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.
Back on the mainland we are exploring the east of Scotland, starting in Inverness. Here we encounter fiddler and composer Duncan Chisholm. Whist his fiddle playing is firmly rooted in traditional music, he combines it with more contemporary and orchestral sounds. He has written a lot of film scores, and much of his music does sound just like that. This tune is entitled Haze Across the Sun taken from his 2018 album Sandwood.
Young six-piece band Hò-Rò are also based in Inverness and have already gathered a few awards. Here's a studio recording of them:
Moving deep into Whisky country to the Speyside region,we arrive in Carrbridge, where Indie Folk musician Rachel Sermanni hails from. Her music has something Joni Mitchell-like to it. Here is the title track from her 2014 album Everything Changes:
Moving a few miles up the road we get to Grantownon-Spey, where singer-songwriter Findlay Napier was born. This is one of his songs called Cod Liver Oil and the Orange Juice. The Scots do have funny tastes, they like things like Irn Bru. Give me a wee dram of whisky any day:
Next we have something a bit more traditional from Aberdeen, a couple of songs by the Old Blind Dogs, who have been going since 1990, even though with various changes in personnel. First up is the Bonnie Lass O' Fyvie from their 1992 album New Tricks:
...and another short one from the same album, The Wee Wee German Lairdie:
Moving south to Dundee we meet AMWWF, which is short for the surnames of the band: Anderson, McGinty, Webster, Ward and Fisher. Their music can probably best be described as indie folk. They started out playing together in a pub in Dundee, but have since changed personnel and now perform under the name of Sinderins. This song, Boo Hoo has a bit of Dixieland to it and is on their 2014 self-titled EP:
Next we are heading for the village of Kingskettle in Fyfe, famous for a folk group called the Singing Kettle, which specialised in children's songs. They were founded by established husband and wife folk duo Cilla Fisher and Artie Tresize, who had been touring and recording in their own right since the mid-70's. They both retired in 2013. This song, Fisher Lassies, features on their 2013 album Cilla & Artie:
Our next stop is Clackmannan, where fiddler and composer Alasdair Fraser was born in 1955. Over his long musical career he has recorded numerous albums as well as taught fiddle, playing both traditional slow airs and dance tunes. Here's a live recording together with guitarist Tony McManus (whom we already met in Paisley) of the tune Lieutenant Maguire's Jig, which features on their 1999 joint album Return to Kintail:
Finally it's Burn's Night, the birthday of Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland and another great reason for the Scots to celebrate. Tonight they will be reciting poetry, singing, eating haggis, tatties and neeps and just perhaps having "A Wee Drappie O't" (a small drop of it). This is Ewan McColl, whose roots were in Stirling, performing this song which features on the album Scots Drinking Songs:
Ewan McColl was actually born in Lancashire in England to Scottish parents. He went on to become a quintessential Scottish bard with strong political convictions, but rooted in tradition. If you are celebrating Burns Night tonight, play his album Songs Of Robert Burns:
Happy Burns Night everybody and see you next time in Edinburgh. As usual you can follow my virtual rambling journey on Tripline.
