Kris Drever

Kris Drever - Mark The Hard Earth

25 Feb 2010

Orkney-born Edinburgh resident, Kris Drever (son of Wolfstone’s Ivan), has been an integral part of Scotland’s folk scene for some time, although he’s only just turned 31. Taking time off from his LAU collaborative (he also worked on an album with John…

Trembling Bells, Rachel Sermanni and John Grant among Celtic Connections highlights

Mavis Staples and Tribute to Bob Dylan also on diverse programme

23 Dec 2010

Chicago’s music scene is the first stop in this very international round up, specifically the music of distinguished gospel and soul singer Mavis Staples. In the 60s Staples released a string of hits on the Stax-affiliated Valt label. Last year, aged…

Alasdair Roberts, The Low Anthem and Buffy Sainte-Marie set for Celtic Connections

7 Jan 2010

With Alasdair Roberts, The Low Anthem and Buffy Sainte-Marie all featuring, the Celtic Connections festival just keeps going from strength to strength, says Ninian Dunnett

10 for 2010: Lau

7 Jan 2010

Multi-award-winning folk trio Lau (comprising Kris Drever, Martin Green and Aidan O’Rourke), encapsulated the idea of achingly beautiful, traditional yet progressive folk music with their excellent Arc Light album last year. Unmissable live.

Lau: Arc Light

14 May 2009

Lau have established themselves as the hottest band out there on the Scottish folk scene over the last eighteen months on the basis of their gripping live performances, and if their recordings haven’t yet quite matched the on-stage excitement, Arc Light…

Going Across The Sea

1 Mar 2009

Let me tell you a little story. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin. There once was a handsome be-quiffed Scottish musician named Tim Matthew (front man of Mystery Juice and various solo projects) and in 2007 he and Betse Ellis, from Kansas…

Also Released - Music

2 Oct 2008

The Clash - Live Revolution Rock (SongBMG) Apparently Joe Strummer found the long-lost tapes of this 1982 concert while moving house. The punk rockers shake up New York’s Shea Stadium with hits including ‘London Calling’ and ‘Rock the Casbah’. Kris…

Drever, McCusker and Woomble

18 Sep 2008

FOLK There comes a time in most rock musicians’ careers when they long to swap the frenetic rock’n’roll lifestyle for something more sedate. After a decade of touring the world with Idlewild, Roddy Woomble’s inclination of late has been towards folk…

Drever McCusker Woomble - Before the Ruin

4 Sep 2008

The crossing of normally disparate musical boundaries is always to be applauded, although it’s not automatically the green light to genius that reviewers sometimes make out. This collaboration from two generations of folkies – Kris Drever and John…

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…

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…

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…

Scottish acts triumph at BBC Folk Awards

14 Feb 2008

Scottish Acts did well at the BBC Folk Awards last week. Julie Fowlis (pictured) won Folk Singer of the Year, Kris Drever-led trio Lau won Best Group, while John Martyn got a deserved Lifetime Achievement Award for his services to music. The…

Opening Concert: Common Ground

4 Jan 2008

CELTIC CONNECTIONS Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Wed 16 Jan Celtic Connections will launch this year with what artistic consultant Donald Shaw likens to a giant session. Common Ground will be led on stage by John McCusker, and will feature a host of…

Kris Drever - album review

KRIS DREVER

13 Feb 2007

FOLK (Reveal Records) Folk music is not the usual field of activity for this label, but they were so impressed with singer and guitarist Kris Drever playing live that they snapped him up to record this debut album. It has been eagerly anticipated…