Irish, Scottish, folk, and country music from many different neighbourhoods, and sometimes, from behind the scenes
Monday, December 01, 2025
Advent: a song for reflection and a song for dancing
Advent.
It is a season of preparation, reflection, looking forward to Christmas and back at the year drawing to a close.
Perhaps Christmas and Advent are not of your faith or on your calendar of seasons.
Still it is a time of that invites reflection, that holds both solitude and connection.
Music is good companion to those different aspects of the season.
With that in mind, as Advent begins, a song for reflecting and a song for dancing, too.
The first day of Advent this year is also Saint Andrew;s Day. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, so it seems only right to begin with a song from one of Scotland’s top musicians.
Emily Smith comes from Dumfries and Galloway in the southwest of Scotland. A few years back, she found herself snowed in at her home.
During that time she wrote Winter Song, which considers the quiet of that deep snow covered landscape and the passage of winter days and nights into the New Year.
Celebrating and being with others is a part fo the preparation and celebration of Advent too.
That’s something Suzy Bogguss and her husband Doug Crider took inot full account when they were writing the song Two Step Round the Christmas Tree. Whether or not Christmas is your holiday or not, whether there’s a Christmas tree about or not, if you know how to dance the two step well or never heard of it, you will be drawn into the lively spirit of the song. Likely you will find yourself joining in on the singing of it, and perhaps dancing as well.
Quiet reflection, lively dance steps: both are good ways to begin and to refresh spirits as Advent begins.
Thank you for being here.
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Winter music: the album Fine Winter's Night from Matt and Shannon Heaton
It is a season of giving, these days as one year turns to another.
Music is always a good gift. Whether enjoyed together or alone, music evokes connection, community, and reflection.
Fine Winter’s Night is a song Shannon Heaton wrote to honor both cold of winter weather outside and warmth which may be found behind lighted windows.
Shannon and her husband and musical partner Matt Heaton decided to call their seasonal album after the song. Fine Winter's Night makes a good choice as the songs and tunes they include within take note of those differing aspects of winter.
There are carols, among them the Wexford Carol from long ago in Ireland and O Little Town of Bethlehem from nineteenth century New England.
There are songs and tunes from varied sources and places with influence and origin from Shetland in Scotland’s Northern Isles to African American spiritual.
These varied sources are brought together by Matt and Shannon’s deep knowledge and love for Celtic music, their knowledge of and love for their instruments (Shannon, flute; Matt, guitar) and their grace in playing and singing together as well.
The original songs and tunes add grace notes to Fine Winter’s Night as well.
Among these are a song in which Shannon takes notice of a perhaps often overlooked part of the Christmas story.
There’s another in which Matt, looking at a house he often passed not far from his neighborhood, began imagining a story which might have taken place there back in time.
Fine Winter’s Night offers music for listening, reflecting, and sharing through the winter season and in to the new year.
If you enjoy winter music from Ireland and Scotland, you may also want to know about
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Christmas eve and the coming days: music as companion
Christmas eve, Christmas day, the days leading up to the turning of the year: they often make for a time of reflection.
All things happening in the world, alongside what challenges and changes may be arising with each of us in our personal circumstances, at times make the quiet and the mindset for such reflection seem hard to come by.
As you’ll know if you’ve been following my work here and in other publications I find music to be a gateway and a good companion to such reflection.
Two recordings to consider
If you may be looking for an especially lively and seasonal recording with singing you will want to join along with, then have a listen to Glad Christmas Comes. from Eliza Carthy and Jon Boden.
The English duo offer a mix of Victorian carols -- such as the title song-- and other favorites and originals. Even if you’ve not heard familiar song done quite the way they offer, or the songs are new to you, the creativity and energy of their singing will engage you.
Tracks to note: Shepherds Arise, Glad Christmas Comes
With her recording O Come Emmanuel Hanneke Cassel offers a more contemplative take on the season.
Cassel’s main instrurment is the fiddle, with which she draws on Scottish, Cape Breton, and Americana flavors to frame her interpretations and create her original music, For this album she has also invited along several of her musical friends to add their voices to different tracks, All the the music is well worth your listening, at the winter season and at other times.
Standout tracks: Silent Night, O Come Emmanuel/Star of Wonder
Wishing you a reflective, peaceful time, whatever way you may be marking this season.
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Whether this season is part of your faith calendar or not, this time at turning of season and turning of year is a good time to reflect.
It may be challenging to pause, perhaps even more so to find interior silence in which to do that reflection.
Music makes a good gateway into reflection.
Though there’s plenty of great seasonal music about, if that’s not what engages you, there are other possibilities too.
Several ideas to consider
Lauren MacColl is a fiddle player and composer based in the north of Scotland. Her album Haar is not seasonal music. It is. however, a collection of thoughtful pieces which make good companions for quiet thinking.
MacColl is joined by musical friends including Rachel Newton on harp and spoken word, Anna Massie on guitar, James Lindsay on double bass, Mairearad Green on accordion, Jennifer Austin on pianos, and Alice Allen on cello. Their collaboration gives added interest and depth, which along with MacColl’s stellar playing, invites repeated listening.
The Lonesome Chronicles from The Kathy Kallick Band takes things in a bit of a different direction. Kallick is an award winning singer, songwriter and guitarist based in northern California; her band memebrs are based all across the US west.
When they get together, it is powerful music they make. For The Lonesome Chronicles, as the title suggests there are songs that consider being lonely and ways of living through that and learning from it.
The album takes listeners on a journey, really, from those considerations of coping with being lonely to celebrating coming out of it ). There are both songs and tunes, a well rounded collection with original music from Kallick and her band members along side well chosen covers of music from William Golden, Earl Scruggs, and John Prine.
For seasonal music, as Advent begins take time to explore three winter seasonal albums from the top Irish American band Cherish the Ladies.
On Christmas Night, Star in the East, and Christmas in Ireland find the group offering varying modds in song and tune, from traditional to original pieces. Heidi Talbot is lead singer for On Christmas Night, Michelle Lee Burke has that role for Star in the East, and Hannah Rarity is lead singer for Christmas in Ireland.
Flute and whistles from band leader and founding member Joanie Madden and guitar from founding member Mary Coogan are creative presences on all the albums, with keys from Kathleen Boyle, accordion from Mirella Murray, and fiddle from Nollaig Casey making part of the mix too.
Each of these albums is well worth taking time with at the winter holidays.
Also to explore: Cherish have put together a digital holiday album with tracks from these albums and other sources featuring Cherish the Ladies with guest singers Heidi Talbot, Hannah Rarity, Don Stiffe, Kate Purcell, Michelle Burke, Bruce Foley, and Seámus Ó'Flatharta. It is called Ultimate Christmas Mix and you can find it on Bandcamp.
...and look for the album Christmas, from Cherish the Ladies founding member and guitarist Mary Coogan.
More to come on music to listen to during Advent as the season unfolds...
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New year's eve, and into a new year: 3 songs for company
At the turning of the year, thoughts and ideas of change, of regret, of hope, and many more things arise.
Accept them all, send the ones which need to go, as a friend of mine says, up in the smoke of a new year’s blaze.
Embrace the good ideas, the community, the hope.
With all that in mind, music to accompany you in to the new year
Here’s one to honor looking back and looking forward, and to honor the hope found in community. It is called Just a Lot of Folk, sung by Olivia Newton-John. You will find on an album from the early folk/country days of Olivia’s career, called Clearly Love.
Thrift is a plant that grows at the edge of the sea in Scotland, hanging on through all sorts of weather and circumstance. The song Thrift celebrate hope, persistence, and other good qualities such as that. Karine Polwart sings lead, and in this video you will see her with her musical friends who form the Spell Songs singers: Rachel Newton, Beth Porter, Sekou Keita, Jim Molyneux, Kris Drever, and Julie Fowlis. Engineer/producer Andy Bell, part of the collaboration, is there too. You will find the song on the album Spell Songs II: Let the Light In.
It may have been inspired by the Orkney legend of a witch who sold fair winds to sailors, but...Jeana Leslie, who wrote the song Fair Winds and sings lead, and her friends who form the band Fara have turned it into a song of hope. Kristan Harvey, Caitriona Price, and Rory Matheson -- the other musicians who make up Fara-- join Jeana on the song, which you will find on their album Energy Islands.
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As you find moments to pause, to reflect, to celebrate even through dark times. here are songs to explore.
“...A planet dancing slow, a tree upon a hill.
Star upon the snow, straw against the chill...”
Words which recur in Straw against the Chill. You will find its story sung by Kathy Mattea, on her album Joy for Christmas Day. Among those who join in is Joanie Madden, whose whistle and flute playing you have met along the music road here before, as she is a founding member of the band of Cherish the Ladies.
Had you noticed that there’s not a mention of a cat at the stable in Bethlehem? Odds there was at laast one, though. Shannon Heaton imagined a story of the cat’s part in Christmas eve, which she recorded with her husnad Matt on their winter themed album Fine Winter’s Night,
Emily Smith braids the challelges and uplighting aspects of Christmas in her song Find Hope. It is recrded on her album Songs for Christmas. On this video Emily’s husband and musical partner Jamie McClennan joins her, as does guitarist Anna Massie, and a baby who would not sleep. At this Christmas, that baby is now a happy primary school student.
Wishing you peace at this season.
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There is anticipation -- and thoughts of all must be done, that is still undone, before we make it to Christmas eve and Christmas day arise. So do thoughts what or who we will miss, and what might not go at all as planned.
The fourth week in Advent is a good time for reset and reflection, even through all those sorts of thoughts, and all the activities that come up planned and unplanned.
May the creativity of these musicians help you keep stillness and hope at this time, whatever your situation may be.
From Cherish the Ladies, the song The Castle of Dromore, with Heidi Talbot singing lead. You will find it on their first holiday album On Christmas Night.
Cherish have two more Christmas albums out now. Their guitarist Mary Coogan ahs one of her own as well.
Side note: there are at least two castles of Dromore in Ireland that I know of, maybe more...I think this song refers to the castle in Clare.
A vintage recording of Kathy Mattea with the contemporary Christmas song Mary Did You Know?
You will find it on her album Good News, and she has another fine album for the season as well, called Joy for Christmas Day.
This video has visible captions of the lyrics, in case that’s of use to know
From Carrie Newcomer comes the song The Season of Mercy. It’s not a winter holiday song, but then again, it is. You will find it on her album The Beautiful Not Yet.
Whether Christmas is your holiday or not, give a listen to the song Waitin’ on Mary, from Gretchen Peters. You will find it on her album Northern Lights.
May the creativity of these artist be good companion to your reflections in the fourth week of Advent this year, and beyond.
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Second week in Advent: Music from Spell Songs, Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem, Ruth Keggin and Rachel Hair
Celebration in winter months may be lively. It may also be quiet. Music can align well with both of these circumstances.
In the second week of Advent, here are ideas to go along with your lively celebrations and your quieter ones.
This song, Oak, is a good one to get thinking about nature, about time, about connection -- all good things to contemplate in the winter season.
Kris Drever, who comes from Scotland, sings lead here, accompanied by other members of the Spell Songs ensemble, who are Jim Molyneux, Seckou Keita, Rachel Newton, Karine Polwart, Beth Porter, and Julie Fowlis. You will find Oak recorded on Spell Songs II: Let the Light In. Learn more about the here is a way to do that, Spell Songs albums and artists in this story
Whether or not you like the drink hot buttered rum or indeed if you have never heard of it, there is good reason to listen to the song of that name.
Hot Buttered Rum the song celebrates and reminds of the healing possibilities of friendship, love. connection, and hope in the midst of dark and cold. New England based band Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem (who are, in addition to Rani, Scott Kessel, Andrew Kinsey, and Anand Nayak) recorded on their album Wintersong.
Arraneyn Cadlee is the name of a set of two Christmas lullabies which start off the album Lossan from Ruth Keggin and Rachel Hair. Ruth is the singer for the track; Rachel plays harp.
The words of the songs are in Manx Gaelic, the language of the Isle of Man. That is Ruth’s native place. Rachel, who is one of the top harp players in Scotland, has been visiting the Isle of Man for a number of years to perform and to teach. The women met at a session some ten years ago and from time to time performed together, eventually deciding to create a duo album. Lossan is the result. Look for more to come about Lossan here along the music road.
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Reflection and creativity are both part of winter, and of the Advent season.
With those two things in mind, here is a bit about several long time favorite recordings which go along with winter time.
Seasonal music not your thing? No worries, there will be more to come of non seasonal new releases and old favorites, good for holiday gift lists as well. Also check out the links toward the end of this piece...
The title track of Cara Dillon’s album Upon a Winter’s Night was written by Cara’s musical partner and husband, Sam Lakeman, and their son Noah. It’s a piece which evokes, among other things, the ideas of changes and celebration which go along with the Christmas story. It has a lively chorus to which you may find yourself singing along, as well. There is also outstanding uillean pipe contribution from Jarlath Henderson.
There are two more original tracks along with a selection of well known and perhaps lesser known songs on the recording. There is one piece in Irish, Rug Muire Mhac Do Dhia, and a fine take on O Holy Night for which Cara is joined by her sister Mary Dillon. Sam plays guitar or piano or bodhran on most tracks and several other musical friends sit in, including Niall Murphy on fiddle and James Fagan on bouzouki. Cara Dillon brings to this music a bit of the stillness and the joy of winter in her native Northern Ireland.
Matt and Shannon Heaton make their music at places where the music of Ireland and the folk traditions of North American music intersect.
On their album Fine Winter’s Night this is well in evidence with song and tune both reflective and upbeat. Both Heatons song and both write songs; hearing them trade lead and harmony on songs both traditional and original is one of the things to enjoy about this recording. Each is a fine player and a composer of tunes as well, which you will hear, for example, on Dust of Snow, and in their version of the Shetland tune Da Day Dawn. Shannon’s principal instrument is the flute, Matt’s are guitar and bouzouki.
You hear those on the tunes of course, and they well know how to weave their gifts on their instruments into songs as well. Shannon’s title track Fine Winter’s Night is a fine recognition of the brilliance of cold winter nights and the welcome of warmth within. In First Snowfall of December Matt draws listeners in to a tale of Victorian era New England Christmas time. The duo offer well known songs too. While keeping to the spirit of the season, they give carols including O Little Town of Bethlehem and It Came Upon the Midnight Clear a fresh dusting of creative ideas.
Kathy Mattea has two wintery albums out. Good News and Joy for Christmas Day.
On Good News, there are two songs form the tradition, Christ Child Lullabye from Scotland (with Scottish troubadour Dougie Maclean joining in) and and Brightest and Best. The eight contemporary cuts include Mattea’s own memorable Somebody Talkin’ About Jesus, along with the haunting title track written by Ron Mahes. and perhaps the best known songs from the album: Mary Did You Know? and New Kid in Town.
On Joy for Christmas Day, Mattea puts her own thoughtful stamp on O Come O Come Emmanuel, and offers a Christmas Collage of carols, featuring the guitar and arranging skill of her longtime guitarist, Bill Cooley. The eleven tracks are a mix of traditional and contemporary music for Advent and Christmas time. Among them are When the Baby Grew Up, O Come, All Ye Faithful, and the reflective Straw Against the Chill
Emily Smith chose a mix of traditional and contemporary music for her album Songs for Christmas, too. Smith comes from Scotland and is a fine songwriter as well as a singer and player of accordion, piano, and guitar. She’s joined by her musical partner and husband Jamie McClennan who plays guitar, fiddle, and is a singer and songwriter as well. Their musical journey winds from historic carols to contemporary Americana to Scotland based stories. All are well worth repeated listening. That said, listen out especially for Little Road to Bethlehem, Christ Has My Hairt, Ay, and Smith’s originals Find Hope and Winter Song.
Each of these albums is a winter season classic, well worth your listening for musicianship, creativity and, indeed, grace of the season.
In times when you are able to listen to much music at no cost, take this as a gentle reminder that if you enjoy this music, help support the work of these artists and the cause of good, thoughtful music everywhere by purchasing their music and merch. Direct purchase from an artist’s site is one way. Bandcamp is also a platform which supports artists’ work.
Speaking of support, if you’re in a position to do so this holiday season (and beyond), your support for Music Road is most welcome. Here’s one way:
-->Your support for Music Road is welcome and needed. If you are able to chip in, here is a way to do that, through PayPal. Note that you do not have to have a PayPal account to do this. Thank you.
Holiday gift ideas: 3 Albums for the Winter Season
Winter: it is a season of celebration and quiet, of gathering and solitude.
Music goes along with all of those things. One of the great things about music is that it may be enjoyed alone and in company.
With those thoughts in mind, here are further ideas of music for your holiday gft list, for yourself or others.
For the album A Fiddler’s Holiday, Jay Ungar, Molly Mason, Ruth Ungar, and Michael Merenda join up with the Orchestra of the University of Mary Washington in Virginia for a seasonal and holiday themed excursion.
There are songs quiet and fast paced, about a snowstorm, the harvest, a silent night in a famialr way snd as a two step, a Quebecois medley about children’s toys, Jay’s classic tune Ashokan Farewell, and more. If you or or someone you know is celebrating Chanukah, the song in this could be a great song for to share. If that holiday is not in your tradition or if the days of celebrating it are past when you read this, I think you will still enjoy this lively song.
The recording on which you will find it is called A Fiddler’s Holiday. There is a dvd available of the live concert, too.
Hanneke Cassel offers a reflective look at Advent and the winter season as she pairs O Come O Come Emmanuel with her original tune Star of Wonder.This is the title track from her new Christmas album O Come Emmanuel.
The music is a selection of original, traditional, and contemporary tunes and songs of faith and of the winter season, led by Hanneke’s fiddle, with contributions from musical friends including Christopher Lewis, Keith Murphy, Yann Falquet, Mike Block, Jeremy Kittel, Jenna Moynihan, Casey Driessen, and Tim Downing and selection of guest singers including Helene Blum, Luke Bulla, Jennifer KImball, and Aoife O’Donovan.
It is Cassel’s fiddle which illuminates each track, however whether leading tunes such as The Snow March or surrounding and supporting singers such as on a thoughtful and creative arrangement of Silent Night, with words sung in several languages.
Cassel is an award winning player, composer, and educator, a past US Scottish National Fiddle Champion who has taken her Celtic rooted music across the world. She is also a woman of strong faith. It’s been a longtime dream of hers to create a Christmas album. She felt this year was the right moment. Take a listen, takee several, in fact, to each of the ten tracks on O Come Emmanuel, to hear why she is right about that. Uplifting, reflective, creative, hopeful, O Come Emmanuel is a Christmas classic, and a fiddle classic, in the making.
April Verch and Joe Newberry decided this was the right year for a holiday album too, and they were alos right about that. Verch, who comes from the Ottawa Valley in the Canadian province of Ontario, and Newberry, who draws on Ozark and Appalachian roots, intertwine those musical sources to great effect on their album On This Christmas Day.
Joe Newberry plays banjo, guitar, and fiddle; April Verch plays fiddle and stepdances. They both sing, and they both write songs. Most of the songs on this album are originals, in fact, joined by a few well chosen covers.
It might be a bit of a challenge to write a Christmas song, given all the seasonal music already in existence. It’s a challenge each artist meets well though, creating music that explores by turns the joy and mystery of the holiday season.
Though they come from different geographic areas, both Joe and April grew up with Christmas traditions celebrating home and hearth, traditions they continue to celebrate and enjoy. For several years they’ve been doing holiday season tours together. On This Christmas Day is the first time they have put the seasonal music on record, though.
Warm and welcoming, with top class musicianship and songwriting, the album will make a great choice for your own music library and as a lasting gift for friends who enjoy bluegrass and old time music along with excellent singing and playing.
Here is the title track from On This Christmas Day. Joe wrote it after soundcheck in a restored church in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
There’s more to come here along the music road, both gift ideas and seasonal favorites old and new to enjoy. Stay with us as the season unfolds.
In times when you are able to listen to much music at no cost, take this as a gentle reminder that if you enjoy this music, help support the work of these artists and the cause of good, thoughtful music everywhere by purchasing their music. Direct purchase from an artist’s site is one way. Bandcamp is also a platform which supports artists’ work.
Speaking of support, if you’re in a position to do so this holiday season, your support for Music Road is most welcome. Here’s one way:
-->Your support for Music Road is welcome and needed. If you are able to chip in, here is a way to do that, through PayPal. Note that you do not have to have a PayPal account to do this. Thank you.
Celtic Connections 2021 Continues: What's on 27 January through 1 February
Traditionally, at Celtic Connections there would be more than 100,000 listeners enjoying the work of more than 300 artists across Glasgow city centre at this time of year.
As with most things to do with music, things are different this year. Different, yes, but equally interesting. Roots music from acid croft to Sudanese blues, generous helpings of music in Gaelic and Scots, song and tune from rising stars and established creators: it’s all continuing as Celtic Connections heads into the closing days of its 2021 edition.
Tickets, both all access passes and individual tickets (you can view events for 7 days after first broadcast) are still available and there are several no cost events too, including a programme for small children and one that is dementia friendly.
Highlights of what’s on offer 27 January through 1 February:
“Authentic, electrifying and unlike anything you’ve seen before... that’s the way we do it in the Western Isles” is how the Stornoway based trio Peat & Diesel describe themselves. A fisherman, an electrician and a delivery driver who only got a band together so they could play a couple of gigs down the local pub have been taking their rip roaring approach to wider stages-- this time, to Celtic Connections on 27 January.
Later that evening, festival favourites Cherish the Ladies offer their take on the music of Ireland.
From the Wild Atlantic Way in County Clare Joanie Madden on flute, whistles, and harmony vocals, Mary Coogan on guitar, Mirella Murray on accordion, Kathleen Boyle on piano, Nollaig Casey on fiddle, and Lunasa’s Trevor Hutchinson on upright bass recorded a special socially distanced concert for Celtic Connections. Kate Purcell, Don Stiffe, Bruce Foley, and Seámus Ó’Flatharta add their voices and David Geaney and Seámus Ó’Flatharta bring dance to a programme that is both innovative and classic. Sharing the evening’s bill with Cherish are the Scottish quartet Charlie Grey, Sally Simpson, Owen Sinclair and Joseph Peach, who are Westward the Light.
Remember the pipers of Tryst, who walked up Buchanan Street to open the festival? They’re back as part of of an evening featuring varied forms of piping. In their set the ten pipers of Tryst showcase new music inspired by the piobaireachd tradition. Also on the evening Finlay MacDonald brings together a local showcase of music focusing on the innovative Scottish and Irish bellows-piping traditions, and piping from BBC Young Traditional Musician of the year 2020 Ali Levack shows up as part of at set from Project SMOK, a trio who are at their most comfortable pushing boundaries across musical genres.
Transatlantic Sessions is always a top ticket at the festival; this long running collaboration between artists from both sides of the Atlantic features continuing participants including Aly Bain, Phil Cunningham, John McCusker, Michael McGoldrick, James Mackintosh, Jerry Douglas, John Doyle and Donald Shaw and an always a changing cast of artists joining them. This year festival favorites Euan Burton, Julie Fowlis, and Kris Drever will join from Scotland with Molly Tuttle, Tim O’Brien, Alison Brown, and Stuart Duncan chiming in from Nashville. Word comes that recorded performances from earlier years of Transatlantic Sessions will also be in the mix.
Finishing off the evening of 29 January, a journey to Quebec brings in music from Le Vent du Nord , Grosse Isle. and De Temps Antan.
At the weekend, workshops continue, as does Claire Hastings’s programme for under fives and their parents, along with radio broadcasts of the Danny Kyle Open Stage concerts on Celtic Music Radio. Presented by Liz Clark, DKOS has adapted to an online format in style: six acts from the festival long event go to through to the final broadcast on 31 January. Exploring ideas of home and place, Steven Blake’s New Voices commission uses found sounds and samples to weave lush textures around a simple piano spine.
Another final takes place at the weekend: the BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award 2021 concert. Six finalists will offer sets -- there’s no charge to view this concert -- with song, harp, pipes, piano, and fiddle. Among Young Trad winners in earlier years are Gillian Frame, Robyn Stapleton, Emily Smith, Anna Massie, and Benedict Morris; many finalists have gone on to fine careers in music as well.
Innovative music drawing from varied roots traditions fills the bill on Sunday evening. Dean Owens’s gift for storytelling and the landscapes of the American southwest fuse in a set of music from his most recent recording. Originally from the high desert of Northern New Mexico, multi-instrumentalist Cahalen Morrison returns to the festival as a solo act with Americana based music. Rhiannon Giddens has electrified Celtic Connections audiences with her voice, banjo, and fiddle solo and in performance with the Celtic Blues Orchestra. She returns in creative collaboration with Italian pianist and percussionist Francesco Turrisi. Bringing creativity from Scotland to the evening is top singer and guitarist Kris Drever, who is a fine songwriter as well an a gifted interpreter of the music of others.
On Monday evening, it is the Western Isles and Gaelic language and music to the fore. A night of music and song from North Uist, celebrating the island’s musical talent and heritage, will see top artists including Julie Fowlis and Ellen MacDonald, the Taigh Chearsabhagh House Band featuring Padruig Morrison, Anna Black and Seonaidh MacIntyre, up-and-coming talents Eilidh Lamb, Robert John MacInnes, Doireann Marks and Fionnlagh Mac a’ Phiocair, and the legendary Duncan MacKinnon presenting a programme entirely in Gaelic bringing to life the language and culture which of the Outer Hebrides. This evening is presented by Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre in partnership with the Centre for Island Creativity.
There’s more to discover as you explore Celtic Connections 2021’s digital first festival. Festival organizers and production crew from Beezer Studios in Glasgow are doing excellent work in support creativity and presenting the work of musicians. Celtic Connections is delivered by the charity Glasgow Life and is funded by Glasgow City Council, Creative Scotland and The Scottish Government Festivals EXPO Fund.
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Celtic Connections Begins: Music, Heart, and Hope from Scotland
When Celtic Connections began in 1994, there were those who thought organizers were more than a bit cracked in the head to stage a music festival in January, in Glasgow, in the midst of Scotland’s winter.
What began as a rather small event has grown over the years to a 19 day festival, attracting performers and visitors from across the world to celebrate roots music in all its varied forms. From a specially created folk big band concert at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro to intimate one and two person gigs at the recital rooms at City Halls, Celtic Connections has become one of the UK’s and Europe’s top winter festivals, traditionally welcoming more than100,000 attendees and 300 artists to Glasgow.
Celtic Connections has weathered many changes over its more than two decades. With ongoing uncertainty in all areas of life caused by a global pandemic, though, should there be a festival come winter 2021? Could that work?
Digital first Celtic Connections is working brilliantly (the festival is ongoing at this writing; tickets and information at celticconnections.com Also note that performances were all recorded under Scotland’s strict health and safety guidelines for film production).
There are things that are different and things that remain the same from the in person festival.
One thing that is the same: Celtic Connections is a festival of hope, and of heart.
The festival was piped into its start as notes skirled from pipes played of members of TRYST as they walked through unusually quiet streets in Glasgow’s city centre to the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. There they met up with the Celtic Connections Big Band 2021 a gathering of Scotland’s top folk musicians who drew them into a lively set.
As the first evening progressed there was a quiet fiddle tune from Duncan Chisholm, an original song based on a Robert Burns poem from Karine Polwart, along with a fast paced wave of welcoming music from across the water from Le Vent du Nord in Quebec. Artists sent in songs from Gambia and Spain, and across Scotland. Fiona Hunter added in Aye Waulkin O in Scots. Karen Matheson stood in the midst of the Big Band to offer O Nach Eiśdeadh in Gaelic. The Big Band closed things out in tribute to the late trad-fusion composer Martyn Bennett with his tune Karabach.
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During the 19 nights of the festival’s scheduled run, one or two concerts are offered. Most follow the Celtic Colours example of making each night a sort of ambassador event, with each night including sets from three to five acts.
Several highlights of what has happened thus far:
Duncan Chisholm filled the great hall of Kelvingrove Art Gallery with tunes both reflective and lively. Vibrant backing from musical friends Innes Watson on guitar, Hamish Napier on keys, Jarlath Henderson on pipes, and the string players of The Scottish Ensemble added to the evening as did thoughtful interview segments in which Chisholm chatted with musician and broadcaster Joy Dunlop about creativity and landscape.
New Scots in Concert saw musicians with backgrounds fromAfrica to India to the Caribbean to Roma culture sharing their talents. It was a indeed a varied program. Singer Brina from Jamaica and Ando Glaso Collective with polkas were two very different acts on the gig.
Acid croft masters Shooglenifty added high energy to an evening which included top class playing from the Highlands and Islands fiddle quartet RANT, blues infused singing from the Sudan from Amira Kheir, Scots song from Fiona Hunter, and creative singing and songwriting from Paul McKenna.
New Voices, an hour of new music from a rising composers or songwriters, is a popular strand at Celtic Connections, happening every Sunday afternoon of the festival; Josie Duncan, known for Gaelic song, offered song in English for the first New Voices of 2021. In addition to her creative music, it was touching to see how delighted Duncan was to be able to share her music with listeners, even though she couldn’t see us...
Song was the focus of the concert called Come Away In: Karine Polwart, Eddi Reader, Siobhan Miller, Rab Noakes, and Findlay Napier, backed by Aaron Jones and Dave Milligan, made a songwriters’ circle, sharing songs and stories from Glasgow’s City Chambers. Music they explored included The King’s Shilling from Miller, There’s More to Building Ships from Napier, Come Away In from Polwart, and Maid o’ the Loch from Reader.
Karen Matheson shared the title song from her forthcoming album Still Time along with other songs in English and Gaelic, well supported in creative backing from her band members including Donald Shaw, Fraser Fifield, Hannah Fisher, and Sorren MacLean. Those sharing the evening with Matheson included the recently formed group Lyre, which proved to be an innovative joining of talents from string players and composers Patsy Reid, Alice Allen, and Marit Fält.
Watching the six members of Blazin’ Fiddles play is always a treat. In this Celtic Connections concert in addition to the top class music they always offer, it was an added benefit to see the joy they took in being able to get together to make and share music after a year of rarely being able to do so.
The folk of Beezer Stdios, who have been handling the production of all the Celtic Connection concerts, well know how to shoot and edit live music. Thanks to their work such subtle aspects of muscial creativity are there to enjoy.
There is more to Celtic Connections, as it’s on going at this writing
Once you have purchased a ticket, each concert is available to watch for seven days after first broadcast, and there all access passes as well as individual tickets available.
Individually ticketed workshops are available too, as are no cost events for small children, and those living with dementia, and several radio broadcasts which you can also enjoy online. Visit the Celtic Connections website for information on all this, and to book tickets.
Photographs by Gaelle Beri and Kerry Dexter
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Event if the liturgical season of Advent is not part of your faith calendar. it’s likely you’ve felt some of those things in the weeks and days leading up to Christendom’s major holiday.
Music is a good doorway, and makes a good companion, as you experience such things.
Several ideas to go along, and links to stories you may wish to explore, too
Three albums for the winter season: a longtime favoorite from The Jay Ungar and Molly Mason Family Band, along with new (winter 2021) releases from April Verch and Joe Newbery, and Hanneke Cassel
An excellent Christmas album from Scotland and an album from an Indiana based artist that isn’t seasonal, but has songs which value hope, faith, and community: music from Emily Smith and Carrie Newcomer
May these stories and the music and ideas in them be good comanions to you this winter season.
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Celtic Connections 2020: 7 Concerts to explore on the second weekend
Celtic Connections: it is a gathering of musical talent, inspiration, and collaboration which lights up the winter in Glasgow from mid January through early February. There is always a range fo events from which to choose each, some from well known artists, some from people perhaps less high profile, and usually one off collaborative projects you’ll rarely see anywhere else. There is still a great deal to come as the festival is in its second week, and plenty of time to join in.
Here are ideas to explore during the packed second weekend of Celtic Connections. If you happen to be reading this at another time, seek out the work of these artists anyway, live or recorded. You will be well rewarded.
At the Old Fruitmarket on Friday evening, there will be two reunions of sorts. Flute player, uilleann piper, and composer Michael McGoldrick marks 20 years since the release of his album Fused, a creative leaps which saw tunes from Celtic tradition infused with and infusing musical ideas from funk, jazz, ambient and work music. The artists who played on the album gather again. Singers Karan Casey and Karen Matheson will join in.
Sharing the bill with McGoldrick and friends are Dochas, a six piece ensemble who rarely perform together these days as they’ve gone on to top solo carers and participation in bands including Blazin’ Fiddles. Offering top class playing and Gaelic song are Jenna Reid, Eilidh MacLeod, Carol-Anne Mackay, KT Boyle, Martin O’Neill, and Julie Fowlis.
Also on Friday, at the re-purposed church that is Oran Mor in Glasgow’s West End, it promises to be a lively evening as the Paul McKenna Band offers their take on Scottish and Irish tradition with rock and pop accents, and fine songwriting and singing. Not to be outdone, The East Pointers, from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada, offer Celtic song and tune enlivened by bluegrass element and touched with a fresh Atlantic breeze.
Robert Burns will be celebrated on his day, Saturday 25 January, as Eddi Reader joins the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra to perform her choice of pieces from their collaborative project from 2003, Eddi Reader sings the Songs of Robert Burns. Karen Matheson, Jarlath Henderson, and Shona Donaldson will add theirs takes on Burns music to the evening at the main auditorium of the Royal Concert Hall as well.
Coming from different musical geographies, Les Amazones d’Afrique, a female supergroup whose founders include Angelique Kidjo and Mariam Doumbio, take the stage Satuday at the Tramway. Their support act includes festival artists and groups representing five of Glasgow’s diverse communities, a finale to the new Celtic Connections in the Community strand, presented in partnership with BEMIS.
Two other geographies join the mix as group Cimarron, from Colombia in South America, join up with acclaimed Welsh artist Caitrin Finch, united by their love of and expertise with the harp. They will take the stage at the Fruitmarket on Sunday.
Also on Sunday, Lauren MacColl brings it back to the Highlands with an early evening program of haunting fiddle music, at the REctal Room at City Halls.
Later that Sunday evening, Aoife Scott comes rom Ireland to premier her second album, Homebird. She travelled to Nashville to work with Ron Block of Alison Krauss and Union Station to produce the album. Block returns the favour for this concert, joining gifted singer and songwriter Scott and members of her band. They will share the bill at the New Auditorium of the Royal Concert Hall with firm festival favourites, the ever creative fiddle and cello duo of Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas.
Seven fine concerts to explore during the second weekend of Celtic Connections -- and that’s just a taste of what’s on as the weekend infold with concerts, workshops, sessions, and other events across Glasgow city centre.
Also, there’s another whole week of Celtic Connections ahead: the music goes on through 2 February. Ideas on what to expect in the third week coming up soon...
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Celtic Connections 2020: 5 highlights for the first days of the festival
Winter is often a time for gathering in, for sharing stories. Winter in Scotland especially invites this, which is one of the reasons for the continuing success of Celtic Connections, which takes place for eighteen days beginning in mid January in Glasgow.
Collaboration, both planned and spontaneous, is also a hallmark of Celtic Connections. This year, the festival runs from 16 January through 2 February. There will be concerts, workshops, talks, walks, and even a mini festival within a festival in venues across Glasgow. Here is bit about what’s planned for the early days of the festival.
Grit Orchestra, an 80-piece ensemble of folk, jazz and classical musician originally founded to perform and celebrate the late Martyn Bennett’s musicUnder the baton of founding conductor Greg Lawson, the orchestra will première pieces by multi-instrumentalist Fraser Fifield, saxophonist Paul Towndrow, fiddlers Chris Stout and Patsy Reid, harpist Catriona McKay and cellist Rudi de Groot. The pieces will draw from each composer’s reflections on the Declaration of Arbroath. Scotland will mark the 700th anniversary of this document of freedom in April.
Another highlight will see the band Breabach marking its 15th anniversary, a journey which saw them winning an award for up and coming musicians at Celtic Connections in 2005 and this year finds the five musicians, known as one of Scotland’s most innovative groups, headlining the main stage at the Royal Concert Hall. Special guests including former band members will join Breabach and The Seamus Egan Project will debut their new album in support on the night, too.
The first Saturday of the Festival will see a mini festival celebrating Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters, with talks, plays, and music, all with connections to Scotland’s waters, coasts, and islands. Musicians will include Gillian Frame, Fara, Daimh, Julie Fowlis, Capercaillie, and others.
Julie Fowlis will appear later that evening too, when she joins Eamon Doorley, Zoe Conway, and John McIntyre for a rare performance of their stellar collaborative project, Allt, in which the four explore connection of Scottish Gaelic and Irish language music.
On another evening, Hamish Napier will introduce his nature focused project The Woods, and Sarah-Jane Summers will offer music from her album Owerset, which comprises music she’s composed inspired by connections between words in Scots and words in Old Norse.
That’s a taste of a few highlights of what’s on the schedule just in the first few days of this year’s Celtic Connections Festival. More to come...
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