Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
I'm just planning to travel around in Scotland during Easter holidays, but are there any good places for the real traditional music in the country?
Actually, I've studied in Edinburgh for one year and still occasionally go back to the city, so I know what's going on there. What I want to do is go to somewhat remote places and listen to the local traditional music (fiddles, pipes, songs, etc.) in casual, informal settings, including sessions.
I learned Scottish folk music first, but it's a shame I've been playing and listening to only Irish music these days. I know where to go for the music in Ireland, but not in Scotland.
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
get yerself to South Uist and see if you can catch up with Fred Morrison and his band Ceolas...incredible.
lios mor bar in glsagow is always a good one !
I think Scotiish Trad is deffinitly on the up nowadays and much more progressive and exhilerating than many other celtic music ..other than Galician that is.....
are you familiar with Deaf Shepherd and Rory Campbell's various outfits ..and Gordon Duncans mischevious piping ...oh and Croft No 5 ..and Martynn Bennet ....I think i listen to more scottish trad than anything nowadays ...other than Galician !!
There's a few extra things going on around Edinburgh with Ceilidh Culture. It's not a proper festival, in my opinion, but you can check out the website.
Also, the week after Easter, there's the Glenfarg Folk Feast. It's more of a singers' event but they do have music sessions and instrumental bands too.
Is that enough to be going on with, Hiroyuki? I haven't forgotten about posting that tune (Wings of a Scorie) but I've been a bit lazy in mastering the "ABC" thing. I'll do it soon.
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
I'm personally more of an Irish music enthusiast, but heres my tuppence worth....
..Though, discgracefully, I still haven't ventured there, a quick glance at Aberdeenshire on the Sessions list suggests there is lots of good music going on there. And I know of some very good musicians who play in sessions up there, a few of which frequent this site....
My own experience of the Uists suggest formal sessions don't really happen, but meeting people and being social (yet not arrogant) results in the inevitable ceilidh at somebodies house. Hearing the gravelly voice of Lachie Morrison, son of the North Uist bard, Padraig Morrison, sing the Everlasting Swell and relating a sad story with it, is something I will never forget.
There is a thriving piping scene in and around Dunkeld with the likes of Hamish Moore, Finn, Gordon Duncan etc. The taybank hotel in Dunkeld is a good starting point for this.
Skye, like uist, didn't seem to have many formal sessions when I was there, but asking around, meeting people soon provides the music contacts. Dr Angus MacDonald was one guy I met there, a fantastic piper, fiddler and co-founder of the Feis movement.
Glasgow is a great place for traditional music full stop, there are many thriving sessions and, though the irish contingent can be quite large, there are many fantastic traditional scottish musicians who play in the sessions and represent the more progressive / impressive up and coming Scottish music.
If I had some free time, I might venture to Aberdeenshire, do some walking and enjoy the best kept secret in the world, the Scottish highlands and enjoy what sessions are available. If its a more intense musical experience you're after perhaps Glasgow would be better??
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Thanks, all.
I'm interested in how the regional music traditions are maintained in Scotland, but it seems the folk music is not so much played in the pub session like in Ireland.
I know Fred Morrison's piping style comes from Uist, so I'll definitely go there. Hope I can find some pipers. The sessions and gis at the Hootananny in Inverness seems cool. I'll have a look. And yes, Aberdeenshire for fiddle sessions, and the Sandy Bell's in Edinburgh, of course. Maybe see you there, John J.
I've been dreaming of going to Shetland, but it must be still cold up there. I'll try in the summer.
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Actually the recent worldwide trend in pub sessions is as strong in Scotland as anywhere. People are very influenced by recorded Irish music as seems to be the case everywhere, but there is an everpresent font of young fiddlers in Aberdeenshire and Shetland in particular, who are learning the Scottish tradition at first hand from the older generation and in the various "Strathspey & reel" societies. Look for pub sessions in cities on the "quiet" weeknights and in rural villages at the weekends.
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Slainte: It's a pity that your trip isn't timed to coincide with the Senior Feis Rois in Ullapool on 1st-3rd May. You would be able to attend workshops during the day for different Trad. instruments and play at the impromptu ceilidh sessions during the evening (night)! A hallmark of the event is the Tutor's Ceilidh.
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Nova Scotia. It's about 3000 miles west of Prestwick.
In Shetland, there is a weekly session at The Lounge Bar, Lerwick - at least, there was when I was there 7 years ago, on a Wednesday night. You might meet the legendary Peerie Willie Johnson (as disinct from Blind Willie Johnson) there, playing piano or guitar.
I was in North Aberdeenshire a few weeks ago, and didn'tfind much of a traditional music scene. I went to a couple of sessions, but these were more of a mixed bag of traditional, blues, bluegrass and contemporary 'folk'. Perhaps I just talked to the wrong people. I was introduced to a very talented young fiddler, Jamie Ross, with whom I had a few tunes at his house in Cullen. He is originally from Beauly, North of Inverness, and is soon to be moving to Edinburgh. Again, perhaps it was just the people I met, but there seemed to be more of an interest in Scots singing than instrumental music.
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
I agree with David. Any reports of a great traditional session scene in or around Aberdeen at the moment are hugely exaggerated, in my opinion. The quantity is there, but not the quality. If you do come to Aberdeen "slainte" please contact me through the site, and I'll take you round a few of the sessions. And David is also right about Jamie Ross- a very talented musician, and a pleasure to play music with.
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
You can sometimes find a wee session at the Edinbain Hotel on Skye (well, ok the time I made it, there was only Farquhar and Ali, but we had fun anyway). And in the summer, there are the "Talisker sessions" but again the only time I made it to one it was more like a gig (but we had some nice tunes anyway).
I'm led to believe that Dunkeld is a stronghold of trad. scots music but I don't know first-hand.
Oh yeah, there's the Ceilidh Place in Ullapool, where, again, I managed to find a few tunes, but it was impromptu - there is something that happens locally, but its reputation for quality wasn't high.
For the best experience in finding travellin' tunes, I'd recommend going with someone else, that way you can make your own little session whereever you happen to be, and others often crawl out of the woodwork.
Oh yeah, fantastic place that you probably won't make it to (but should!) is Inverie on the Knoydart penisular. No road access - you either have to walk (2 days?) or get the boat. There's a fiddle and a guitar behind the bar, and there were great tunes the time I was there (alternating my time between tunes at one end of the bar and stag night at the other!)
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
See if you can contact a member of the Fiddle and Accordion Society, to attend one of their monthly meetings. We met with them in Kyle of Lochalsh and never had a better time anywhere.
They even came to drive us to the hotel since we were backpacking through. The musicians gave us a ride home to the B&B. And we learned to drink single malt that night, and haven't looked back.
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
I was back from Scotland yesterday. Well, it ended up a short stay but was a nice trip. 2 nights in Edinburgh, 2 nights in Portree, Isle of Skye, 3 nights in Lewis, Outer Hebrides, 1 night in Inverness. I enjoyed the great scenery in Trotternish peninsula of Skye, but the views in south Lewis were even greater. It was nothing but wasteland with lots of mountains and lochs. Good to walk around, getting shoes dirty.
I found people in Hebrides and Skye occasionally have ceilidhs in their local villages. All the notices and announcements about the music events were easily found at the corner shops and tourist information offices. Sadly enough, I missed all the ceilidhs in Portree and Stornoway, staying in Tarbert on the weekend, Harris. It was just a Karaoke night in the pub there. But I went to the excellent gig by the group called Island Women in Portree and joined a couple of great Scottish music sessions at Sandy Bell's in Edinburgh, so it was overall good.
Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
I'm just planning to travel around in Scotland during Easter holidays, but are there any good places for the real traditional music in the country?
Actually, I've studied in Edinburgh for one year and still occasionally go back to the city, so I know what's going on there. What I want to do is go to somewhat remote places and listen to the local traditional music (fiddles, pipes, songs, etc.) in casual, informal settings, including sessions.
I learned Scottish folk music first, but it's a shame I've been playing and listening to only Irish music these days. I know where to go for the music in Ireland, but not in Scotland.
Any suggestion will be appreciated.
H.
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by slainte
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Skip out the middle bit and head straight to Shetland. Can't go wrong.
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by sheltie
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
get yerself to South Uist and see if you can catch up with Fred Morrison and his band Ceolas...incredible.
lios mor bar in glsagow is always a good one !
I think Scotiish Trad is deffinitly on the up nowadays and much more progressive and exhilerating than many other celtic music ..other than Galician that is.....
are you familiar with Deaf Shepherd and Rory Campbell's various outfits ..and Gordon Duncans mischevious piping ...oh and Croft No 5 ..and Martynn Bennet ....I think i listen to more scottish trad than anything nowadays ...other than Galician !!
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by DeffGoat
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Try the Hootannany in Inverness, if you're up there. They have good trad bands appearing regularly and sessions in the earlier part of the week.
http://www.hootananny.com/
There's a few extra things going on around Edinburgh with Ceilidh Culture. It's not a proper festival, in my opinion, but you can check out the website.
http://www.ceilidhculture.co.uk/flash.htm
Also, the week after Easter, there's the Glenfarg Folk Feast. It's more of a singers' event but they do have music sessions and instrumental bands too.
http://www.glenfargvillagefolkclub.freeserve.co.uk/folkfeastguest.htm
There's also the "Rootin Aboot" at the Lemon Tree, Aberdeen around Easter time with some good traditional music. Sharon Shannon is one of the guests
http://www.ents24.com/web/venue/1514/Aberdeen/The_Lemon_Tree.html
Is that enough to be going on with, Hiroyuki? I haven't forgotten about posting that tune (Wings of a Scorie) but I've been a bit lazy in mastering the "ABC" thing. I'll do it soon.
John
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by Johnny Jay
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Oh, and our very own Mike Vass is playing in the Hootananny on Saturday April 10th. :>))
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by Johnny Jay
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
I'm personally more of an Irish music enthusiast, but heres my tuppence worth....
..Though, discgracefully, I still haven't ventured there, a quick glance at Aberdeenshire on the Sessions list suggests there is lots of good music going on there. And I know of some very good musicians who play in sessions up there, a few of which frequent this site....
My own experience of the Uists suggest formal sessions don't really happen, but meeting people and being social (yet not arrogant) results in the inevitable ceilidh at somebodies house. Hearing the gravelly voice of Lachie Morrison, son of the North Uist bard, Padraig Morrison, sing the Everlasting Swell and relating a sad story with it, is something I will never forget.
There is a thriving piping scene in and around Dunkeld with the likes of Hamish Moore, Finn, Gordon Duncan etc. The taybank hotel in Dunkeld is a good starting point for this.
Skye, like uist, didn't seem to have many formal sessions when I was there, but asking around, meeting people soon provides the music contacts. Dr Angus MacDonald was one guy I met there, a fantastic piper, fiddler and co-founder of the Feis movement.
Glasgow is a great place for traditional music full stop, there are many thriving sessions and, though the irish contingent can be quite large, there are many fantastic traditional scottish musicians who play in the sessions and represent the more progressive / impressive up and coming Scottish music.
If I had some free time, I might venture to Aberdeenshire, do some walking and enjoy the best kept secret in the world, the Scottish highlands and enjoy what sessions are available. If its a more intense musical experience you're after perhaps Glasgow would be better??
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by Jamie
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Oh yeh, and we're playing tonight as well!!! Better start making my way up to inverness!!!
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by aye
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Thanks, all.
I'm interested in how the regional music traditions are maintained in Scotland, but it seems the folk music is not so much played in the pub session like in Ireland.
I know Fred Morrison's piping style comes from Uist, so I'll definitely go there. Hope I can find some pipers. The sessions and gis at the Hootananny in Inverness seems cool. I'll have a look. And yes, Aberdeenshire for fiddle sessions, and the Sandy Bell's in Edinburgh, of course. Maybe see you there, John J.
I've been dreaming of going to Shetland, but it must be still cold up there. I'll try in the summer.
H.
# Posted on March 13th 2004 by slainte
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Actually the recent worldwide trend in pub sessions is as strong in Scotland as anywhere. People are very influenced by recorded Irish music as seems to be the case everywhere, but there is an everpresent font of young fiddlers in Aberdeenshire and Shetland in particular, who are learning the Scottish tradition at first hand from the older generation and in the various "Strathspey & reel" societies. Look for pub sessions in cities on the "quiet" weeknights and in rural villages at the weekends.
# Posted on March 13th 2004 by Bren
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Slainte: It's a pity that your trip isn't timed to coincide with the Senior Feis Rois in Ullapool on 1st-3rd May. You would be able to attend workshops during the day for different Trad. instruments and play at the impromptu ceilidh sessions during the evening (night)! A hallmark of the event is the Tutor's Ceilidh.
For more information, surf to:
http://www.musicscotland.com/feisrois
# Posted on March 14th 2004 by scraper
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
Nova Scotia. It's about 3000 miles west of Prestwick.
In Shetland, there is a weekly session at The Lounge Bar, Lerwick - at least, there was when I was there 7 years ago, on a Wednesday night. You might meet the legendary Peerie Willie Johnson (as disinct from Blind Willie Johnson) there, playing piano or guitar.
I was in North Aberdeenshire a few weeks ago, and didn'tfind much of a traditional music scene. I went to a couple of sessions, but these were more of a mixed bag of traditional, blues, bluegrass and contemporary 'folk'. Perhaps I just talked to the wrong people. I was introduced to a very talented young fiddler, Jamie Ross, with whom I had a few tunes at his house in Cullen. He is originally from Beauly, North of Inverness, and is soon to be moving to Edinburgh. Again, perhaps it was just the people I met, but there seemed to be more of an interest in Scots singing than instrumental music.
# Posted on March 14th 2004 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
I agree with David. Any reports of a great traditional session scene in or around Aberdeen at the moment are hugely exaggerated, in my opinion. The quantity is there, but not the quality. If you do come to Aberdeen "slainte" please contact me through the site, and I'll take you round a few of the sessions. And David is also right about Jamie Ross- a very talented musician, and a pleasure to play music with.
# Posted on March 15th 2004 by Kenny
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
You can sometimes find a wee session at the Edinbain Hotel on Skye (well, ok the time I made it, there was only Farquhar and Ali, but we had fun anyway). And in the summer, there are the "Talisker sessions" but again the only time I made it to one it was more like a gig (but we had some nice tunes anyway).
I'm led to believe that Dunkeld is a stronghold of trad. scots music but I don't know first-hand.
Oh yeah, there's the Ceilidh Place in Ullapool, where, again, I managed to find a few tunes, but it was impromptu - there is something that happens locally, but its reputation for quality wasn't high.
For the best experience in finding travellin' tunes, I'd recommend going with someone else, that way you can make your own little session whereever you happen to be, and others often crawl out of the woodwork.
Oh yeah, fantastic place that you probably won't make it to (but should!) is Inverie on the Knoydart penisular. No road access - you either have to walk (2 days?) or get the boat. There's a fiddle and a guitar behind the bar, and there were great tunes the time I was there (alternating my time between tunes at one end of the bar and stag night at the other!)
# Posted on March 15th 2004 by rog
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
See if you can contact a member of the Fiddle and Accordion Society, to attend one of their monthly meetings. We met with them in Kyle of Lochalsh and never had a better time anywhere.
They even came to drive us to the hotel since we were backpacking through. The musicians gave us a ride home to the B&B. And we learned to drink single malt that night, and haven't looked back.
# Posted on March 16th 2004 by wvwhistler
Re: Where are the strongholds of traditional Scottish music?
I was back from Scotland yesterday. Well, it ended up a short stay but was a nice trip. 2 nights in Edinburgh, 2 nights in Portree, Isle of Skye, 3 nights in Lewis, Outer Hebrides, 1 night in Inverness. I enjoyed the great scenery in Trotternish peninsula of Skye, but the views in south Lewis were even greater. It was nothing but wasteland with lots of mountains and lochs. Good to walk around, getting shoes dirty.
I found people in Hebrides and Skye occasionally have ceilidhs in their local villages. All the notices and announcements about the music events were easily found at the corner shops and tourist information offices. Sadly enough, I missed all the ceilidhs in Portree and Stornoway, staying in Tarbert on the weekend, Harris. It was just a Karaoke night in the pub there. But I went to the excellent gig by the group called Island Women in Portree and joined a couple of great Scottish music sessions at Sandy Bell's in Edinburgh, so it was overall good.
Anyway, if you plan to go to Skye or Hebrides for music, check these websites for local events: http://www.culturehebrides.com/events
http://skye.co.uk/music.html
And I've just found the website of Foot Stompin' Records has a great links to music festivals and summer schools in Scotland: http://www.footstompin.com/articles
I'll probably back to Scotland soon but it seems I need to plan ahead.
# Posted on April 2nd 2004 by slainte