CELTIC CONNECTIONS 2017 review

This year Celtic Connections music festival celebrated the contributions to music by women, with concerts this year by top women musicians – intimate Laura Marling, heart-warming Mary Chapin Carpenter, the star quality of Olivia Newton John and also the talent of, Beth Neilson Chapman, Eddi Reader and Julie Fowlis. Celtic Connections is the world's largest world, folk and roots music festival with over 2,000 musicians, 300 events, 20 venues.

My concerts this year also included rhythmic songwriter King Creosote, storyteller Rab Noakes and accomplished fiddler John McCusker. A special mention for Rose Code Blue’s concert at City halls, with his full band and as always some exciting new songs. Check him out!  Many of the most exciting younger folk musicians like to mix up the genres (cletic fusion) – King Creosote, C Duncan, Rose Code Blue. A prime example was Martyn Bennett who mixed the piping traditions with modern dance grooves to great effect.

Altan

Kathleen McInnes with Rab Noakes

John McCusker

I enjoyed a quality concert from Rab Noakes, when he sang both his classics (landmark songs) along with his more recent work – songs such as Gently Does It, I’m Walkin Here, Tramps and Immigrants. I remember singing his classics with other folk singers – Edens Flow, Clear Day, Together Forever, Branch. Happy Days! Noakes too mixes his Scottish roots and American influences.

Rab Noakes

Jim Lauderdale

Jerry Douglas

Music at Celtic Connections celebrates the benefits of our very diversity.

“One of the many true joys of CC is that within our tradition of Celtic music and international collaborations, we do not think about creative boundaries. Instead, we present on our stages some of the most brilliant musicians working today and explore the richness and diversity of the music we are celebrating.” Celtic Connections director Donald Shaw.

One of the joys of folk music is it live improvisation and collaboration. It is not about sheet music or the studio as much as sitting playing with others in a casual, relaxed way and the discovery old tunes and new. Its also about playing intimate, folk venues and clubs. Yes its about past a rich past tradition, but it also adds the new. As greats Burns, Yeats or Dylan knew and understood, artists need to build on the past and as Rab Noakes wrote , ‘A future with no past, has no future.’

John Paul White

Iona Fyfe

The climax of the festival is always the memorable Transatlantic Sessions concert, with its energetic Scottish tunes balanced with American rhythms. We left the Glasgow concert hall with the sounds of Scottish fiddles, American country, Trad and Gaelic ballads and engrossing rhythms, to take with us renewed into the winter night!

Next year Celtic will partner with Ireland. Many of Ireland's best musicians have performed at the festival – including Van Morrison, Clannad, Sharon Shannon, Karen Casey, Chieftains, Altan, Dervish, Damien Dempsey, Cara Dillon, more! Next year's festival promises to be a good one!

Showcase Scotland this year – C Duncan, Adam Holmes, Rachel Sermanni.

*BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2017 was won by fiddler Charlie Stewart. Other finalists included Dougie McCance (bagpipes), Ella Munro (Scots song), Grant McFarlan (accordion), Iona Fyfe (Scots song), Kim Cranie (Gaelic song).

*Danny Kyle Open Stage WINNERS (from 72 acts)

Doro Weber (drums) with the Magpies.

Marianne McGregor (Scottish singer songwriter),

An Dha ( English folk band), fiddle, cello)

Dope Sick Fly ( Scottish funk band)

Arocet ( Scottish trad )

“You have to be somebody before you can share yourself.” (online) Silcon valley apostate Jason Larnier

Laura Marling

Olivia Newton John

Julie Fowlis

Scottish Broadcasting channel

Well, this is a shock! – announcement that the "Scottish Six" will not happen and then a few days later an announcement of a "Scottish BBC TV channel!"

I assume this is to keep the Anglicized Scots Yoons happy who love the union.

For 20 years a Scottish Six has been discussed, planned for and pilots made. There is a wealth of creative and journalistic talent here in Scotland. The BBC spends Scotland 55% of license money raised here – which compares to 75% for N Ireland, 100% England, 100% Wales. It’s been a scandal quite obviously!! This will increase License spend here to around 68%. There has been a dearth of Scottish Arts and Review programs.

The English news programs talk of BRITAIN as meaning England or Brenland – there is never any mention of the Scottish NHS or education being any different. Scottish news is totally ignored (such as the junior doctor strike).

The English-based national news does not serve Scotland – it is full of English only relevance on Brexit etc. The BBC ethos has been primarily is to promote the idea of a “united” UK and the concept of “Britishness”. The BBC often appears to be an Arm of the State. The Anti-Scotland Unionists are of course up in arms over the news! STV were also planning a Scottish news program. Why on earth can't we in Scotland be good neighbours without being run from London?

I read that the region of Catalonia has 4 TV channels, at a spend of £300m! A 24 hour news channel, a culture channel, a sports channel and a children's channel!!

As the InyRef looks likely it is very telling that the SBC will not start until autumn 2018!

Will we have NO media to cover IndyRef.

Varsity Vocals A acapella Finals

Aberpella, Aberdeen

I recently attended such a high quality concert Varsity Vocals -  ICCA UK quarter finals at the Queens hall Edinburgh. It was clear the commitment, time and effort all the groups had put in –

Cosmopolitan (Leeds), Accidentals, Aberpella, Northern Lights, Alley Cats, Songsmiths, The Other Guys,

By chance I watched Shine’ on BBC  a show of boy bands thrown together by Gary Barlow and the standard of harmony singing, timing, rhythm, presentation, musicianship was dire by comparison.

Three the groups got through to the semi-finals at the New Wimbledon theatre London – Accidentals, St Andrews; Aberpella, Aberdeen; Northern Lights Durham.

 

Northern Lights (Durham)

Well done to all!

(The winner of the semi- final will attend the final in New York.)

https://varsityvocals.com/event/icca-united-kingdom-semifinal-new-wimbledon-theatre/

Transatlantic Sessions 2017

An electrifying, giddy and enriching concert to warm those cold winter blues!

_{As the lights flickered on stage we were treated to a concert of welcome variety – of hand-clapping Scottish energy jigs and reels, of flamboyant, country airs; foot-stomping thrills and of quality musicianship.}

_{The TS band was led by musical director and host, expert dobro player Jerry Douglas who loomed large and also by the gifted, unassuming fiddler Aly Bain, who makes it look so easy and who was flanked by composer and long time partner Phil Cunningham.}

_{On the left was the Scottish contingent with the ever popular Uillean pipes, whistle and flute player Michael McGoldrick, fiddler John McCusker, along with festival director Donald Shaw on piano who added to the quality line up with their energetic Scots tunes. On occasions there is spontaneous appreciation from the enthusiastic crowd.}

_{While on the right of the stage, the American banjos with Douglas, Dirk Powell and guitarist Russ Barenburg took up the pace and rhythm. It’s a welcome coming together of those strands of music that travelled from these shores to the Smokey Mountains, the Great Plains and of the many returns and new pathways added. It’s a delight to mix it up – when American country meets Scottish roots and fiddle tunes!}

_{The hall was packed and buzzed with anticipation. Douglas was on grand form, while the backing singers danced. This concert is set up on stage as a casual back porch session with a sofa for the singers, which adds to the warm chemistry.}

_{And then there is those heart-warming melodic songs sung by Jim Lauderdale, Karan Casey, Dirk, Tift Marritt, Eddi,Reader, John Paul White.}
From Carolina Tift Merritt’s voice was powerful at the piano with the song ‘Heartache is an Uphill Climb’ and she also sang ‘Easter Lights’. ‘Good Hearted Man’ and ‘Wait for Me’. Americana and bluegrass singer Jim Lauderdale had loads of character with his accomplished ‘Headed for the Hills’, ‘Angel Band,’ I Lost You’ and ‘We’ve Only got so much time’. Irish lass Karan Casey was a delight and she sang - ‘Dol Cashes’, backed by well blended harmonies, the lovely lullaby ‘Lovely Annie’ and and the anti-colonial song ‘The Kings Shilling.‘

_{Regular top guitarist Russ Barenburg performed his tune ‘Hymn’ - he knows when to hold back, keep it subtle enough but bring emotion too with that simple melody. Dirk Powell, played old-time Appalachian style banjo with his ‘Motherless Child’, ‘High Score King’ and ‘Waterbound,’ when he spoke fondly of his grandfather’s inspirations. While always bouncy Irish guitarist John Doyle sang ‘The Bonny Light Horseman’ and Phil Cunningham played his moving tune ‘Irish Beauty.‘}

_{From Alabama Grammy winning John Paul White (The Civil Wars) mixes country and blues and impressed with a dramatic soulful performance of his songs ‘Make You Cry’, Crazy Arms, ‘What’s So’ and ‘I’ve Been Over this Before.’}

_{The ever popular, charismatic flame-haired Eddi Reader, warmed our hearts with healing songs to lift our spirits in these turbulent days. She sang the Burns song ‘Winter is Past’ and with Willie Nelson’s ‘Back to Earth’ and a rockin ‘Humingbird.’} 

John Paul White

Douglas spoke of the musicians we have sadly lost the past year and all the singers performed a rousing  tribute to country singer Guy Clark, described as the King of Texas Troubadours, with his ‘Desperado’s Waiting for the Train.‘

_{*It’s clear not only are the band all good friends but great musical partnerships – Jerry and Russ, Aly and Phil, Michael and John. Plus the engine room of the band Danny Thompson (double bass), James MacIntosh (drums) and John Doyle (rhythm guitar). who are tight with their right on rhythms. Performing with such a high quality band certainly raises everyone’s game.}

_{The Americans Tim O’Brien and fiddler haven’t managed TS recently, I hope they might return. This concert is all about what works, tradition, depth, quality players. I hope too we might see a woman musician of equal quality standard join the band some time soon!}