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 Haddigton 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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Brian McNeill - The Road Never Questions
This is a compilation of tracks from Brian McNeill’s prolific output of solo and duo albums he released during his time with the Battlefield Band and since moving on. Brian found selecting the tracks for this album somewhat difficult but it was a labour of love at the same time – not least because of the memories involved in making each of the albums.
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Various Artists - Songs & Ballads From Perthshire
This album is released in the year of the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the School of Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh in 1951. The School is delighted that Maurice Fleming of Blairgowrie, whose collecting forms a very important part of the School Archives, has himself acted as editor. The album includes many of the fine singers Maurice met while on fieldwork in the 1950s in Perthshire. All but one of the singers featured here is a member of the Travelling community, and it is very fitting that the Travellers should be the focus, since their contributions to the School of Scottish Studies Archives have been so central to the understanding of oral culture.
This collection includes contributions from Belle and Sheila Stewart, Willie MacPhee, Bella Higgins, Charlotte Higgins, Jock White, Betty (Dolly) White, Martha Reid, John MacDonald, Willie Townsley, Stewart McPhee, Ruby Kelbie, Tommy Bonthrone and more.
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The Paul McKenna Band - Stem The Tide
Traditional music as well as original songs and tunes from this dynamic young 5-piece led by singer Paul McKenna. The Paul McKenna Band have been playing to audiences throughout the UK and beyond since 2006. With a contemporary approach to songs, although not straying too far from their roots, their arrangements are both fresh and innovative. Their exciting sound is created through outstanding vocals, driving guitar and bouzouki, intense fiddle playing, a warm pairing of flute and whistles, and dynamic bodhrán and percussion. Their first album (self-titled) won them Best Up And Coming Artist Of The Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards in 2009, and received critical acclaim.
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Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas - Highlander's Farewell
Alasdair Fraser is recognised as one of Scotland's finest exponents of the fiddle, and for some time now has enjoyed an artistic collaboration with the wonderful cellist Natalie Haas. Their debut album together - Fire And Grace - was voted Album Of The Year at the 2004 Scots Trad Music Awards, and this was followed in 2007 by their recording In The Moment. Once again they unleash their dazzling teamwork, with driving, dancing rhythms and a shared passion for taking the infectious melodies and grooves of Scottish and Celtic music on an exciting new journey.
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Barbara Dickson - Words Unspoken
One of Scotland's most successful singers, Barbara has had many hit singles, gold and platinum albums and is also a successful actress. Here she sings eight traditional Scottish songs, plus a few more recent compositions.
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Steele The Show - The Songs Of Davy Steele
Davy will be fondly remebered by all who heard him perform with the many bands he joined or formed: Drinker's Drouth, Ceolbeg, Clan Alba, Urbin Ri, Caledon and The Battlefield Band. Here are some of his songs sung by friends - some of the best singers around!
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Stevie Palmer - Heartprint Shadow
Steve is a former National Burnsong winner, and his song Black Is The Sun was included on the Far, Far From Ypres (World War 1) compilation. He is a songwriter of great talent, whose story so far has been of high achievement and steady progress. An album of original songs.
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Scottish Music Of The RSAMD - The Future Of Our Past
Recordings by students on the Scottish Music courses of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. A mixture of music and songs, recorded at the RSAMD by Bob Whitney and co-produced by Phil Cunningham and Findlay Napier. The students include Kirsten MacLeod, Katherine MacLeod, Paul McKenna, Alasdair Henderson and others.
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Jeana Leslie & Siobhan Miller - Shadows Tall
Jeana and Siobhan are two talented young singers and musicians who are recognised as shining new stars on the Scottish music scene. Both are blessed with natural voices that blend beautifully. The duo are previous winners of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards 2008 and The Scots Trad Awards Up And Coming Artist Of The Year 2008. They were also nominated for the BBC Folk Awards 'Horizon' award in 2009.
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Lorne MacDougall - Hello World
Two-time BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Of The Year finalist, piper Lorne MacDougall was brought up in Carradale, Kintyre. On leaving school he studied for a BA in Scottish Traditional Music at the Royal Scottish Academy Of Music And Drama in Glasgow, graduating with honours in 2005. Lorne has played with Grade 1 pipe bands The David Urquhart Travel Pipe Band, Glasgow Pipes And Drums and The Scottish Power Pipe Band, and has also toured with Brian McNeill and the folk band Canterach. He has appeared at festivals including Celtic Connections and The Cambridge Folk Festival.
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Ciaran Dorris - Home
Acclaimed singer-songwriter and popular Celtic Music Radio presenter Ciaran Dorris moved to Glasgow from his native Belfast in 1988, quickly earning plaudits for his songs and style. This debut album presents Ciaran to a far wider audience and should establish him as a fine singer-songwriter, with all but one of the songs from Ciaran's own pen.
"Sensitive songwriting and an emotionally-charged singing style, which tugs at the heart strings..." (Glasgow Evening Times)
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The Glencraig Scottish Dance Band - Ah'm Askin'
Lively dance tracks from the ever-popular Glencraig Band, led by Nicol McLaren. A fine six-piece band with lots of 'oomph' and plenty of lift, featuring two accordions, fiddle, piano, bass and drums.
This is the third album in a series of four, focussing this time on Scottish Country Dancing. Each of the different styles of Scottish Dance represented in this series (Ceilidh, Reeling, Scottish Country Dance and Old Time) requires a different nuance from the music to complement the dance. The Glencraig Band are masters of these styles and therefore popular with dance groups.
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Various Artists - The Battle Of Prestonpans 1745 - Music & Song Of The Campaign
A compilation of music and songs connected with the Battle Of Prestonpans, featuring artists Karen Matheson (Capercaillie), The Corries, The Whistlebinkies, The Panel Beaters, Jean Redpath, The McCalmans, Ceolbeg (with Davy Steele), Coreen Scott, Sangsters and The Drambuie Kirkliston Pipe Band.
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Alex Hodgson - Jeelie Jars 'N' Coalie Backies
ALEX HODGSON is from Prestonpans, East Lothian, close to the office of Greentrax Recordings. He carries on the fine tradition of Prestonpans song writing from the late Davy Steele. Alex was a finalist in the ‘Burnsong’ song writing competition in 2005 and 2009 and since then he has appeared live on the BBC Radio Scotland hogmanay show and with Robbie Shepherd’s popular BBC Radio Scotland programme ‘Take The Floor’.
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Mike Vass & Dave Wood - Wait What?
Mike Vass and Dave Wood are members of Malinky, one of Scotland's top touring folk bands. Mike Vass, who plays fiddle, is one of a family of musicians from Morayshire - for many years The Vass Family appeared at traditional music festivals around Scotland. Dave Wood also has a great deal of musical experience and is an outstanding instrumentalist - here he plays guitar and bouzouki.
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