Ceolbeg - Collected
It is with considerable pride that Greentrax presents this collection of some of the highlights of the music of Ceolbeg. Both the band and Greentrax are very proud of what this mainly part-time band achieved over so many years, and the contribution they made to the music of Scotland over almost three decades. Ceolbeg is arguably the finest instrumental and vocal band to sign for Greentrax - away back in 1991.
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Eric Bogle with John Munro - A Toss Of The Coin
In 2009 Eric Bogle completed his final tour of the UK and Europe, and now confines his touring to Australia and New Zealand, which is of course a huge loss to his legions of British and North American fans. These fans will, however, be very pleased to learn that Eric has not given up song-writing and recording - and A Toss Of The Coin testifies to that. This album again confirms that he is one of the best and most prolific songwriters of the last several decades.
This album takes a slightly different direction to Eric's most recent recordings in that Eric sings ten of the songs, while John Munro not only contributes two new songs but sings them as well. Of Eric's songs, seven are entirely works by him, one other is a poem to which Eric has written the music, and the remaining two are songwriting contributions by friends. As usual, Eric's songs reflect the times we live in and recent world events.
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Various Artists - Celtic Airs & Reflective Melodies
Over the years Greentrax Recordings has received many requests for an album exclusively of slow airs and reflective melodies and this album has been released to fulfil that need. The Greentrax back-catalogue was carefully searched and after much deliberation we arrived at this selection.
The music is performed by many of Scotland's most celebrated musicians and reflects the playing of almost all of Scotland's traditional instruments including the clarsach, concertina, fiddle, guitar, Highland bagpipe, Scottish small pipes, piano, whistles and even a track with the Gaita Asturian (Asturian bagpipe).
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Various Artists - The Music & Song Of The Great Tapestry Of Scotland
This album is being released in association with The Great Tapestry Of Scotland which is currently being stitched on panels designed by the artist Andrew Crummy, and will go on exhibition in 2013.
The Tapestry, which will be longest in the world when complete, has been given the stamp of approval by The Scottish Parliament. Greentrax was invited to release a double album of songs and music representing forty of the panels.
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The Glencraig Scottish Dance Band - Ah'm Dancin' (Old Time Dances)
This is the final album in a series of four by the much-loved Glencraig Scottish Dance Band. The series covers all the Scottish dance formats that the Glencraig Band perform - The Ceilidh, The Reel Party, Scottish Country Dances and Old Time Dances.
The previous three albums were Are Ye Dancin'? (The Ceilidh), Are Ye Askin'? (The Reel Party) and Ah'm Askin' (Scottish Country Dances). All of these albums contain full dance instructions within the CD booklets.
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The Occasionals - Birling
The Occasionals ceilidh band started in 1986, featuring a number of great musical friends. Over time it naturally distilled into the quartet of musicians heard here on this, their seventh recording: Freeland Barbour, Ian Hardie, Kevin MacLeod and Gus Millar.
This album is a celebration of 25 years of playing dances at many different occasions, and the band has included some old classics, lesser known gems from Jimmy Shand and Bobby MacLeod, and a good few new ones from Freeland.
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Various Artists - No Pasaran: Scots In The Spanish Civil War
A collection of songs and a poem principally about the many Scots who volunteered to fight in Spain on the side of the elected Republican Government against General Franco and the fascists. The Scots volunteers fought mainly with The International Brigade which included, as the name suggests, volunteers from many other countries of the world. Some tracks were recorded specially for this album and others were licensed from other companies and individuals.
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Kilmarnock Edition - Pay It Forward
Taking their name from Robert Burns' celebrated volume of work, Kilmarnock Edition first came together in the International Burnsong Songhouse of 2009 when, as prize-winners, they were closeted together to write songs for a week, culminating in a gig in the Scottish Parliament on St Andrews Day.
All well-known singer-songwriters in their own right, the six band members come from all over Scotland and skilfully weave together many elements of contemporary Scottish song. By no mean a classic folk band, Kilmarnock Edition songs very definitely have their roots in Scots folk but also manage to weave, skilfully, strands of jazz, Scots reggae, Gaelic and other world music, to produce what is an exciting new genre of Scottish song.
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Fiona J Mackenzie - Archipelago
Fiona J MacKenzie, a previous Mod Gold Medallist, releases her third album for Greentrax. Archipelago is a collection of songs in Gaelic, Scots and Norn from islands all across Scotland, from Shetland in the far north to Ailsa Craig in the south.
Fiona is a native of Morayshire and has lived in Dingwall, near Inverness, for the last 23 years. She was brought up in the Scots folk tradition and sings in both the Scots tongue and in Gaelic. She has won various Gaelic awards, including a Mod Gold Medal, and was voted BBC Radio Scotland Personality Of The Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards in 2004.
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David Francey - The First Set (Live From Folk Alley)
The First Set - Live From Folk Alley was recorded at Kent State Folk Festival and is an introduction to nine of David's classic songs.
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David Francey - Late Edition
From carpenter to songwriter - since leaving construction and recording his first album in 1999, Scottish-born Canadian David Francey is recognised as one of today's finest singer-songwriters.
In concert David Francey is a singer and a storyteller. His wry humour and astute observations, combined with his openhearted singing have earned him a loyal following. His straightforward songs tell honest stories of real people and places. Poetic perception and a keen eye for the matter are trademarks of the man and his music.
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Various Artists - A Highland Journey Vol 2 - Music In The Glen
This second musical tour of the beautiful Scottish Highlands, including actual environmental sounds of the glens, lochs, mountains and the Great Forrest of Caledon, is a very welcome and long awaited addition to the Celtic Collections Series. Featuring ancient airs and dance tunes from the uniquely beautiful Highlands of Scotland, with evocative titles reflecting popular Scottish areas of beauty and interest. They lead you on a journey from Perthshire, the gateway to the Highlands, up through Cairngorm and Speyside, to Loch Ness and Kintail, and by the Sound of Sleat over to Skye, and other wonderful islands of the Hebrides.
These are wonderful tunes played by top musicians Jack Evans (producer), Pete Clark and Marc Duff - they play a wide variety of instruments including guitars, fiddle, various whistles and a lot more. Jack Evans was a member of several Scottish folk bands and currently teaches at Plockton School of Excellence. Pete Clark was a member of Scottish group Heritage and has solo fiddle albums to his credit, plus he teaches fiddle. Marc Duff is an ex-member of Capercaillie, has played in many other groups and is in huge demand as a session musician.
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Ian Hardie - A Breath Of Fresh Airs
This was the first album released by Greentrax in 1986 and having just celebrated their 25th Anniversary it seemed appropriate to re-release this excellent and very special album for the first time on CD.
Ian Hardie is an outstanding fiddle player and multi-instrumentalist, who played in many fine folk groups which sprang out of the very vibrant session scene of Sandy Bell's Bar in Edinburgh. These include Chorda and Jock Tamson's Bairns. Ian has also played a significant role in Highland Connection, The Ghillies and currently The Occasionals ceilidh band, with whom he has recorded several times.
In addition to this highly acclaimed solo album, Ian recorded a second solo album - A Breath of Fresher Airs - and a duo album with Andy Thorburn - The Spider's Web. He also released his album Westring on his own label.
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Alistair Ogilvy - Leaves Sae Green
Alistair is a fine traditional singer. He was a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland 'Young Traditional Musician Of The Year' Award in both 2011 and 2012, and won the Traditional Music And Song Association's ‘Young Singer Of Merit' award the same year. Alistair has already appeared at many folk clubs and festivals in the UK and his songs have been aired on several Radio Scotland programmes.
Born in Strathblane, surrounded by beautiful countryside and the Campsie Hills, Alistair now lives in Glasgow. His family encouraged a young boy's love of music but especially his grandparents who nurtured an interest in traditional song. The result is Alistair has been singing ever since he can remember and traditional song has become a way of life for him.
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Rura - Break It Up
Rura won the 'Best Up And Coming Artist' award at the 2011 MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards, and were also Danny Kyle Award winners that year. Their powerful music has already created a buzz throughout the traditional music scene and their debut album is eagerly awaited by all.
This five-piece band from the West of Scotland combines the passions and influences of some of Scotland's most exciting young musicians. Among them, they feature three BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Of The Year finalists and an All-Ireland Bodhran Champion.
The album is a fine balance of tunes (including a Pibroch) and songs. The instrumental sets are tight and generate great excitement, while the stunning vocals of the most recent member, Adam Holmes, has brought greater depth to the band.
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Various Artists - Music & Song From Scotland - The Greentrax 25th Anniversary Collection
2011 sees Greentrax Recordings Ltd celebrating its 25th Anniversary with a double CD collection for the price of one CD.
The double CD is a compilation of 25 tracks, plus two bonus tracks, all of very special relevance and significance to the label and its managing director, Ian Green. The tracks selected by Ian are not necessarily a ‘best of' collection (although they readily fit that description) but each has featured prominently in some special way in the 25-year journey, including a track from the very first album and one from the last release as celebrations commence. It was no easy task to make this selection from the material available.
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The Haddington Pipe Band - The Haddington Turnpike And Other Great Pipe Tunes
The Haddington Pipe Band was formed in 1981, very much as a community band, and that ethos, championed by Pipe Major David Leckie and their honorary president Bill Bradford (two of the original founders), remains their guiding principle.
The band, based in Haddington, East Lothian, does not take part in competitions but focus on local community and charity events - galas, festivals and such like. 2011 is the 30th Anniversary of the band, which has strong links with Haddington's twin town in France, Aubigny-sur-Nere.
What drives the band is a love of pipe band music, so as well as playing, many of the members spend time teaching piping and drumming to youngsters (and others not so young). A feature of the band is the regular introduction of young pipers and drummers into their ranks, many of them sons, daughters and sisters of existing band members.
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Seudan - Seudan
Seudan comprises some of Scotland’s leading exponents of traditional pipe music and Gaelic song.
The music is alive and vital, closely related to its old natural step dance rhythms while the piobaireachd follows the song versions from which they originated. The arrangement and delivery of their repertoire is directly influenced by the music of the Western Isles of Scotland and the East Coast of Canada.
Seudan are: Calum MacCrimmon, Angus MacKenzie, Fin Moore, and Angus Nicolson with Allan MacDonald (Pibroch Song and small pipes). Joined on their debut CD by: Mac Morin (piano and steps), Donald Hay (percussion), Ross Martin (guitar) and Kathleen MacInnes (Gaelic Song).
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Robin Laing - Whisky For Breakfast
Robin Laing is Scotland’s ‘Whisky Bard’. This is his fourth album of whisky songs, and this time, whether following his Muse or the thread spun for him by the Fates, he has put together a collection of his own songs, all on the tasty subject of Scotch whisky. An eclectic mix of songs, they might go down well with a dram but they can also be enjoyed in their own right by anyone at all: young or old, male or female, drunk or sober.
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