Anyone who has listened to the Scottish master fiddlers of our time is familiar with Paul Anderson and his fiddle sound and style: rich, robust and yet tender and ”singing”. Anderson and Duncan Chisholm are not far removed from each other in this respect, so perhaps it’s no wonder both men have recently - very … Continue reading Paul Anderson: Iona
Author: celtbritfolkfan
The Bow Tides: Sailing On
This is the debut album by the Irish-American quintet of three fiddles, bass and guitar, formed in 2020 practically by accident. But the musicians are anything but spring chickens: the band history on their website mentions Gaelic Storm, Grammys, music academies and what have you - not beginner stuff, this. Which explains why Sailing On … Continue reading The Bow Tides: Sailing On
Headbangers Ball at FolkNotes: Blackbeard’s Tea Party & Ritva Nero
Something different for a change… 🤘 There is a metal subgenre called Folk Metal where folk melodies spice up the metal attack, or sometimes function as a launching pad for the riffs and melodies. However, the two great albums I checked out this week I’d like to label Metal Folk: tunes very much in the … Continue reading Headbangers Ball at FolkNotes: Blackbeard’s Tea Party & Ritva Nero
Celtic Connections 2023: Dreamers’ Circus, with Frigg and the Kinnaris Quintet
It was essentially a Nordic - or Northern - night at the RCH main hall on Saturday night, Feb 4. With Denmark and Sweden represented in Dreamers’ Circus and Finland in the shape of Frigg, Scotland’s own Kinnaris Quintet fitted in nicely as another member of the Nordic family - premonition of times to come, … Continue reading Celtic Connections 2023: Dreamers’ Circus, with Frigg and the Kinnaris Quintet
Celtic Connections 2023: Peatbog Faeries, with Mec Lir
It was obvious all along that on Friday night, Feb 3, the Old Fruitmarket would be dancing and yelling wildly. With two major Celtic party teams on stage, any other possibility was out of the question. As the headline act, the current lineup of Peatbog Faeries took the stage in dramatic backlighting and instantly revved … Continue reading Celtic Connections 2023: Peatbog Faeries, with Mec Lir
Celtic Connections 2023: Duncan Chisholm, with Kim Carnie
The evening of Thursday, Feb 2, saw a magnificent concert in the Royal Concert Hall. I usually find big scale concerts predictable and a bit distant, even as they may be most enjoyable otherwise. This was not the case last night when the performers and their music filled the hall and reached out to everyone … Continue reading Celtic Connections 2023: Duncan Chisholm, with Kim Carnie
Celtic Connections 2023: Rachel Walker & Aaron Jones, with Gillebrìde MacMillan
The Mackintosh church is probably the most beautiful of all Celtic Connections venues. The late 1800’s designs by the famed architect Rennie James Mackintosh are like music themselves - what better place for a Celtic music gig? As the evening’s first act, Gaelic singer Gillebrìde MacMillan performed songs from his new album, “Sèimh: A State … Continue reading Celtic Connections 2023: Rachel Walker & Aaron Jones, with Gillebrìde MacMillan
Celtic Connections 2023: Carty & McGoldrick, Ryan Young, Sarah Markey
Tuesday night, Jan 31, saw a feast of fully acoustic Celtic music at the RCH Strathclyde Suite. The excellent flute player Sarah Markey opened the evening with a solid set of Irish and Scottish tunes - very nice! The headliners, John Carty and Mike McGoldrick, were as good as you’d expect; it’s always a pleasure … Continue reading Celtic Connections 2023: Carty & McGoldrick, Ryan Young, Sarah Markey
Celtic Connections 2023: Phil Cunningham, Session A9
What can you say? It was simply a most enjoyable night at the RCH’s main hall. Session A9 were as entertaining as ever, with brilliant fiddling from the four-man string force, and Brian McAlpine leading the proceedings from behind his piano and with his seemingly endless cheerfulness and energy - I seriously wondered how he … Continue reading Celtic Connections 2023: Phil Cunningham, Session A9
Celtic Connections 2023: Ross & Ali Trio, with Startijenn and Beinn Lee
The evening of Sunday 29th at St Luke’s was a nicely balanced three-layer cake of music. We caught most of the Hebrides band Beinn Lee’s set and were duly delighted and entertained by the solid performance. Their trad stylings lean occasionally towards pop and, for me, it sometimes works for them and sometimes not so … Continue reading Celtic Connections 2023: Ross & Ali Trio, with Startijenn and Beinn Lee
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