Band 'Live' from Glasgow Royal Concert Hall: The famous "Vale" in concert in their Centenary Year. This is a most enjoyable concert with brilliant piping and great tune sets plus the band with the ever-popular Scottish folk-rockers Wolfstone. £13.50 (£14.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/dvds/bagpipe_dvds/back_to_the_future_dvd
5. The Living Tradition Magazine
The latest issue includes the 2007 Festival listings plus features on concertina player Alistair Anderson, bodhran maesto Martin O'Neill and much more.
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. £2.93 (£3.25 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/books/magazines/obj80448
6. Foot Stompin Internet Radio
This week's programme includes a track from Cuilidh, the new release fro Julie Fowlis plus music from Shona Mooney's acclaimed album Heartsease. We are sure you will also enjoy listening to James Graham, Junction Pool and Blazin' Fiddles.
http://www.footstompin.com/radio
7. Reviews
'Live' Concert Review for Julie Fowlis at Union Chapel Islington 30th March 2007. Mark Espiner - The Evening Standard.
There are some voices that carry much more than a melody. They transport you to another place, give you goose flesh and make magic out of thin air. Julie Fowlis has just such a voice - and last night the Scottish singer left her audience spellbound with her supreme vocal talent. Since taking the folk singer of the year prize at this year's BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards she has put out a fine record, Cuilidh, which she drew on for last night's show and filled the cavernous Union chapel with Gaelic ballads from her homeland - the outer Hebrides. The rapt audience might not have understood the language, but there was no mistaking the power of her voice nor the astounding musicianship of her band. Fiddle, guitar, whistles and bouzouki provided a note-perfect backing that was on the button for the syncopated rhythms and rapid-fire tempo changes.
Her witty song introductions ("This is a song about a man who likes potatoes, butter and women - but doesn't say in what order") set the audience at ease before she launched into delicate arrangements and at one show-stopping moment a powerful solo that rose to the rafters and seemed to have the auditorium itself catching its breath. This brilliant performance was made the more exquisite by her seeming unawareness of her virtuousic talent. Unpretentious, committed, musical and on the cusp of greatness - it doesn't come much better than this.... http://www.thisislondon.co.uk
http://www.footstompin.com/music/gaelic_song/cuilidh
CD 'Heartsease' - Shona Mooney: reviewed in the The Scots Magazine April 2007
Borders fiddler Shona Mooney beguiles with strings in Heartsease, called after the flower reputed to cure a broken heart - and her tune of the same name, one of many on this entertaining album. Whether in reflective mood or whooping it up in reel time, Shona lets her fiddle do the talking, with the help of Ian Stephenson, David de la Haye, James MacKintosh and Ali Vass. Hardly a new talent - she's been playing almost since infancy, with her parents Gordon and Barbara, to say nothing of other bands and guest appearances in venues from across Canada to a spirited ceilidh in Bunnahabhain Distillery. If her name rings a bell, think CrossCurrent, Borders Young Fiddlers, and Young Traditional Musician 2006, her latest honour to go with her first-class honours in Folk and Traditional Music. When her dad Gordon brought out his first album, it was described by one reviewer as having "appeal with a capital A": I can't do better than say the same of Shona's album.... http://www.scotsmagazine.com
Heartsease: http://www.footstompin.com/music/fiddle_music/heartsease
CD: Masters of Piobaireachd vol 8: Customer Review. 4 stars
It is hard to find good pibroch recordings these days. Many modern pipers just play the ground by itself - in other cases you might get the ground plus two variations if you are lucky. The few who can play a full pibroch with all variations are often good technical players but short on expression and interpretation and the tunes can sound quite mechanical. These guys are the real deal. Because there are no dynamics with the pipes (no loud and soft), pibroch expression must be done with the timing of the tune. Brown and Nicol are from the old school and know exactly how to do it right. One of the most attractive melodies here is 'The Glen Is Mine'. Put on a good set of headphones, sit back and be transported as Robert Brown interprets the melody and then rolls out the variations. One of the great pleasures of piping is to listen as Brown crashes out the final variation, the Crunluath, as if it was a walk in the park. Enjoy. Neil, Sydney, Australia.
http://www.footstompin.com/music/bagpipe_music/masters_of_piobaireachd_8
8. Books
The Bagpipe Music of John MacColl 1860-1943: The complete works of one of piping's finest composers, John MacColl, have been published in this single collection for the first time. It contains all the classic MacColl compositions plus some tunes not previously published. In all there are more than 70 including two piobaireachd. £15.30 (£16.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/books/bagpipemusic/john_maccoll_book
Eck the Bee: A Scots word activity book This book has been a successful entry in the Times Educational Supplement Scotland/Saltire Society Educational Publications Prize. Eck the Bee won a commendation for 'its impressive variety of fun activities, including songs, stories, riddles and games, for primary children studying Scots' .Meet Wee Eck, the friendly bee who buzzes in and out of lots of fun adventures and activities with Skinnymalinky Kirstie and his pure mental scuba-diving Grannie. On his way, Eck introduces primary school readers to hundreds of exciting Scots words and phrases. Packed full of games, word squares, riddles, songs, stories and poems, Eck the Bee is great fun to read and an excellent classroom resource. £6.29 (£6.99 for first time customers).
http://www.footstompin.com/books/scots_language/eck_the_bee
The Gathering of the Clans Volume One. We were delighted to get hold of a few copies of this fantastic book as we had believed it to be long out of print and unavailable! Apart from a having a great tune collection, we love the details of the old pipers and their history in Cape Breton. The old Scottish names - MacLennan, MacKinnon, Gillis, Chisholm, MadDougall, MacGillivray, MacKay, MacLean, MacMillan, MacNeil - they are all here. The Gathering Of The Clans Collection is a book of pipe music complete with gracings, photographs and historical sketches compiled and collected in Nova Scotia by piper and teacher Barry Shears. £12.60 (£13.99 for first time customers)
http://www.footstompin.com/books/bagpipemusic/gatherin_of_the_clans_one
Gathering of the Clans (Volume Two) is also available at Foot Stompin': http://www.footstompin.com/books/bagpipemusic/gathering_of_the_clans_vol_two
9. 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!
Live Music Now!
I've been asked to pass this on to anyone who might be interested. I know there are several stompers who are current or past members of the scheme - myself included. It's a great opportunity for young musicians to develop their performance and communication skills as well as bringing live music to places that wouldn't otherwise have it. http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=79962
New Bodhrans Made From Pasta
The new Bodhran Factory has now opened in Harris. Discovered by Luigi MacDougal and his cousin R. Stornoway, Pasta was found as a great alternative to animal hide. They are expected to be ready for sale one year from to-day. Their next venture involves fiddle bows made from a refined wheat Pasta, adding another string to their bow.
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=80349
10. April Events
6th April: Spirit Of Scotland Show at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. The show is headlined by The Alexander Brothers supported by Harry MacFadyen a singer/songwriter from Perthshire.
Also appearing are Cheryl Anne Easton a soprano from Dumfries & Maureen Rutherford, The ValeOf Atholl Pipe Band and The Julie Young Dancers. The show starts at 7.30 pm and tickets are available from the box office on 0131 228 1155 or via their website www.usherhall.co.uk
http://www.footstompin.com/artists/the_alexander_brothers
9th - 14th April: Rootin Aboot: The Lemon Tree Café Theatre situated at 5 West North Street, Aberdeen is a premier arts venue. Each year, in April, the Lemon Tree hosts a fantastic Traditional music festival called "Rootin' Aboot" which features an exciting programme of concerts, sessions, workshops, free events and a throbbin' Festival club! Combining the best in traditional, roots and world music ? it rightfully has a place amongst the most enjoyed Scottish festival by visitors and performers alike. More details:
http://www.footstompin.com/articles/festivals/april/rootin_aboot
14th April: A concert in aid of diabetes research is taking place at Perth Concert Hall on 14th April at 7.30pm. The concert will feature performances from Scotland the What star, George Donald and virtuouso fiddler Paul Anderson. The concert is in aid of the Diabetes Research Campaign, led by the University of Dundee, aiming to raise £3.3m to extend clinical research facilities to try to establish more effective treatments and identify new drugs for one of the most prevalent and dangerous diseases in Scotland. Ticket info:
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=79501
14th - 15th April: Culloden Events to coincide with the rededication of the battlefield. Saturday features an inaugural pibroch evening with 4 prize winning pipers reciting music associated with the Battle of Culloden. Sunday has Beyond the Battle - Culloden in Music with 'Blazin Fiddler' Bruce MacGregor and friends. Both events at the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness. Further details: http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=77985
21st April: National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland at The Aberdeen Arts Centre. Also on stage, will be a young group of musicians from Aberdeen City Music School with a band called Shakeumdud, who will be playing some traditional music, a bit of Irish and a bit of Scottish. So with all these youngsters on stage, and maybe a few dancers, this concert should be a pretty lively event. NYPBoS concerts are well known south of the country and abroad, this performance will be their first venture to Aberdeen and the North East, so may come as a bit of a shock to those of a quiet disposition, or for those who may just be expecting to see another pipe band on a concert hall stage. More info:
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?forumid=3&threadid=79368&action=post
27th April: Traditional music concert in aid of the P/M Donald MacLeod Memorial Piping Competition. The concert will feature the band Meantime, D. J. MacIntyre, Angus Nicolson, Coll MacDonald, Christine Primrose, Margaret Stewart, Duncan Chisholm and Calum Alex MacMillan. This musical extravagansa will be held in The British Legion Club in Dingwall ( Dingwall lies 12 miles from the City of Inverness). Further info:
http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=78994
11. FREE Ringtone: Junction Pool
We?ve uploaded a free ringtone of Junction Pool, one of the Scottish Borders? best bands. Download it here.
http://www.footstompin.com/ringtones