This is a set of reels that Simon and Ian put together in Sweden. Simon travelled to Ian’s home in Falun (Sweden) to get this right!
“A set of reels is always hard to put together” says Simon, “often it is easier to make slower sets but if you are looking for punchy tunes and arrangements it can take a while. This set took ages! I had a few tunes ready but they weren’t working. I wanted to play The Lasses Fashion as I had learnt it from the playing of the late great fiddlers Derek Hoy and Ian Hardy (of Jock Tamson’s Bairns) and it was a tribute to them but it wasn’t happening. Ian then went out to take a phone call and I searched in the bottom of my concertina box for some inspiration and I found Hamish Napier’s Offensive Doctor Flute Pervert. All of a sudden things started to click, the arrangement started to come together and we finished of the set with Barney’s Balmoral although I couldn’t remember what it was called so we quickly phoned another great fiddler Eilidh Shaw who told us tight away.
Joseph Boseph (Simon Thoumire, MCPS)
Offensive Doctor Flute Pervert (Hamish Napier, MCPS)
The Lasses Fashion
Barney’s Balmoral (E MacDonald)
Concertina player Simon and guitarist Ian first met in 1988 in the inaugural BBC Radio 2 Young Tradition Award. Neither of them won it (Lynn Tocker did) but Simon returned in 1989 to take the prize. As part of the win they both ended up at Sidmouth Folk Festival and this is where they put their first set of reels together. Soon after this they made their first LP HOOTZ! On Black Crow Records in 1990.
After the release they performed at many folk clubs and festivals around the UK. In 1991 the performed on The Shetland Sessions tv programme that was broadcast on BBC 1 and around the world. Their 2 tv sets – Itchy Fingers and The Scones of Bochty were much aclcaimed and influenced many musicians.
Both musicians also continued to perform with other musicians. Ian has played with Karen Tweed, Swap, 2 Duos Quartet, Kate Rusby and many many more. Simon moved more into folk jazz fusion and formed the Simon Thoumire Three, Keep it Up and a duo with David Milligan. Both have played extensively all round the world and recorded many CDs.
They ceased performing in 1996 and reformed for the 30th Anniversary of Shetland Folk Festival to much acclaim. Sue Wilson wrote in the Scotsman newspaper that
“The brilliantly puckish pairing of concertina player Simon Thoumire and guitarist Ian Carr rendered even tunes as classic as The Mason’s Apron and Calliope House magically afresh, teeming with joyous virtuosity.”
This reception encouraged Simon and Ian to record ad new album in January 2013. It’s called He Thinks He’s Invisible and features all new material and arrangements. Read more about it here. Thanks to Creative Scotland for their support in recording the CD.
Artist website: http://www.simonthoumire.com
Single title: Joseph Boseph
Single artist: Simon Thoumire & Ian Carr
Single duration: 5:33
Record Label: Foot Stompin’
Catalogue No: FSRHOOTZ2
Writers: Simon Thoumire / traditional
Publishers: MCPS
Explicit?: No
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