Before we head into the bright lights of Edinburgh we take a wee detour to the small Stirlingshire village of Banknock, where singer-songwriter Karine Polwart is from. Many of her songs deal with social and political issues, from alcoholism and modern parenthood to genocide and Donald Trump's corporate megalomania. Here's a set from the npr tiny desk series. Two of the songs she plays here are featured on her 2018 Laws of Motion album:
And another little detour takes us to Buckhaven in Fife, where Janet Russell was born. She was active on the Scottish folk scene during the 1980's. She recorded just one beautiful album together with Christine Kydd in 1988, from which this following song is from. It's a Robert Burns song called The Deil's Awa wi' th'exciseman, The devil is away with the excise man. Of course famously the great bard himself was an excise man sniffing out illegal whisky stills in the wild Scottish countryside.
Karine Polwart was also a founding member of Edinburgh based band Malinky, but she left them in 2005. Here's a live performance of their song The Broomfield Hill, which features on their 2008 album Flower and Iron:
Edinburgh band Silly Wizard were active from 1970 onward. Sadly key members of the group have died since then, including lead singer Andy Stewart. Here they are in action with the song Donald McGillavry, which features on their 2002 Live Again album:
Alison Kinnaird is not only an excellent glass sculptor, she also is an accomplished player of the small Scottish harp known as the clarsach. Here's a tune from her 2008 album The Harp Key called The Kid on the Mountain:
Finally we meet the legendary Waterboys. Although the members hail from all over the UK and Ireland, they launched in Edinburgh and Mike Scott, the only constant member of the band since their inception in 1983, was born and bred here. This is a live version of their classic Fisherman's Blues from the 1988 album of the same name.
As usual, you can follow my virtual trip on this link.
