Transatlantic Sessions review classy concert review 2025

Always such a classy, sophisticated concert with the quality transatlantic band and top notch singers! Tonight celebrating their 30^th year! (since 1995). Transatlantic Sessions explores the musical connections between Scotland, Ireland and America. Tonight Ireland was represented by Niall McCabe and John Doyle. Scotland by Julie Fowlis, Aly Bain,Donald Shaw, John McCusker. James Mackintosh. America by Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams, Jerry Douglas, Daniel Kimbro, Tatiana Hargreaves and Allison de Groot. Transatlantic Sessions offers the familiar and the new and how music connects us. 

 

The show opened with Aly Bain’s ‘Federals’. Then Irish singer Niall McCabe impressed with an assured performance with his strong voice and songs, ‘Stonemason’ and ‘November Swell’. He sang a sublime version of his ‘Your Letter’, which invoked our Celtic bonds across the Atlantic, with only Shaw on piano and Douglas on lap steele.

 

Accomplished husband and wife duo, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams from Tennessee, performed their love songs, such as ‘Did you ever love me at all and ‘That’s the way you make me feel.' Teresa and Larry were also on top form with their bluesy gospel song ‘Midnight Highway.’ Teresa was in a billowing eye-catching yellow shirt. Campbell played with Bob Dylan’s band for seven years, as well as many other notable musicians.

Niall McCabe

From the States, Loudon Wainwright III, certainly commanded the stage with his story-telling songs and gritty character. He was at his best with his ‘Swimming Song’, when Loudon impressed with the full band behind him, (fiddles, dubro, mandolin, guitar, piano, bass). He had everyone singing on his show stopper, the bard of Dundee Michael Marra’s ‘Hermless’. He later observed with his song “Things are weird right now - “No its not the end of the world as we know it, its just the middle of the night.”

A highlight was Scots Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis, who charms with her faster tempo music on ‘Domhnall Binn’, and also with her poignant lament of loss and longing ‘Ge fada ma Thriall (Catullus)’. With the song ‘Gradh Geal Mo Chrid’ from her new album ‘Looking for the Thread’ she held the audiences in a hushed silence, backed solely by Shaw’s piano and strings. She also played the pipes and whistle. Fowlis, from north Uist is one of the leading lights keeping the Celtic and Gaelic traditions alive. She literally sparkles on stage and brings class to any stage. After Culloden, highland instruments were banned but the Gaelic singing traditions were kept alive.

 

Loudon Wainwright III

From the band we were treated to fine tunes, from bluegrass to Shetland – ‘Stormy Point/ 'Far from Home'/ 'Bonnie isle of Whalsay'/ 'High Road to Linton.’ When each band member does a solo part. This accomplished band perform bluegrass, Americana, Scots and Irish folk tunes. The climatic finale featured Julie Fowlis with her song ‘Hug Air a Bhonaid Mhoir.’ After she joined the band on pipes, finishing with their usual set of rousing and uplifting tunes which always sets the audience on their feet. A toast to the excellent musical directors!

 

Transatlantic Sessions offers us both established and emerging singers – the perfect platform for the artist and the perfect house band. Concerts such as TS proves the size of the audience for this kind of traditional, acoustic music. Celtic Connections music festival has taken the closed off live local pub sessions on to the bigger stage. And also taken Celtic music forward, while respecting the traditions. In particular certain folk musicians aim to keep carrying the stream. 

Julie Fowlis

 

Review and Photos Pauline Keightley - https://pkimage.co.uk/

 

**ALBUMS – 

Julie Fowlis, Mary chapman Carpenter, karine polwart – Looking for the Thread.  

Niall McCabe – Rituals

Lake Street Dive Old Fruitmarket Celtic Connections 2025

 

This packed indie crowd were ready to party, and they were not disappointed. Lake Street Dive blend an original mix of Fleetwood mac harmonies and Stevie Wonder rhythms. An interesting mix. With good times tempo drawing on Americana and jazz-infused soul – from Tennessee blues to New York sophistications. 

The band brought their sunny danceable vibes to the atmospheric Old Fruitmarket as part of the Celtic Connections music festival Glasgow. They began with their set with the memorable 'Good Together', from their new album.

Favourite tracks include – ‘Making Do’, ‘Nobody’s Stopping you Now’, ‘Same old News’, ‘Hypotheticals.’ Along with a top cover of Shania Twain’s ‘You’re Still the One.’ Lead singer Rachel Price shone on stage with her expressive, captivating voice and her star presence.

They played their party songs such as ‘Party on the Roof’ and the joyous ‘Dance with a Stranger’ which had everyone dancing and singing along to their intoxicating, fun rhythms. The band used the stage and at one point grouped together for acoustic songs with a heartfelt ‘Twenty Five’ followed by a charged "Walking Uphill" showing the band’s ability for romantic story-telling. The band finished their upbeat set with the energetic rhythms of ‘Good Kisser’.

This top quality band mix character, powerful vocals, a strong soul rhythm section and melodic catchy songs. They offer both connection and celebration. Double bass player, Bridget Kearney, showed her talent for dynamic drama and backing harmonies. The band includes accomplished musicians with guitarist James Cornelison, keyboardist Akie Bermiss and drummer Mike Calabrese,

They claim influences from the Beatles to Motown. They are touring their 2024 album Good Together to celebrate their twenty years as a band. Lake Street Dive were formed in 2004 at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. 

**They were well supported by the strong voice of Alisa Amador.

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 

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 25^th January 2025.  

Rhona McFarlane