Scotland's music: Caoir from Joy Dunlop

If you’ve spent time in Scotland, you will likely hav seen Joy Dunlop presenting weather on BBC Scotland and on BBC Alba.

Perhaps you are learning Gaelic? Then you may have come across Joy’s work as a presenter of the the broadcast and online series Speak Gaelic. Perhaps you’ve heard her present award shows and other programs in Gaelic and in English, or leraned of her work developing Seachdain na Gàidhlig/ World Gaelic Week, a time celebrating Scottish Gaelic language and culture.

Maybe you’ve heard that she created and conducted the Alba Choir, Scotland’s entry in the Eurovision Choir competition.

At the heart of all this, Joy is a musician, an award winning singer and stepdancer.

She grew up in the traditional music community of Connel in Argyll in the west of Scotland, studied on the isle of Skye, and has traveled the world with her music.

With all that she’s got going on, she takes her time in releasing albums.

Her most recent recording is called Caoir. You will find it well worth the wait.

Caoir is pronounced koor. In Scottish Gaelic the word means a blaze of fire, fiercely burning, flames or flashes.

That idea comes through in the warming, welcoming sound of Joy’s vibrant soprano, and in the music she has chosen to record.

It also follows through in the connection and creativity shared by the musicians who join Joy on the recording: who are Ron Jappy on guitar, Ifedade Thomas on drums, Gus Stirrat on bass, Mhari Marwick in fiddle, and Euan Malloch on electric guitar.

It is a connection that evolved into an album.

It began, Joy said, “as a jam session with four fantastic musicians, and soon grew into something more -- a selection of music that we all loved and a real friendship and bond between us all. I think that sense of joy comes across in the music.”

It does indeed.

Dunlop’s sense of adventure and creativity, as well as her musicianship anchor the music she and her collaborators create.

Caoir begins with a lively set of jigs to draw listeners in with both music and rhythm.

Rhythm and beat are present through the music on Caoir. This is the first time Joy has brought drums and bass into her music. In the hands of these musicians, these additions work well within the ten tracks of traditional music.

You will hear this in subtle fashion as Joy explores the gentler side of her voice and music as she sings Am Braigh/The Braes. This is a song Malcolm Gillis wrote in praise of his home area of Margaree in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Joy spent some time living and working in Mabou in Cape Breton. She writes in her notes on the song “Cape Breton is a place dear to my heart... I can confirm that it’s just as beautiful as the song describes.”

Cape Breton is also one of the few places outside the Highlands and Islands of Scotland where you will find Scottish Gaelic in daily use.

You will also hear that beat and rhythm in several of the faster paced songs on Caoir. Among those is Mo Nighean Donn Ho Gu/ My Brown Haired Girl.

Waukling songs for working the tweed, puirt a bheul to celebrate and keep alive dance and piping music through the voice of the singer, story songs of legend and history, love songs -- all these are part of the music on Caior, presented with creativity and thoughtfulness as much as with celebration.

“I’ve always loved music that pushed the boundaries of what was considered trad without losing the soul of the songs,” Joy Dunlop said. “As a Gaelic singer, I’m always trying to make my music accessible to those who don’t speak the language.

“With this recording I wanted to capture the sentiment of the songs, whether the listener understands Gaelic or not.”

Another aspect that comes across clearly is the connection and creativity Joy and the artists who join her bring to the music.

Reflecting on this, Joy said “That mix of trust, creativity, and drive for exploration eventually emerged as an album that will hopefully resonate with trad fans and those who just love music.”

Whether you have Gaelic or not, give Caoir a listen -- more than one, really, to explore all the musicians have to offer. You are bound to enjoy the journey.

...and mention must be made of the visual aspect of the album, which really carries through that

them of flashes of fire while serving both the music and the artist. Photography is by Euan Robertson and album design is by LOOM Graphics.

You may also wish to see
A story about Dithis/Duo, an album from Joy Dunlop and her brother Andrew Dunlop
Alterum, an album by Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis
A story about the music of Cape Breton
This piece at Wandering Educators includes a video of Joy singing Am Braighe

A quick way to support Music Road:: you could

If you enjoy what you are reading here, I've recently begun publishing an occasional newsletter at Substack with more stories about music, the people who make it, and the places which inspire it. Come visit and check it out!