Transatlantic Sessions 2023

 

The Transatlantic Sessions 2023 celebrated its 20^th year with its familiar and successful format – like a warm comfort blanket – which is one of the highlights of cc festivals final weekend. Afterwards the TS goes on tour to six UK venues. The strength of the sessions concerts is the unique quality of the folk, roots band that is fronted by a range of talented solo performers. They set the stage as a relaxed living room to capture that live folk essence.

This year’s sessions hosted its eclectic and diverse line up with firstly - Canadian folk royalty, singer songwriter Martha Wainwright, who recently released her fifth album Love Will Be Reborn, as well as her autobiography 'No Regrets.' She sang a poignant 'Love Will Be Reborn' and later more joyous songs with her guitar. She is an accomplished and engrossing performer, with her contemplative vocal nuances. 

Martha Wainwright

Karen Matheson

It is always good to see new talent coming through, tonight with Americans folk/ blues singer Amythyst Kiah and accomplished roots musicians, Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves: their debut album earned them the Independent Music Awards “Best Bluegrass Album.” Amythyst impressed with her strong soul voice: her first album in 2022, Wary + Strange, saw her opening for The Who. 

Amethyst Kiah

                              

Liam O Maonial

Irish musician Liam Ó Maonlai, frontman of Hothouse Flowers, displayed his virtuosity and range on both piano and vocals. His song ‘Worry Not’ had shades of John Marty’s folk blues. Revered Capercaillie vocalist, Scots Gaelic singer  Karen Matheson sang with her tender and pure voice ‘’I will Set my Ship in Order.’ In 2021 she released her album Still Time, with both traditional and contemporary songs. While dubro master Jerry Douglas performed a soaring George Harrison’s ‘My Guitar Gently Weeps ` and the finale of ever popular reels was uplifting.

Crucially the TS concert is led by the synergy between Aly Bain and Jerry Douglas, backed by the quality Scots, Irish and American musicians. As well as the tight dynamism of composers Phil Cunningham, John McCusker, Michael McGoldrick and Donald Shaw.

Jerry Douglas

John Doyle

This was my 14^th TS concert, and I did miss some of the American musicians who are often to the right of musical directors Jerry Douglas and Al Bain - Russ Barenburg, Tim O’Brian, Darrell Scott and others. I met audience members who’d travelled a distance to be part of the Celtic connections festivals – from Ireland and the US. A truly international, open and outward-looking musical celebration, as well as building on the Celtic musical traditions.

Many Americans celebrate their Scots Irish, connections – (with 17 Scots Irish of the 44 US presidents). My own background is Scots, Irish too, and the history of religious strife over these islands (and Europe!) is very confusing – even for scholars! Many left Europe for the Americas for freedoms, and took their heritage and religion with them. And also importantly, enlightened thought and freedom of thought, which we so value today. America was and is a melting pot of many diverse cultures, which led to a musical blending with travellers up the Mississippi river from New Orleans, and the Appalachian mountains – from Nashville to Chicago, to New York to Los Angeles. I’ve been on those road trips too, years back. 

Music is one of the most powerful forces to bring us all together. Our culture is very much NOT an extra, it’s the roots and future of who we are, and leads politics. It offers all a creative voice. There’s an artists in all of us. 

The Transatlantic band of both Celtic and Americana roots talent, includes Phil Cunningham, John Doyle, Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker, Donald Shaw, James Mackintosh and Daniel Kimbro.

NEW festival The Reeling

 

                                                  Glasgow gets major new festival with launch of The Reeling

Summertime celebration of Scottish music to come to Rouken Glen Park this June

The prayers of Glasgow audiences with an appetite for Scottish music have been answered, with the launch of a major new summertime festival in the city, The Reeling.

 

Rouken Glen Park will burst to life with traditional Scottish and roots music from some of the country’s most exciting artists on Saturday 10th andSunday 11th June 2023, for what will be the biggest single weekend of traditional music in the Central Belt. The Reeling is the brainchild of Glasgow-based music promoter Michael Pellegrotti, who is one of the co-directors behind the incredibly successful Skye Live Festival.

 

This new 5,000-capacity festival in Glasgow’s south side, which will be a celebration of Scottish culture, creativity and community, has made a strong commitment to deliver a first-class, professionally-run visitor experience for audiences from the get go, as well as putting a laser focus on sustainability, championing a fair working environment for event staff, and committing to a gender-balanced line up from its first year.

Skerryvore

With the word ‘reeling’ derived from much-loved Scottish dances and tunes, the aptly named festival is guaranteed to be an almighty knees-up, both on and off the stage, thanks to the likes of Scottish favourites Skerryvore, who will close the festival on Sunday night, and inimitable party starters Peatbog Fairies, who will close The Reeling on Saturday.

Braebach

Talisk

Iona Fyfe

Sian

The opening day also sees a raft of thriving Scottish talent grace the outdoor stage including Folk Band of the Year Breabach, Gaelic supergroup Dàimh, trad four-piece Fras, highly sought-after folk act RURA, Gaelic vocal harmony trio Sian, the groundbreaking and genre-defying trio Talisk and electro-trad duo Valtos.

On Sunday Skerryvore will be joined by a cast of much-loved acts in the form of Scotland’s most celebrated fiddle band Blazin' Fiddles, Hebrides powerhouse Eabhal, Stornoway electro-Celtic band Face The West, energetic trad act Heron Valley, festival favourites Hò-Rò, Scots singer Iona Fyfe and beloved folk singer Siobhan Miller.  

As well as a performance-packed outdoor main stage, the tree-lined Rouken Glen Park site will be home to some unique dining experiences and other activities that will make The Reeling a truly memorable summer day out for music fans of all ages.

 

 

Weekend tickets will be available at an exclusive price until 9 March. Sign up at

 

 thereeling.com. 

 

Kim Carnie at Celtic Connections 202

 Charmed with her soft, mesmerising voice

 

Carnie was the support artist for Duncan Chisholm, tonight and was backed by the strings and piano, and with Megan Henderson on vocals and violin and with Innes White on guitar. For tonight’s concert she performed Gaelic heritage songs. 

The song Chan Eil A’ Chuis was based on the work of a female bard, a hymn of the morning light and was backed with only piano, beautiful. Carnie has written new compositions for her album and with the festivals artistic director Donald Shaw producing – And So We Gather and She Moves Me. She has a bubble personality and it would be good to hear more of her upbeat and infectious final song – Nighearn sin Thall. The Gaelic song is ever popular with cc audiences and she performed with her clear tones and poignant songs. More please!

Duncan Chisholm at Celtic Connections 2023

Transported us with his engaging playing

 Chisholm has performed at every Celtic Connections since 1993. Duncan Chisholm engaged us with beautiful videos of his violin during the isolation of Covid, often shot on perfect locations on the Western Isles. His music has range of tone and atmosphere, transcends time and space. He has composed music of the Western Isles – of the swift-changing skies of Scotland’s western coastlines and dramatic mountain ranges; often foreboding but illuminating and hopeful as light breaks through.

 

**Tonight he played compositions from his new 2022 album Black Cullins –  the ragged range of jagged rocky mountains on the Isle of Skye. He was backed by an impressive line-up of award-winning Trad musicians - Jalath Henderson on uilleann pipes, Ross Ainslie on low whistle, Hamish Napier on keyboards and piano, Innes Watson on rhythm guitar, and Ross Hamilton on electric bass and guitar. Along with a string section led by Greg Lawson.

 

He began with the tender and forlorn Black Cuillin Theme with accompanying strings; Born on the Wind of Chaos soared with the full band, bass and electric guitar. The band took the energy and vibe up further with piano, pipes, whistle, percussion and rhythm guitar for the tune, To the High Mountain. Beneath the Fortress about the Skye bridge was majestic, as was the intimacy of Donald Shaw’s A Precious Place, who played piano on this tune, and the drama of pipes on Islands on the Edge.

The tune The Blue Cuillins of the Islands was Inspired by a poem of Sorley McLean’s. Followed by a touching performance of Donald Shaw’s Constellations. Chisholm played Phil Cunningham’s subdued, haunting When the Snow Melts, with only piano for his finale. Heart-warming.    https://www.duncanchisholm.com

 

Music of Resolutions.

Chisholm was supported by the excellent Gaelic singer Kim Carnie - Review and Photos here - 

 

Black Cuillin’ tells of a dream journey through this landscape over a day and a night.” 

Duncan Chisholm, Scottish fiddle player and composer, has released six solo albums. He tours with the Scots Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis and has toured with the folk rock band Wolfstone and the band Runrig.