Showing posts with label Celtic Connections 2025. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celtic Connections 2025. Show all posts

Friday, 31 January 2025

Su-a Lee: Dialogues at Mackintosh church Celtic Connections 2025

 



What a glorious setting for her rich, glowing tones and the depth of character on Su a Lee’s cello! The concert explored Lee’s astute journey of her compelling musicianship and celebrating her collaboration work with Duncan Chisholm, one of Scotland's most revered fiddlers, celebrated multi-instrumentalist/composer/producer Donald Shaw, and husband and composer Hamish Napier. The cream of Celtic musicians Lee’s work ranges from classical, experimental and folk traditions.


The Concert

Lee explored her years playing the rhythmic drive of Scottish traditional music within the landscapes of classical music. She performed tracks from her album Dialogues 2023, including mostly original compositions. She was accompanied by pianists Hamish Napier and Donald Shaw and violinist Duncan Chisholm. (Shaw is also Celtic Connections festival director since 2006). 

Tonight rather than the fiddle or voice centre stage, it was the deep tones and dynamic range of the cello. Lee began with a poignant cello solo of Burns ‘Ae fond Kiss’, followed by the emotive drama of Donald Shaw’s Baroque suite, with three dance forms and a slow air – ‘Baroque March Mull’, ‘Cathedral of Trees’, ‘Malpica’ ‘Ocean Poem’. As well as performing Shaw’s renowned music ‘Islands on the Edge’.


“Shaw’s tunes are all bangers” she exclaimed! Her welcome and informed chat between sets added a personal note. With violin and cello, we were treated to Chisholm’s poignant slow airs ‘Prince Charlie’s Last View’ and ‘Precious Place’. Also Phil Cunningham’s ‘The Wedding Celebration’. Hamish Napier’s joyful strathspeys and reels on piano, flute and cello, with ‘John Stephens of Chance In’ and ‘Windsong’. All four musicians performed a moving Gaelic song ‘Mo Rùn Geal Òg’, (sung by Julie Fowlis on the album)They finished this lovely concert with the energy of upbeat tunes such as ‘The Wound and the Gift’.

Su a Lee celebrates her many collaborations. This wasn’t a concert about Lee’s classical music roots (via the New York’s Julliard school) but about her journey through Scottish musical traditions and it’s innovative new directions. The cello is the original Scottish folk rhythm section, long before guitar or piano and is now enjoying a revival through artists like Su-a Lee. The leading fiddle players of their day, Neil Gow and Peter Milne, had cellists that toured with them. Lee is a lead cellist with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. 


The Album:  Her album Dialogues (2023) is about her musical connections from this expressive musician, with her accomplished fellow musicians. While Lee has played on many albums over her thirty year career, this is her first solo album of 15 compositions. Dialogues is both grounded in traditions and new compositions: exploring Scottish traditional music from reels and strathspeys, slow ballads and Gaelic song ending with the solo setting of her Burns Ae Fond Kiss. 

"As much as this album is about finding my own voice and a voice for Scottish folk cello, it is also about the interaction of two voices…..Welcome to our dialogue." Su-a Lee

(Sometimes if not often) culture leads the way for new visions. And new collaborations of how to view the world today and how our futures might be. Celtic Connections shines a light on this vision, after all music is the universal language. Her work ranges from classical, experimental, folk traditional. 




Su-a Lee is a cellist born is Seoul, South Korea and resident in Scotland. She is known for her wide-ranging collaborations across classical, contemporary, jazz and Scottish traditional music. Through her prolific career as lead cellist in groups like the Scottish Chamber Orchestra & Mr McFall’s Chamber Su-a has constantly explored the role of the cello in folk & world traditions.

Hamish Napier is a folk musician, composer and tutor who taught Stagecraft on the Trad Music degree course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland for many years; Merryn Glover is a writer, workshop leader and storyteller, with a teaching degree in English, drama & dance.

Duncan Chisholm is a Scottish fiddle player and composer. He has released seven solo albums as a solo artist. His studio album, Affric 2012, was longlisted for the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award. In 2022, he released a seventh studio album, titled Black Cuillin. He tours with the Scottish Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis band. He is also a founder member of the folk rock group Wolfstone, He played fiddle for Runrig. .

 

Donald Shaw,  is a Scottish award winning musician, composer, producer, and one of the founding members of Capercaillie Shaw has composed for film and TV. In 2004, he composed Harvest, a commission for the opening night of Celtic Connections festival. He won the Scots Trad Music Composer of the Year award in December 2006.



CC Mackintosh Church Setlist

1.  Ae Fond Kiss 

2.  Baroque Suite
(i) Baroque March Mull (ii) Cathedral of Trees (iii) Malpica
 (iv) Ocean Poem 


3.  EbytheC 


4.  F Strathspey Set
(i) John Stephen of Chance In (ii) Windsong 

5.  Duncan Slow Airs
i) Prince Charlie’s Last View (ii) Precious Place 

6.  Water Set
(i) The Dance 
(ii) Waltz of the Grey River (iii) Corryvreckan 

7.  Bach Bourrées 


8.  Mo Rùn Geal Òg Instr 

9.   Donald’s Set 
(i) Madame Lulu
(ii) Islands on the Edge 

10. Hamish Tune Set 

(i) Bagh Seannabhad (ii) Speyside Line 

11. Paths Finale Set 

(i) Phillippa’s Tune (ii) Josianne
(iii) Speyside Way (iv) The Deer Path 

Encore The Wound and the Gift   62 mins   6 mins applause 

Su-a, Duncan, Donald, Hamish 



Wednesday, 29 January 2025

Blue Rose Code Martyn tributes at Celtic Connections 2025



Blue Rose Code is led by Ross Wilson who was on top form and gave an assured and joyous performance of his heartfelt and rhythmic songs. They are a top quality band and tonight were celebrating their sixth studio album. Their influences include folk, Americana, jazz, soul and contemporary. 

The concert was a tribute to Wilson's musical hero John Martyn. Fifteen years after Martyn’s Glasgow gig to start his 2010 tour, his concert inspired Wilson to head for London to pursue music. He grew up in Leith Edinburgh and he talks of his troubled time growing up. For those of us who have known difficulties, music can offer a life line and Wilson’s soothing soul voice often hits the right notes and tone.  


Wilson sang his popular songs - ‘Grateful’, ‘Love a Little’, ‘Red Kites’ ‘Love is Action' and ‘Stardust.” He performed an expressive Jackson Browne cover ‘Something Fine’ and a moving, poignant and soulful ‘Amazing Grace’. 





He wished us peace in our hearts with an encore song, his colourful interpretation of Martyn’s ‘Over the Hill’.

He was well supported by Rhona McFarlane, on piano and guitar and with her excellent band.  Her debut album “As the Chaos Unfolds’ out 25th January 2025.  

Rhona McFarlane

 

Friday, 25 October 2024

Celtic Connections 2025!




 Europe’s biggest winter festival celebrates 32nd year Celtic Connections Glasgow 16th Jan to 2nd Feb

The world’s leading folk, roots and world music festival Celtic Connections has unveiled its ambitious program 2025. Glasgow UNESCO City of Music-  25 venues, 300 events across 18 days, anticipating 110,000 visitors and 1,200 musicians and artists

The premiere winter festival will illuminate stages across Glasgow. Eclipsing dark winter nights with a kaleidoscope of internationally-renowned music, exciting new performances, unique showcases and one-off collaborations. Around 1,200 musicians from 20 countries will descend on Glasgow for the international celebration of Celtic music. 

 

*Celtic is about the most unique and inspired collaborations, emotional tribute concerts, beautiful Gaelic song, traditional ballads and instruments, exciting ceilidh bands, and accomplished musicianship. Plus international and Celtic music. 

 

Highlights include – Grammy-award winner Lyle Lovett, Katie Tunstall, 

**Opening concert – celebrates Glasgow 850, “Let Glasgow Flourish”  the city’s Coat of Arms, to pay tribute to the city’s rich artistic heritage of music, art, poetry, dance and film. How this has fed into Celtic Connections. With unique collaborations, from well-kent faces and emerging talent.  

 



Bluebells Barrowlands; Peat & Diesel Emirate; Braebach with Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO); 

celebrated Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis will undertake her first orchestral commission at the festival with the Scottish Orchestra and her Scots-Irish quartet Allt, alongside Zoe Conway, Eamon Doorley and John Mcintyre. 

Malinky 25th anniversary concert.  Frigg, Finnish band, Scandi folk with BBC Symphony Orchestra. Old Fruitmaket – Glasgow trad scene TRIP headline show; Gaelic song and Hebridean music with Ceolos @30 from South Uist. 

 

New Voices Commissions – BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2021 pianist Michael Biggins, Skye born harpist Clorstaidh Beaton and promising banjo talent Ciaran Ryan.

Showcase Scotland partners with Ireland, with Niamh Bury Trio, Nuala Kennedy and Eamonn O’Leary, Corar Trio, Florock, Grainne Hunt and Leonard Barry Trio.

 

The SNJO hosts Nu-Age Sounds: PLANET WORLD, The Old Fruitmarket, with Mercury Prize nominated pianist Fergus McCreadie and jazz singer kitti. And SAY Award shortlisted corto.alto folk-infused jazz Barrowlands, with Scots jazz talent Bemz, Pippa Blundell, Becky Sikasa and JSPHYNX.

 

Canntaireachd with Gaelic singers Kathleen MacInnes, Kim Carnie, and pipes.

Celebrated Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis will undertake her first orchestral commission at the festival with the Scottish Chamber Orhestra and her scots-Irish quartet Allt which, alongside Zoe Conway, Eamon Doorley and John McInytre. 




*Transatlantic Sessions celebrates 30 years of the roots of Americana, with popular house band led by Aly Bain and Jerry Douglas - and featuring vocalists Loudon Wainwright III, Julie Fowlis, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams and Ireland’s Niall McCabe. Plus American folk-roots pop singer-songwriter Josh Rouse celebrates the 10th birthday of his famous album Nashville, Bluegrass sensations Hawktail, Boston’s Lake Street Dive share their avant-garde Americana sound. 

 

Tradition series, plus ceilidhs, late night sessions, Festival Club, screenings, workshops, the Scottish National Whisky Festival and education program. 

Duncan Chisholm

The very best in world music acts will once again be welcomed to the Celtic Connections line up. Fronted by London-born Nigerian singer Eno Williams, Ibibio Sound Machine will play the Tramway. A clash of African and electronic elements, the outfit is inspired by the golden era of West-African funk and disco and modern post-punk and electro. Femi Kuti & The Positive Force will also bring their iconic live show to Scotland. The eldest son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, Femi will showcase his jubilant energy and distinctive voice to a Glasgow Royal Concert Hall audience.

From small beginnings in 1994, the festival now attracts international artists, and this year will welcome artists from 20 countries - Australia, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, France, Italy, Nigeria, Spain, Wales, Ireland, Republic of the Congo and more. This year will see the launch of under-26s pass, and ensuring the magic of the festival continues to be accessible.

 

Ceiran  Ryan


Glasgow’s much-loved venues, famous for having the “best fans in the world”, are set to give artists a warm welcome -  The Old Fruitmarket, Barrowland Ballroom, SWG3, Saint Luke’s and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Celtic Connections and Peat and Diesel will become the first band to play at the Emirates Arena in the city’s east end.

 

TICKETS -  Wednesday 16 October 2024 at www.celticconnections.com.


This year the festival will focus on several High-profile women – Madison Cunningham,  Lady Blackbird, Beth Malcolm, Abi Sompa, (Orchestral Qowwali Project). PLUS award-winning Karine Polwart headline show and 300 choir, Julie Fowlis and Allt and the Scottish chamber Orchestra. 

Karine Polwart

Julie Fowlis