Twelve of Scotland’s best-known folk groups and musicians have teamed up to present digital performances and send greetings from across the country to audiences at leading festivals around the world. (60 minute video available all weekend July 23rd – 25th)
A nomad, both geographically and musically, songwriter Ross Wilson aka Blue Rose Code writes straight from – and to – the heart. His songs address universal themes of love, loss, travel, home, accepting the past and embracing the future in a deeply personal way. They are variously painted with the vibrant colours of folk, Americana, jazz, country, soul, pop and, increasingly, celtic traditions; an eclecticism that has seen him compared to John Martyn, Van Morrison and Tom Waits amongst others.
Eabhal came together while based in the Scottish Outer Hebrides. Alongside traditional songs, contemporary and self-penned tunes, the band draws influence from other musical cultures and unites them within their music.
Gnoss’ signature sound is a rich tapestry of acous4c layers; outstanding musicianship, deep tradi4onal roots and contemporary composi4onal flair combine to create songs and tunes brimming with character. Double ‘Scots Trad Award’ nominees, the boys have built an invested following through their forward-thinking take on tradi4onal music and the unique warmth of their live shows.
Aberdeenshire folksinger, Iona Fyfe, has become one of Scotland’s finest young ballad singers, rooted deeply in the singing traditions of the North East of Scotland.
Iona is a fierce advocate for the official recognition of the Scots Language and is a fine exponent of the Doric dialect, winning the title of Performer of the Year at the Scots Language Awards 2020.
Elephant Sessions transcend boundaries and shake the very foundations of expectation. Exploding onto the indie folk scene to unparalleled effect with their last album “All We Have Is Now”, the band have since appeared at some of the world’s most notable venues and festivals with audiences crowd surfing their way through the summer and marquee floors breaking under the weight of bouncing fans.
Scottish violinist Ryan Young was inspired to play the fiddle after seeing Aly Bain perform on the BBC Hogmanay show and subsequently by the playing of fiddler Eilidh Steel from Helensburgh.
Ryan focuses mainly on Scottish music, bringing new life to very old, often forgotten tunes by playing them in his own unique way. He is very influenced by the fiddle playing of County Clare and has been fascinated by the playing of renowned fiddlers such as Bobby Casey, Paddy Canny, PJ and Martin Hayes and Tommy Potts from Dublin.
With a mix of fiddle, accordions, pipes and whistles, alongside guitar and vocals, underpinned by driving bass, drums and keys, Skerryvore represent the best in contemporary Scottish traditional music. Their 6 studio albums demonstrate the wide range of influences the individual musicians bring to the mix – a unique fusion of folk, trad, rock and Americana, with even some jazz in there!
Emily Kelly and Graham Coe are Edinburgh-based duo The Jellyman’s Daughter. Singing with an affinity and closeness that can often have audiences puzzling over who is singing which harmony line, their songs can range from a simple plaintive wisp of a feeling to ambitious musical endeavours incorporating guitar, mandolin and Graham’s often-unconventional cello playing, which can range from powerful, driving rhythmic propulsion to delicate, sonorous underscoring. Emily & Graham will be tastefully augmented by the spectacular talents of Jamie Francis on banjo and Herbie Loening on double bass.
What do you get when you mix together three of Scotland’s finest trad musicians with an acclaimed Irish Singer and a member of Cape Breton’s famous Rankin Family? The Outside Track – bringing an exhilarating blend of music, song and stepdance to stages around the world.
Their blend of boundless energy and unmistakable joie de vivre has won them a legion of fans around the globe, and they continue to build upon this success each year. They are particularly recognised as advocates for women in folk music being one of very few bands on the touring circuit to feature a predominantly female line-up.
Niteworks are Innes Strachan (Synth/Keys), Allan MacDonald (Pipes), Christopher Nicolson (Bass) and Ruairidh Graham (Drums). Childhood friends and long-term fellow musicians from the Isle of Skye, Niteworks blur the lines between Scottish traditional, folk and Gaelic music with contemporary electronica, creating a unique and exhilarating sound.
Live, their spellbinding audio / visual show enlists musical collaborations and visual spectacles which have won them legions of fans and opportunities to perform at venues across the UK.
The new decade marks an exciting new chapter for Scotland’s fabulous fiddle-led Fara, as founding Orkney frontwomen Jeana Leslie, Catriona Price and Kristan Harvey welcome young Highland pianist Rory Matheson to the line-up.
“I’ve always loved the sound of a group of fiddles,” he says, “It can be so powerful in different ways, and those big, intricate Fara arrangements lend themselves so well to piano accompaniment. It’s also really interesting to explore the parallels between Orkney and Highland music – and to create new ones.”
Ethereal vocals, poignant melodies and stirring lyrics describes 23 year old award winning Scotland based nu-folk musician, Zoë Bestel, hailed as one of the country’s most fascinating young singer-songwriters. As well as numerous BBC radio and TV performances, Bestel has captivated audiences across Denmark, Germany, Finland, Norway, and the Czech Republic, with festival highlights including Orkney Folk Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival, and Celtic Connections “Audiences are fast catching up with the fact that, in Bestel’s hands, the ukulele shrugs off its stereotypical comedy baggage and becomes the instrument of choice for one of Scotland’s most fascinating young singer-songwriters.” – The National