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Mar 01 2010
various happenings so far in 2010

Jim Sutherland’s True North Orchestra opened my 2010 gig calendar in the opening concert of this year’s Celtic Connections concert. The TNO is an inspired gathering of musicians from the traditional and classical scenes from which a lot more will hopefully be forthcoming. We also played in Perth Concert Hall. Both concerts also featured the lovely voice of Kathleen MacInnes. More Kathleen MacInnes news coming up soon…

Also in that pretty hectic opening festival concert was the 1^st performance of a new work I wrote for Pipe Band performed by the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland. A challenging piece, perhaps, for any piping ensemble, I’d like to thank again all the members of the NYPB for their great efforts. I’ll put the score up on this site in due course so other bands can check it out. Definitely something I’d like to re-visit.

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Another ‘Stereocanto’ review appeared in January, this time in ‘New Internationalist’. I think LG liked it….

“Prepare to ditch all preconceptions about Scots trad music. Low whistle, hornpipes, kaval (this is a traditional Balkan flute) and practice chanter (and this a part of the Scots bagpiping set-up) are just a few of the instruments employed by Fraser Fifield on Stereocanto. This is the Scottish virtuoso’s latest album and much of its charm is the music’s capacity both to be within a local tradition and to soar outwards, making new links.

And Fifield does this with startling speed. On the album’s eponymous opening track, a zappy few minutes – with so much percussion that you wonder about a leaky salsa somewhere – it stops almost dead to pull out into new instrumentation: pipes, yes, but also electro beats, fiddle, sax and bass too. Listen closely in the quietest bits and you’ll pick up the drones.

It’s all part of a canny approach in which taut rhythms and simple melodies generate their own improvisational material. Fifield, who in earlier years has played with Highland folk rockers Wolfstone as well as Lowland Latino group Salsa Celtica, has a scholarly interest in how his music is made. Previous albums have taken him to many other traditions to find fits and inspirations. Stereocanto’s instrumentals are, in the main, of a jaunty feel. But of ‘Wrath and Love’ and ‘Lochan’ – both tunes where the influence of Scottish trad music is present – the instrumentals are really rather fine”.

*** LG

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A brilliant week was spent along with seven other musicians working with and being inspired by the great John Surman along with many other visiting persons from all sectors of the music industry. The scheme called ‘Take 5’ is organised by Serious Music and funded by the PRSF and Jerwood Charitable foundation. Many thanks to all concerned with the organisation and funding of it. One of the great things about the week was getting to know some new musicians and their music. Do check out these guys who I hadn’t heard previously:

http://www.loopcollective.org/

http://www.kitdownes.com/

http://www.myspace.com/shabakahutchings

more to come…

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Mick West’s fine new album ‘Sark O Snaw’ was given an appropriate send off at Glasgow’s Star Folk Club on 4^th February…out into the world of a trillion CDs. A great 5 star review in Scotland on Sunday preceded the launch :

SARK O' SNAW * * * * *

This masterful album of traditional songs was created over hundreds of years, by many thousands of individuals, and their spirit remains palpable in West's deeply moving and authentically Scots voice. Each of these 11 evergreen songs is given a carefully wrought, modernist accompaniment that dramatises the ballads (Chylde Owlett), conjures mystery (Well Below The Valley) or remains simple and demurely touching (Kelvin's Purling Stream). Go listen to it.

Norman Chalmers
Scotland on Sunday

Just off to join the Graeme Stephen Septet’s Tune-Up tour in Perth. Graeme’s band was sounding great on the recording sessions we did for the forthcoming album.

Here are the tour dates:

25 Feb 2010