whether teeming notes and shimmering light (The Arabic) or plaintive filigree detail with a shadowy edge (Wheel Of Fortune). Further accompaniment is discreet and appropriate, carefully orchestrated to support the telling and tonal shading. It includes fiddle (Stuart Duncan), accordion/concertina (John Williams), bass (Todd Philips), percussion (Kenny Malone), and contributions from Tim O’Brien and Michael McGoldrick (with whose uillean pipes there is some masterfully complex and fluent interplay on the instrumental tribute to John’s uncle and dedicatee Donald Ward).


The photographic artwork with the CD is noteworthy too, as is the detailed background information about the songs, including lyrics, and, for the more anorakish musos, the individual details of all those wonderful custom guitars and other stringed things used to such great effect.


Kevin T. Ward


VARIOUS ARTISTS The Greentrax 25th


Collection Greentrax CDTRAX8611


Anniversary


mixed with acoustic strumming, highland pipes, or surging choruses, “eclectic” is the only the word fit for purpose. It would surely be invidious to single out any particular items from the panoply of artistry arrayed here, and that’s no cop-out but suffice to say that any release where Barbara Dickson can share equal billing with Gordon Duncan, or Margaret Stewart can snuggle up to Sandy Bell’s Bar Chorus is to be applauded.


A fine testament to the foresight and sheer hard work of Ian Green, (not forgetting his small team) without whom I’d venture, the profile of Scots music would not have the prominence it enjoys today. This is truly a really “ought-to- get” release.


Clive Pownceby THE LONG NOTES


In The Shadow Of Stromboli Hobgoblin Records HOBCD1014


thE living tradition rEviEws are sponsored by


cd, dvd & blu-ray


rEplication and duplication crEativE dEsign & packaging


mastEring, authoring, promotional support


Last October “Scotland’s Favourite Record Company” celebrated its Silver Anniversary with a grand concert in Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall and here in collaboration with the Culburnie label is a double album with lavish liner notes and booklet. Ian Green’s Greentrax imprint is synonymous with quality and élan and he’s personally selected the 27 cuts, (2 bonuses included), for this special landmark release, though at pains to point out it’s not a “Best Of...” or “Now That’s What I Call Greentrax!” With a figure of approaching 500 releases to choose from, it can’t have been a breeze to pick such a modest number to reflect an overview of the brand’s landscape over the years.


With this abundance of material, suffice to say that the whole is a heady mosaic of multi- instrumental virtuosity, expressive vocals and a nice mix of the Scots tradition (Jimmy McBeath – hurrah!) with some own-writes and modern covers. There isn’t a track here that is less than overflowing with passion, freshness or swagger – sometimes all of these at the same time!


Whether it’s sweeping fiddles, synth textures Sponsored by BIrnam CD


This is the second album from The Long Notes - Jamie Smith (fiddle), Colette O’Leary (piano accordion), Brian Kelly (banjo/mandolin) and Alex Percy (guitar/vocals). The band formed some five years ago having played together regularly at sessions in Camden Town. A cast of supporting musicians gives the album a very full sound with the addition of piano, bass, bodhran and electric guitar on selected tracks.


It kicks off at a rollicking pace with a set of three tunes - Beoga On Ice, Rockin The Boat and the Quebec Reel. A fine opening set to showcase the bands individual and collective talents. As with many of the instrumental tracks, this one bounces along with some sudden and unexpected tempo changes.


There are a number of original pieces included, and these fit very comfortably with the more traditional material, moving nicely between moods, with a good balance of fast tunes, slower pieces and songs – all played superbly.


Plains Of Jars is a standout track even though it is a banjo solo with guitar accompaniment and not a band piece as such. A blistering set of reels performed immaculately by Brian Kelly at eye-watering pace, full of fire and excitement and culminating in a two banjo harmonic showdown!


Guest singer Adam Holmes delivers a


bE sEEn


bE hEard 1986


EstablishEd 01350 727 158 www.birnamcd.com The Living Tradition - Page 41


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