Folk

A show of force - Edinburgh Military Tattoo

22 Jul 2008

A festival spectacle global in design is this year’s The Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which prepares once again to set its stall on the esplanade under the impressive backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, as it showcases the best military musicians from around…

Omar Sosa

Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

22 Jul 2008

Diverse, dynamic and daring approach inspired by Afro-Cuban folklore. You never know what Omar Sosa will do next. The Cuban-born virtuoso musician has turned his hand to everything from composing and arranging records to producing them, leading bands…

25 things you might not know about Tom Waits

17 Jul 2008

The chance to see Tom Waits, one of the planet’s true music raconteurs, is worth £100 of anyone’s money. But did you know he once worked for the coastguard? If not, Jonny Ensall suggests you read on…

Tom Waits - Live Review

17 Jul 2008

Orpheum Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona, Wed 18 Jun The seldom touring ‘love or hate him’ artist transported his trademark whisky-soaked growl to the desert to kick off only his third tour of the decade. And, judging by his polished performance, one can…

The Nelson Mandela Birthday Party Tour

17 Jul 2008

For the Nobel Peace Prize-winner’s 90th birthday Scots/African artists will be offering a tribute to the defender of democracy from Scotland’s three major cities over the course of a single weekend. Performances from the Berlin-based Senegalese reggae…

Fraser Fifield Band - Traces of Thrace

17 Jul 2008

It is tempting to assume that the fascinating meeting of musical minds reflected here is in some way down to the on-the-road developments worked out on their Tune Up tour featuring Fifield’s band and the Nedyalko Nedyalkov band from Bulgaria earlier…

KT Tunstall and The Pictish Trail

17 Jul 2008

ROCK Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline, Thu 10 Jul This first proper gig for the newly-refurbished 1700-seater Alhambra is a fitting one, with returning Fifer Tunstall warming up for T in the Park. Opening is Johnny Lynch, aka The Pictish Trail…

Pentangle

3 Jul 2008

Legendary folk-rock-jazz ensemble who's roots stretch back into the 60s. Pentangle are back with their original line-up of guitarists Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, singer Jacqui McShee, bassist Danny Thompson and drummer Terry Cox. They also take a…

Various - A Celebration of the Music of Gordon Duncan

3 Jul 2008

FOLK (Greentrax) The death of maverick piper Gordon Duncan brought a tragic and untimely end to a major talent, but his music continues to resonate well beyond the piping community. His tunes are regularly played by folk artists of all kinds, and this…

Harry Smith Anthology Remixed

19 Jun 2008

When American song-collector, artist, ethno-musicologist and experimental filmmaker Harry Smith released The Anthology Of American Folk Music in 1952, it was a labour of love which had a huge influence on the 1950s so-called Folk revival. Without this…

Fleet Foxes

5 Jun 2008

Seattle five-piece Fleet Foxes are signed to one of the city’s most legendary labels Sub Pop (as well as Bella Union). But it’s as far from grunge as you could get, except for their gorgeous, ramshackle nature. Despite a few shaggy rock outs the band…

Lau - Lau Live

5 Jun 2008

FOLK (Navigator Records) Lau’s combination of traditional roots and an openness to experiment is the hallmark of this scintillating disc, recorded in concert at the Bongo Club, Edinburgh back in December. It seems they have been gigging relentlessly…

Marissa Nadler - live music review

5 Jun 2008

COUNTRY-FOLK Stereo, Glasgow, Tue 13 May Waif-like guitar-picking girls are ten a penny these days, what with your Cat Powers and your Bat for Lashes already well established. And like the sphere of male singer-songwriters, it’s a field which could…

Feist

8 May 2008

One of the founding members of Canadian supergroup Broken Social Scene and former flatmate of Peaches, Leslie Fiest is now best known for that video ‘1234’ as featured so ubiquitously in the iPod advert. However this takes nothing away from the simple…

Rachel Unthank and the Winterset

8 May 2008

FOLK Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, Fri 9 May; ABC, Glasgow, Sat 10 May It’s a decidedly domestic vibe at chateau Unthank when Rachel comes to the phone. ‘I’ve just been doing a bit of gardening and I had to go into town to pick up a new cello case,’ she…

Balkanarama

8 May 2008

BALKAN/FOLK Studio 24, Edinburgh, Fri 9 May Saska Haramina, who organises Balkanarama, tries to sum up the night: 'It evolved out of a celebration of the Balkans' cultural diversity reflected in its musical diversity; upbeat riotous gypsy brass…

Session A9 - Bottlenecks and Arm-Breakers

8 May 2008

FOLK (RAJ Records) Session A9 are not the only four-fiddle ‘supergroup’ on the Scottish folk scene, but like both Blazin’ Fiddles and Fiddlers’ Bid, they have evolved their own distinctive approach to the format. That sense of individuality is down to…

Capercaillie - Roses and Tears

24 Apr 2008

FOLK (Vertical Records) Capercaillie have done very nicely with their particular fusion of traditional music with more contemporary influences, and it is hardly likely that they are going to suddenly throw all that aside in pursuit of some radical new…

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Sunday at Devil Dirt

24 Apr 2008

COUNTRY/FOLK/BLUES (V2) Campbell and Lanegan’s Mercury-nominated debut was a one-trick pony, but it was a pretty cool trick. Campbell’s wispy whimper and Lanegan’s bourbon-soaked growl blended refreshingly over some old school folk and blues, but it…

Karine Polwart

10 Apr 2008

FOLK Eastgate Theatre, Peebles, Fri 11 Apr; Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Sun 13 Apr; Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline, Wed 16 Apr; Fruitmarket, Glasgow, Thu 17 Apr; Tollbooth, Stirling, Fri 18 Apr The life of a self-employed musician can be complicated at the…

Heidi Talbot - In Love and Light

10 Apr 2008

FOLK (Navigator Records) It seems folk singers just ain’t content with being plain old folk singers these days. Admittedly, the boundaries between folk and the singer-songwriter game have long been fairly blurred anyway, but more and more of the…

Kathryn Williams & Neill MacColl

10 Apr 2008

COUNTRY FOLK Classic Grand, Glasgow, Wed 26 Mar You can hear the smile in Kathryn Williams voice, an almost effortless, laconic talent that soars high, floats and then falls down to a blusey bellow. Williams sings about the simple but ineffable…

Next stop, the Universal

10 Apr 2008

Scots musicians mark their homecoming from Tartan Week with a show Glasgow musicians Louise Cairns, Keith Warwick and Simone Welsh have announced they will follow up their appearance at New York’s Tartan Week with a show in London before heading up…

Box Club - Box Club

27 Mar 2008

FOLK (BoxClubRecords) The accordion is an instrument that still has an image problem in some quarters. Box Club are out to counter that perception by presenting the venerable instrument in much more contemporary trappings, including a slick visual…

Lau and The Ainslie/Henderson Trio: Reinventing the Reel

27 Mar 2008

FOLK Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Thu 27 Mar; Tolbooth, Stirling, Fri 28 Mar; CCA, Glasgow, Thu 3 Apr ‘The band started about two-and-a-half years ago,’ says master fiddler Aidan O’Rourke. ‘Martin (Green), Kris (Drever) and I were hanging around…

Laura McGhee

27 Mar 2008

New Scottish singer-songwriter sensation who has already cut her chops providing vocals for Runrig and counts Tom Waits, Jim Lauderdale and Shane McGowan among her fans. Here she performs the Scottish premiere of her own ‘Arbroath Suite’, which traces…

Ceilidh Culture

13 Mar 2008

FOLK Various venues, Edinburgh, Fri 21 Mar–Sun 12 Apr Ceilidh Culture, Edinburgh’s spring fling of acoustic music and the traditional arts has this year moved from its council house, and is now being run by a team from the Usher Hall. Rather than…

Ross Ainslie & Jarlath Henderson - Partners In Crime

13 Mar 2008

FOLK (Vertical Records) While many piping recordings are primarily of interest to the piping community, this disc follows the lead of Ross Ainslie’s late teacher, Gordon Duncan, in aiming at a more diverse audience. The players are two of the…

Southern Tenant Folk Union

13 Mar 2008

The proliferation of quality bluegrass acts in the UK is evidence that geography is not a barrier to divining the musical spirit of the Appalachian mountains. This London-based six-piece have just released their second album Revivals, Rituals and Union…

Various - What the Folk Volume 2

13 Mar 2008

FOLK (Butterfly Recordings) Following up Butterfly’s acoustic-only debut compilation of 2006, 15 funky folksters set about proving that it’s not just musty fiddling men and wizened warbling dames who can cut the folky mustard. At times, the jumpers…

Ceilidh Culture unveils substantial line-up for 2008 festival

28 Feb 2008

From country legends to Scottish folk’s newest stars to local veteran folk heroes, Ceilidh Culture, Edinburgh first major festival of the year has unveiled a wide-reaching programme of names form here and afar. The bill of music and story telling…

Aye: An Affirmation of Martyn Bennett

28 Feb 2008

Martyn Bennett changed the face of Scottish music, marrying the high octane waves of the 90s dance scene with jazz beats, classical strings and his native Gaelic traditions. Now, the life and work of the performer and composer are set to be celebrated…

Tegan and Sara

28 Feb 2008

FOLK QMU, Glasgow, Fri 29 Feb Poor Tegan and Sara. If it’s not their supposedly unfashionable asymmetrical haircuts (it’s the latest in Canadian coiffure), it’s the insipid curiosity with their private lives (they are twins and both lesbians) that…

Karine Polwart - This Earthly Spell

28 Feb 2008

FOLK (Hegri Music) Karine Polwart is already established as Scotland’s premier purveyor of progressive folk, and this consummate and lush album consolidates that position. A flip side to last year’s traditional collection Fairest Floo’er, this album…

Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride

28 Feb 2008

FOLK POP (4AD) While it might be cruel to say that John Darnielle and his Mountain Goats might be trying for a kind of Sufjan Stevens vibe but end up a bit too Jasper Carrott for comfort, that’s still the overriding impression given by Heretic Pride.

Moving Hearts - Live in Dublin

28 Feb 2008

FOLK (RubyWorks) Reunions can often be disappointing affairs, but the occasional return to action of this mighty Irish band have been notable exceptions. This album was recorded on home ground last year, and if their pioneering fusion of folk with…

Devendra Banhart becomes virtual clothes horse

27 Feb 2008

Genius American alt-folk troubadour Devendra Banhart has never been backward in coming forward when it comes to parading his musical musings but now he’s showing even more than before by turning himself into a web fashionista with his own personal…

Catriona Macdonald - Over the Moon

14 Feb 2008

FOLK (Peerie Angel) This is fiddler Catriona Macdonald’s first solo release since 2000, and allows us to hear her away from immediate juxtaposition with collaborators on the same instrument in her regular bands, Scotland’s Blazin’ Fiddles and String…

Various - Rough Trade Counter Culture 07

14 Feb 2008

EVERYTHING (Rough Trade) If anything can be gleaned from these expansive, annual compilations its this: try as you might you can’t keep up with all the fine new music around unless you actually run a record store. And while you might have…

Golden Virginia

31 Jan 2008

Beguiling singer and storyteller Devon Sproule’s songs are so evocative they could be used as adverts for her home town. Rachel Devine gets in a state If the Virginia tourist board ever needs an advertising jingle to sell their leafy state, they…

Blazin' Fiddles - Live

31 Jan 2008

(Blazin’ Fiddles) FOLK The Scottish fiddle supergroup are caught in full flight in this gig in Glenuig last summer, and in a way that has never quite been replicated in their studio recordings. Even the band feel they have not done themselves…

Colin MacIntyre

31 Jan 2008

POP Gone is the Mull Historical Society pseudonym and in its place is Colin MacIntyre, a couple of choirs and a veteran politician. After three critically acclaimed albums, MacIntyre is back with his latest, The Water, and a set at Celtic…

Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation’s Dark

31 Jan 2008

(New West) COUNTRY ROCK Any band with songs called ‘Daddy Needs a Drink’ and ‘You and Your Crystal Meth’ can’t be all bad, and so it proves, as Drive-By Truckers here provide a fantastically sprawling trawl through the Southern Gothic hinterland of…

Koshka World Gypsy & Jazz Band

31 Jan 2008

CELTIC CONNECTIONS This will be – literally as well as metaphorically – a big night for the Glasgow-based trio Koshka, and one that should make up for the disappointment of the late cancellation of the project last year, one of a number of events in…

Rags and Feathers and Eugene McGuinness

31 Jan 2008

ROCK FOLK ‘Heckle us if you like!’ was a brave challenge from Rags and Feathers frontman Tom Davis, especially as the band was apparently brought to life in this very venue only a few months previously. But there was nothing to find fault in during a…

Trilok Gurtu

31 Jan 2008

CELTIC CONNECTIONS Trilok Gurtu may have begun his musical life in a family thoroughly steeped in the strict disciplines and formal cohesion of Indian classical music, but his own career has taken him into some of the most diverse world-jazz fusions…

Celtic Connections

17 Jan 2008

Music isn’t what it used to be. This is something we have to be thankful for as the constant evolution, recycling and re-fashioning of music means there’s always someone out there trying to do things a bit differently. While there’s been much carping…

Celtic Connections - Mindy Smith

17 Jan 2008

Two albums in, Mindy Smith is solidifying her reputation as one of America’s most affecting songwriters. 2006’s Long Island Shores showed her gentle touch and growing prowess as a writer. Her ethereal vocal style at first brings to mind Joni Mitchell…

Potential Strangers

17 Jan 2008

FOLK Concrete Campfire@the Observatory, Glasgow, Sat 5 Jan Less a band than an ‘entity’, as they put it, Potential Strangers is essentially a fluid, five musicians-strong vehicle for the tunes of Harris-born singer-songwriter Dòl Eoin, an affable…

Steve Earle

4 Jan 2008

You’ll know where Steve Earle lives if you can picture the famous cover of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. Just up that New York street where Dylan huddled against the snow with Suzie Rotolo in 1962 is the apartment Earle shares with his wife, the beautiful…