Take The Floor

[buddyrich]

Calling all trad music fans. Local (well, lockerbie via lybster is local!) accordionist and band leader Nicky McMichan is in session with his scottish dance band on Robbie Shepherd's Take The Floor on Saturday night.


It's an outside broadcast from Invermoriston. We were down at the recording last night and the band sounded fantastic, so if that's your bag then it's on radio scotland on saturday night at five past seven, right after jim traynor's lunatic parade.

Nicky's a regular at Wick Acc/Fiddle club so regular attendees will be familiar with his musical skill. He also has drum maestro Graeme Jamieson down from Shetland to show us amateurs how it's done and a troop of other top-notch musicians in the band.


Enjoy!

[The Pepsi Challenge]

Talking of trad competition this weekend


"Seven of the greatest traditional musicians from both sides of the Atlantic come together to celebrate and explore the music that travelled with the emigrants from Scotland and Ireland to America – and back again.

Featuring: Kris Drever, Orkney (Lau)

Sarah McFadyen, Orkney (Harem Scarem)

Eamonn Coyne, Ireland (Salsa Celtica)

Tim Matthew, Scotland (Mystery Juice)

Betse Ellis, Missouri (The Wilders)

Caleb Klauder, Oregon (Foghorn String Band)

Sammy Lind, Oregon (Foghorn String Band)

As musical collaborations go, this one's as hot as it gets. When Betse Ellis of award-winning Kansas City hillbilly band The Wilders, took time out to trade fiddle tunes with Tim Matthew backstage after her appearance at The Famous Spiegeltent in Edinburgh, in 2007, the pair enjoyed the moment so much that they wanted to share the experience with others.
That spawned the idea to put together a cross-cultural touring package that would feature some of the best players on the circuit.
The multi-talented Kris Drever, renowned for his solo projects and appearances with top band Lau, agreed to come onboard and brought legendary Irish tenor banjo player Eamonn Coyne and fellow Orcadian Sarah McFadyen to join the party.
Across the Atlantic Betse invited her favourite jam-session friends Caleb Klauder and Stephen “Sammy” Lind - both former members of the fabled US-based Foghorn Stringband - to complete the super group. This became such a seriously-exciting ‘live’ music prospect, that National Lottery funding was made available through The Scottish Arts Council's ‘Tune Up’ programme to take the show on tour. These concerts will feature the best of Scottish Trad alongside its American counterparts, and a look at Appalachian old-time music that influences modern Scottish performers. Old tunes mingle with the best of the new from both sides of the Atlantic as ‘Going Across the Sea’ celebrates an extraordinary musical interchange.
The process began in Edinburgh last year as Kris, Eamonn, Sarah and Tim got together in to gather tunes and songs and to record material for the forthcoming project. At the same time in Portland, Oregon, Betse, Caleb and Sammy sat down and recorded a selection of American music they knew had Scottish origins. Once recorded, the music was e-mailed back and forth with musicians in each country learning the others' tunes and playing on each others recordings. A truly transatlantic session.

22nd April Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline

23rd April An Lanntair, Stornoway

24th April Lyth Arts Centre, Wick

25th April Gable End Theatre, Hoy

26thApril Woodwick House, Orkney

27th April Perth Theatre, Perth

29th April Bongo Club, Edinburgh

30th April Tolbooth, Stirling

1st May Sabhal Mor Ostaig, Skye

2nd May Memorial Hall, Resolis

3rd May Glenuig Hall, Lochailort

5th May An Tobar, Mull

6th May Tall Ship, at Glasgow Harbour. 7.30pm. Tickets from 0141 204 5151"

[arana negra]

Lordy is Robbie Shepherd still around I saw him in Banchory when I was little.