FolkWaves

Let the Sun Shine Down on Me / Than Hall’s by Jenn & Laura-Beth

Let the Sun Shine Down on Me is the opening track of ‘Bound,’ the debut album from Jenn Butterworth and Laura-Beth Salter. Jenn is on guitar and lead vocal for this Jean Ritchie Song, and Laura-Beth on mandolin. Here’s what they have to say about the album; “This album is a representation of the last […]

Ailein Duinn by Catriona Watt

Ailein duinn (“Dark-haired Alan”) is a traditional Scottish song for solo female voice, a lament that was written in Gàidhlig for Ailean Moireasdan (“Alan Morrison”) by his fiancée, Annag Chaimbeul (“Annie Campbell”). In 1788, Ailean, a sailor, set off with his ship to Scalpay, Harris, where he and Annag would be married. In a tragic […]

Scott and Lucy’s Wedding by Eilidh Firth

Scott and Lucy’s Wedding is an instrumental track featured on fiddle player Eilidh Firth’s debut EP ‘Searchlight’. The tunes featured on this track are ‘Scott and Lucy’s Wedding’ written by Eilidh and ’20 Years’ by Californian fiddler Seán Wood.This EP showcases contemporary and traditional tunes from Eilidh’s native Scotland, alongside tunes gathered on her travels […]

How Many More Willie McBrides? by Liza Mulholland

Like so many others who were against Tony Blair’s decision to invade Iraq in 2003, I grew increasingly horrified by the carnage as the war and occupation lurched on, amid revelations of the lies and deceit on which the whole escapade was based. One day a news report stated that one hundred British, and a […]

Gem Anemone by Neil Thomson

The words are a poem about the 12mm sized Gem Anemone written by Gerry Cambridge from his book, “Nothing but Heather!” The poem has been set to music written and recorded by Neil Thomson and features an underwater audio sample recorded by Nick Turner 30 feet underwater off Ardnamurchan Point featuring the sound of ‘Pistol […]

A ‘Thank You’ Won’t Pay The Fiddler by Charlie Grey and Joseph Peach

Title track from Charlie Grey and Joseph Peach’s debut album: ‘Waves Rise From Quiet Water”. “A ‘Thank You’ Won’t Pay The Fiddler”- written by Charlie Grey and Joseph Peach The album was recorded in May 2016, Capturing their essential fiddle/piano combination, with a number of additions: Tenor guitar, accordion, fender rhodes and vocals. Making full use of […]

Maiden Stone by Jenny Sturgeon

‘Maiden Stone’ is the opening track on ‘From the Skein’, one of several songs on the album inspired by regional folklore. The Maiden Stone is a Pictish standing stone which is located at the back of Bennachie Hill, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This track tells the local tale of how the standing stone came to be […]

Foot Stompin Free Scottish Music Podcast

If you haven’t heard it before why not listen to Hands Up for Trad’s Foot Stompin’ Podcast. It is a monthly podcast featuring six tracks of Scottish traditional music. You can sign up to it on iTunes or visit our dedicated website www.scotpodcast.com Follow these topics: News

Usher’s Well by Barbara Dymock

A fusion of styles and cultures, Child Ballad 79, The Wife of Usher’s Well is sung in Scots but set to a melody composed by Fatoumata Diawara from Mali resulting in an intriguing combination of comtemporary African music and rhythms with 17th century lyrics. Scots singer Barbara Dymock based in Dundee was brought up in […]

Jute Mill Song/Song For Mary by The Shee

Song for Mary was written by Karine Polwart for the band as part of our ten year anniversary project Continuum. We are grateful to the School of Scottish Studies for the permission to use Mary Brooksbanks’ voice on the recording. Karine wrote the following for our sleeve notes: “I love Rachel’s singing and playing and […]