Celtic Connections music festival 2019

If we loose Indigenous languages wee loose colour and diversity”  Brexit has brought the Celtic nations together

One of the highlights of my year is attending the wonderful and top class concerts of this highly respected folk, world and roots music festival. I’ve been shooting at Celtic Connections now since 2008, and its interesting to see how the festival evolves each year. I enjoy the atmospheric Old Fruitmarket , the main concert hall, the Danny Kyle stage and the enthusiastic buzz of this major Glasgow music festival

This year my concerts included  -  New Traditions: Talisk, Xabier Diaz, Vishten; Grace and Danger: concert to celebrate John Martyn; Kathleen MacInnes and amiina; Transatlantic Sessions with Cara Dillon

Celtic Connections 2019 included the Opening Concert, when 100 young musicians from Scotland and Galicia took to the stage on the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall performed alongside leading traditional Scottish artists.The festival line up included - Cherish the Ladies, Graham Nash, Elephant Sessions, Bokanté, Loudon Wainwright III, Judy Collins, Ronnie Spector & the Ronettes, Kathy Mattea, Shooglenifty, Aidan Moffat & RM Hubbert, Susheela Raman, Songhoy Blues, Mariza and a special performance of ‘An Treas Suaile’ (The Third Wave) with Julie Fowlis and Duncan Chisholm.

**A celebration of quality live music and challenging collaborations, which stays true to its Celtic roots and while also being innovative. This years International partner in 2019 was Spain’s Galicia. (given autonomy in 1981). Finland will be the festival’s partner in 2020. The festival includes: Showcase Scotland opportunities; Educational Program with morning concerts and workshops; Celtic Connections encourages new talent Danny Kyle Open Stage. Includes music, ceilidhs, talks, workshops, screenings and more, the world-leading annual music festival Celtic Connections 2019. 

** Celtic Connections encourages indigenous languages – as part of 2019 Unesco International year of indigenous Languages, Canada sent over artists and cultural leaders, representing their indigenous languages, to exchange ideas, dialogues, and to practice with Scots Gaelic talent. To give artists space and time to interrogate how Scotland and Canada’s shared colonial histories manifest within contemporary creative practice. 

18 days of music, ceilidhs, talks, workshops, screenings and more, of this world-leading music festival Celtic Connections. 2000 artists from 25 countries in 300 events on 35 stages across Glasgow – the most widespread Celtic Connections since the festival began in 1994. With attendances over 130,000 the festival was a huge draw for audiences from all over the world. Celtic Connections is a festival which stays true to its Celtic roots, while also exploring new ideas, musical styles including folk, blues, techno, jazz and Americana.  

Donald Shaw, Creative Producer for Celtic Connections, said:“The commissions and special collaborations which are one of our hallmarks, have travelled in musical directions which have amazed us all.“We sought to make this year’s festival our most innovative yet and thanks to the musicians who joined us we achieved this. It’s hard to believe it is almost over, and time now to start thinking of how we can better this next year when our incredible festival will return.”        

Alan Morrison, Head of Music, Creative Scotland said:The festival proved yet again that Scotland is as eager to welcome international acts with open arms as it is to share our own musical heritage with all our visitors, building friendships across borders. Celtic Connections 2020 can’t come soon enough.”

New Traditions: Talisk, Vishtèn and Xabier Diaz, Celtic Connections 2019 Review

These bands lit up the warm fires of live music!  

Tonight at the wonderful Old Fruitmarket venue, we were treated to an international line up of award-winning Celtic musicians. They played the Celtic musical traditions of Galicia, the French Canadian Arcadia islands and rich contemporary Scots Celtic.   

Xabier Diaz  Galician folk musician Xabier Diaz performed a colourful set along with the exuberant female voices of JNoró  Adufeiras de Salitre- who sang indigenous language songs and played their traditional percussion on spoons, tambourines, boards. They sing from deeper so their sound goes further. Also performing were the Alvarez brothers, Gutler (hurdy-gurdy) and Javier (diatonic accordion). Diaz mixes the traditions with modern innovations. Their music evokes the rich cultural threads of the Spanish peninsula (given autonomy in 1988).

Musician and composer Xabier Díaz (Berrogüetto, aCadaCanto), is a major voice in the trad-galego scene. He is also as collector of Galician folklore. Their first album, The Tambourine Man (Músicas de Salitre, 2015), has reinterpretations of traditional Galician music and an avant-garde approach with a tribute to the simple sound of traditional percussion. In 2018 they released Noró (Músicas de Salitre, a “declaration of love to the North” in other 13 songs with voice and percussion.  Website: http://www.galiciantunes.com/news/1184

French Canadian multi-instrumentalists, Vishten hail from Prince Edwards island, and they performed a warm set of reds and oranges with a faster style of Cajun music. They play traditional Acadian music along with contemporary vibes and rousing songs. The trio consists of Emmanuelle and Pastelle LeBlanc and Pascal Miousse. They performed on fiddle, guitar, accordion, octave mandolin, whistles, piano, bodhrán, jaw harp and foot-percussion, They said it was hard to find joyous archive songs, but they managed it with the song Miracles. They have a new album called Horizons.  Web - http://vishten.net/biography/

Award winners Taliskburst their sound on stage with fiddle, accordion and guitar. The band are led by concertina dynamo Mohson Amini, who Is one of the most physical and full on energetic players, ever!  Alongside the talents of fiddler Hayley Keenan and guitarist Graeme Armstrong. They played a set of dynamic, expressive and challenging tunes. The band have received excellent reviews for new album Beyond, in which they mix innovative electronic sounds.  Web - http://www.talisk.co.uk/

Encouraging to hear the music traditions kept alive and relevant with modern innovations and creativity. A highly entertaining evening of enriching live music.