Temple Records
Here's one from a few years back; Mike Katz of Battlefield Band, playing three tunes (titles below video) on the Scottish smallpipes at Temple Records HQ. Enjoy!
You can find more albums featuring Mike here
The tunes in this set are:
1. Sunset On The Somme. (G.S. MacLennan)
2. The Fiddler. (Donald MacLeod)
3. Beyonce's Welcome To Leith. (M.Katz)
All published by Kinmor Music
If you need some music to accompany Halloween (who doesn't?), then here's a show from the 'Prairie Home Companion' archives, featuring Gil Shaham, Adele Anthony and a Battlefield Band line-up which included the excellent, and much missed, Davy Steele, during one of his final shows with the group.
Click on the player image, or link, below to listen to the full show at the PHC website - enjoy!
A Prairie Home Companion
with Gil Shaham, Adele Anthony, and Battlefield Band
broadcast on October 30 1999
hosted by Garrison Keillor
From The Fitzgerald Theater | St. Paul, MN
Listen Here
Showing her excellent taste, and a glimpse of her own talent too, here's a video of young Iris Nairn enjoying a performance by the great Gaelic singer Christine Primrose MBE
Iris comes from a musical family (her father is Robert Nairn, a well known box player), but she's a special fan of Christine - apparently she doesn't do this with other singers!
As with any living tradition, Scottish Gaelic songs have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. So, taking the ipad out of the equation, this is exactly how Christine learnt songs herself; hearing them sung before she was even old enough to speak.
You can find out more about Christine Primrose here
You'll have to wait a few years to hear more about Iris, but watch this space!
Falcon Audio Visual Arts are now presenting a new monthly folk music focused live-streamed house concert series. Recent shows included Linda Hardcastle & Alan Rose and also ex-Battlefield man Alistair Russell (pictured left).
As is usual with house concerts, they're free to view, but anyone wishing to support the artists can make a voluntary contribution via a virtual tip jar (paypal.me/tulip0852).
You can donate before, during, and up to a week after the show and 90% of these tips will go to the artists or their designated beneficiaries with 10% going to the studio for overhead expenses. These donations can be made securely in any denomination/currency via PayPal (you don't need to have a PayPal account to donate). We would urge you to donate if you can; with no 'normal' shows on the horizon at present, artists need our support more than ever just now!
The Falcon Audio Visual Arts shows are streamed live from the home and studio of Janie Meneely & Rob van Sante in Whitby, who recognised the current need for a direct connection between artist & audience. Both musicians themselves, they have created a welcoming and unique space where they can provide a high-quality link between folk musicians and fans. Rob was Battlefield Band's highly regarded sound engineer for many years on the road, so the technical aspects of the video and audio won't be in question. The pair plan to present a monthly concert for the foreseeable future and hopefully the series will become a fixture with world-wide folk audiences for many years to come.
You can find archived shows and sign up for a mailing list at: www.falconaudiovisualarts.co.uk
Watch live shows at: www.youtube.com/user/Tulip0852/live
(you can tune in up to 15 mins before the start time, and any time during the show)
For anyone frustrated by travel limitations & lockdowns just now, take a little virtual trip to the North West of Scotland with this great Alasdair White tune, accompanied by some superb images of the Highlands & Islands. Full-screen mode recommended - enjoy!
Alasdair was still a teenager when he wrote this tune, and it was recorded for his first album with Battlefield Band back in 2002.
The tune highlights two elements that have an important place in the life of any island community, and Alasdair comes from the Isle of Lewis, one of Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. Connection to the mainland is primarily provided by the 'Cal Mac' ferry company who, like time and tide, wait for no man....
You can find this recording on Battlefield Band's album of the same title: 'Time & Tide'
The highly regarded Scottish Gaelic singer, bagpiper & scholar Allan MacDonald sings 'Uamh an Òir' (Cave of Gold) , accompanied by members of Scotland's renowned Battlefield Band.
This recording was first released on the Battlefield Band album 'Zama Zama...try your luck' (Temple Records COMD2102) which featured Allan as a guest artist.
Here's some lock-down listening to keep you going; 19 great tracks from Battlefield Band's 'The Producer's Choice' , a compilation which was released to celebrate the groups induction into The Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame a few years back. You can find more info on the album below, and a link to the sleeve notes, but it's not obligatory - just press play and enjoy!
In 2016 Battlefield Band were inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame, after almost half a century as internationally acclaimed ambassadors for Scottish folk music. With thirty albums under their collective belts, and thousands of concerts played worldwide, the honour naturally extends to all of the many great musicians who have passed through their ranks over the decades, as each individual brought something new to the party and added to the freshness and creativity that has defined the band.
Even as the music evolved and the personnel changed there remained a distinctive continuity to the 'Battlefield Band' sound. This cohesion can be traced, in part at least, to the long-term producer and manager of the group, who has overseen so many of their albums and continually brought talent to the fore. As a founder member and player-manager of the early Boys of the Lough, Robin Morton helped take the music he loves to huge audiences worldwide and his Temple Records label and record production have continued to fight the good fight since 1978.
These nineteen tracks are his choice then; personal highlights and favourites from the man in the producer’s chair. Enjoy!
Sleeve Notes: download the album sleeve notes here
Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh is a 5 day Traditional Music School paying particular attention to the music, style and of the Corca Dhuibhne peninsula in Co. Kerry, Ireland on the Wild Atlantic Way.
The next Scoil Cheoil will run from Wednesday the 19th to Sunday the 23rd of February, 2020. They will hold about 20 classes in a wide range of instruments as well as sean-nós singing workshops and a sean-nós dance workshop. Over the 5 days there are concerts, sessions, singers’ nights, recitals, a pupils’ concert, guided walk, and all sorts of other events based on various aspects of the tradition.
Concerts and classes will feature many musicians including Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich, Allan MacDonald, Cárthach MacCraith, Kevin Burke, Mick O’Brien, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Fidelma O’Brien, Eithne Ní Chatháin, Christine Primrose, Desi Wilkinson, Jeremy Spencer, Maurice McKenna, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Gearóid Ó Duinnín and plenty more.
Find out more at www.scoilcheoil.com
Best wishes for Christmas from all at Temple Records, and here's a little something for New Year; a fine description of a certain kind of Hogmanay celebration from Mr Peter Nardini - enjoy!
You can find Peter's albums on Temple Records here