CEL
DERVISH...
Whether it’s the sensuous sing

ing of Cathy Jordan, Liam Kelly’s mellifluous flute, Shane Mitchell’s TIC CONNECTIONS
marauding accordion, Tom Morrow’s intricate fiddle, Brian McDonagh’s charged mandola, the rhythmic
pulse of Michael Holmes’ bouzouki or the inspirational spirit of the whole ensemble, Dervish have
earned their status as Irish music legends. They’ve taken Sligo’s rich tradition and excitingly run with it
for nearly 20 years now with a string of admirable albums under their belts – most recently the John
Reynolds-produced Travelling Show – and played everywhere from the Great Wall of China to the
world’s biggest festivals. Just don’t mention the Eurovision Song Contest!
DEAN OWENS...
Russell Brand has called him “the Johnny Cash of Scotland”, Eddi Reader reckons he’s got “soul” and
Irvine Welsh has hailed him “the most engaging singer-songwriter in Scotland.” Welsh is such a Dean
Owens fan in fact that he’s using Whisky Hearts – the title track of Dean’s album – in his latest movie
Good Arrows. Welsh isn’t the only one enraptured by the graphic narratives of Edinburgh-born Owens,
whose songs range from the witty Beth On The Trampoline, the haunting Raining In Glasgow and the
poignant The Man From Leith. The album was recorded in Nashville but the songs were very evidently
carved in Scotland
CROOKED STILL...
Bluegrass…as you’ve never heard it before. The Boston band (Brittany Haas on fiddle; Tristan Clarridge
on cello; Aoife O’Donovan on vocals, guitar and piano; Gregory Liszt on banjo: and Corey DiMario on
double bass and guitar) have caused quite a stir over the last year with their feel-good live shows and
their delightful album Still Crooked, oozing rootsy informality and gentle warmth. They have one foot in
an ancient, innocent past and another one decisively in the here and now, offering little clue of where
the music will take us next. With tracks like Captain Captain and Poor Ellen Smith getting lots of airplay,
international acclaim beckons.
CHERRYHOLMES...
You could see jaws dropping all over last year’s Cambridge

Folk Festival when the extraordinary Nashville
band Cherryholmes started playing. Cherryholmes is actually the family surname of the band members,
who include parents Jere and Sandy Lee and their children Cia Leigh, BJ, Skip and Molly Kate, playing
enthusiastic bluegrass with a mix of banjos, mandolins and guitars with ebullience, verve and humour.
Nominated for best bluegrass album at the Grammies in 2006 and 2007, they’re now well on their way
to seducing Britain judging by the way their latest album Don’t Believe has already been lapped up.
SPOTLIGHT QUEBEC...
If anything’s guaranteed to get the joint jumping in Glasgow

– or anywhere else – it’s a bunch of
top-notch bands scorching out the red-hot traditional music of Quebec. Whether it’s for wild dancing
or political comment, the fiery power of the Quebecois character is irresistible – as we hear on the
blistering double CD Par Un Dimanche Au Soir, featuring 30 of Quebec’s finest. Six of them play Celtic
Connections, including the legendary La Bottine Souriante (former Best Live Act winners at the BBC
Folk award winners) but there’s plenty more where they came from and Le Vent du Nord, Genticorum
and Mauvais Sort are all rapidly winning international acclaim.
For more information about this year’s fesival visit
www.celticconnections.com
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