The Bog Cotton Reel Band: End of the Road (1991)

The Bog Cotton Reel Band: End of the Road (1991)

This is an example of community music-making. On the Island of Coll in the Scottish Hebrides (population 160), six musicians record material they'd performed at ceilidhs and concerts since 1990. They were Julia Thompson (vocals), Mike Taylor (fiddle, guitar), Rodger Mann (keyboards), Ron Davies (drums, vocals), Patrick Rutherford (guitars) and Heather Price (saxophone).

01 New Ashludie Rant/Auld Ireland/Stool of Repentance/Mucking of Geordie's Byre
02 Dumbarton's Drums
03 Goodnight and Joy Be With You/Bottom of the Punch Bowl/Lass o' Patie's Mill
04 The Water Is Wide
05 Margaret's Waltz/Emily's Waltz
06 I Bhi Ada/Hugaibh Oirbh/'S Ann An Ile
07 Sarah
08 Dashing White Sergeant/Seige of Ennis/Spanish Ladies
09 Senair's Song
10 The Navvie/The Liverpool/Sherwood Rangers
11 Indiana
12 The Illegal Immigrant's Waltz/Tennessee Waltz
13 Cock of the North/Hundred Pipers/Jeannie's Blue E'en/Lannagan's Ball

Unavailable

Ron Gonnella: A Tribute to Niel Gow (1978)

Ron Gonnella: A Tribute to Niel Gow (1978)

Quite simply a treat for anyone interested in Scottish fiddle music. Ron Gonnella plays the music of the Gow family and associates, recorded in the ballroom of Blair Castle, where Niel Gow would have played more than two centuries ago. Sit back and drink in excellence.

01 Atholl Volunteers/Francis Sitwell/Landlady of Inver Inn
02 Lament for his Brother/Mrs Chisholm of Chisholm/Inver Lasses
03 Prince Charlie's Quickstep/Lady Charlotte Bruce's Fav
04 Cam Ye By Atholl?
05 Dunkeld Volunteers/Niel Gow's Second Wife/Lady MacKenzie of Coul
06 Lady Ann Hope's Fav/Mrs macDonald of Clan Ranald/Mrs MacDouall Grant
07 Miss Margaret Brown's Fav/Miss Rae of Eskgrove
08 Niel Gow's Comps Returned to Mr Marshall/Niel Gow's Strathspey/Hon James Ramsay's Reel
09 Earl of Dalhousie's Happy Return to Scotland/Niel Gow's Recovery/Duchess of Buccleauch's Favourite
10 Flora MacDonald's Lament/Sir Geo Clerk of Pennycuik/Ayr Races
11 Lady Mary Hay's Scotch Measure/Lady Mary Ramsay/Largo's Fairy Dance
12 Caller Herring
13 Lady Dorotheas Stewart-Murray's Wedding/Lady Charlotte Murray's Favourite
14 Miss Lucy Johnston's Compliments to Niel Gow/The Duchess of Atholl's Slipper/Miss Clementina Loughlan

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Ron Gonnella: Fiddles and Ron Gonnella: Stradivarius

Ron Gonnella Plays the Fiddles of Gow, Marshall and Skinner (Ross Records WGR 028, 1982)

01 Introduction by Duke of Atholl
02 Niel Gow's Fiddle/Duke of Atholl's Reel/Mrs MacDouall Grant
03 Niel Gow's Lamentation for Abercairney
04 Sir Walter Scott/Pennycuik House
05 MacPherson's Lament
06 The Countess of Dalhousie/Admiral Nelson's Hornpipe
07 Cam Ye By Atholl/Here Awa There Awa Wandering Willie/Bessie Bell and Mary Gray/Flora MacDonald's Lament
08 Niel Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife
09 The White Cockade/Mount Stewart House/Miss Mary Douglas
10 The Duchess Tree/The Kirrie Kebbuck/E M Ross's Welcome to Kiltarlity Cottage
11 Miss laura Andrew/The Laird of Drumblair/Bonnie Banchory
12 Ashton Gonnella of Shreveport, Louisiana/Loius Gonnella of Muirhead
13 Ron Gonnella's Homage to the Gows, Marshall and Skinner
14 Miss Gordon of Park/Miss Hannah's Jig
15 Lament for Sir Harry Niven Lumsden
16 Capt Cameron's Volunteer's March/The Marchioness of Huntly's Jig/Craigellachie Lasses
17 Mrs Major Stewart of the Island of Java/The Deil Among the Mantua Makers

Ron Gonnella: fiddles
Iain MacPhail: accordion
John Gibson: piano
Graham Robb: double bass

An intriguing concept, this: Ron Gonnella plays the compositions of Niel Gow and his family on Gow's own fiddle, the compositions of William Marshall on his own fiddle, and James Scott Skinner compositions on one of the fiddles belonging to the 'Strathspey King'. The music is first class - Gonnella in his prime - and I believe this is a rather special album. 

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The Scottish Sound of Ron Gonnella Playing a Stradivarius (AB 003-D, 1984)

01 Morrison's Academy Anniversary March
02 Caller Herring
03 Crieff Hydro March/Castles In the Air/Flowers of Edinburgh
04 Cradle Song/Marchfield Brae
05 Bert Gonella's/Lizzie Duncan's/Alex and Hazel Barbour/Happy May the Pair Be
06 Dundee/Dunfermline
07 General Baillie/Miss Lyall/Black Jock of Skellater
08 Cape Breton March/Herbie MacLeod's Hornpipe/Aldridge's Hornpipe
09 Miss Sandra Webster/Evelyn Murray of Cambridge Mass
09 The Bonnie Lass o' Bon Accord
11 Ae Fond Kiss/Rev Archibald Minto's Farewell to St Andrew's/Gallaton
12 Durrisdeer
13 Queen's Welcome to Invercauld/The Miller o' Dervil/Gibson's Whisky
14 Bovaglie's Plaid/Milladen/Miss Rattray

Ron Gonnella: fiddles
George Donald: piano
Graham Robb: double bass

More vintage Gonnella. To me the Strad angle is unimportant - the music is what it's about.

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Talisker: Saving Up for a Transit (1995)

Talisker: Saving Up for a Transit (1995)

The first - and I think the only - album from Scottish folk group Talisker, about whom I know almost nothing. They were Kirsty Leavey (vocals, bodhran, keyboards), Jennifer Milne (fiddle), John Davidson (vocals, guitar, flute, whistles) and Nick Hanley (bouzouki, guitar, vocals). Davidson was in The Skelpit Lug ceilidh band (based in Linlithgow) before Talisker, and in the late 90s he and Hanley formed a blues duo, and then the Sourmash Blues Band. More recently, John formed the Perthshire-based Tarnybackle (http://www.tarneybackle.co.uk/), who have released at least three albums and are still going strong today.

01 Both Sides the Tweed
02 Brenda Stubbert's Reel
03 MacPherson's Rant
04 I Once Loved a Lad
05 Roseville Fair
06 The Blacksmith/The Merry Blacksmith
07 Baron's Heir
08 My Youngest Son
09 Bonnie Lad Ye Gang By Me
10 Niel Gow's Farewell to Whisky
11 Green Grow the Rashes

Covers included

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Fiddle Miscellany Vol.4 (2011)

Fiddle Miscellany Vol.4 (2011)

Another compilation of odd tracks from LPs and radio programmes featuring some less well known Scottish fiddlers.


01 Alexander Bain: 74th's Farewell to Edinburgh/Lady Madeline Sinclair/£10 Fiddle
02 Angus Fitchet: The Dying Year:The Autocrat
03 Donald McAllister: MacPherson's Farewell
04 Douglas Lawrence: Lament for Harry Lumsden
05 Fiona Leggat: Prince Charlie's Last View/Niel Gow's Wife/The Old Reel
06 Gillian Yellop: Edgefauld House/Craigellachie Bridge/Donald Stewart the Piper
07 Ian Powrie: Kenny Thomson's Comps to Ian Powrie/A Tribute to Stan Hamilton/Peerie Willie
08 Pibroch MacKenzie: Highland Barn Dance
09 Bill Macpherson: Miss Stewart of Grandtully's Strathspey & reel
10 Robin Williamson: Stirling Castle
11 Angus Fitchet: Melody for Jim McFarlane
12 Jack Lindsay: Bonnyrigg Chase/Bobby Colgan/Morag's Reel
13 Betty Henderson: Lament for Archie Beaton
14 Betty Henderson: The Master Stroke

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Ron Gonnella: Scottish Fiddle Master (1980)

Ron Gonnella: Scottish Fiddle Master (1980)

The late Ron Gonnella taught at Morrison's Academy in Crieff, Perthshire, for many years. When he wasn't there he was travelling the world playing Scottish fiddle, recording albums, and performing on radio, stage and dance halls. His great love was the music of the Golden Age of Scots fiddle, typified by the compositions of Niel and Nathaniel Gow, Robert Mackintosh, William Marshall and Joseph Lowe. Although there are pops and crackles and the odd jump on this vinyl recording, the music shines through.

01 Annie Laurie/Miss Barstow's Reel/Miss Robertson
02 Bert Gonnella's Jig/Lizzie Duncan's Fancy
03 Dandie Dinmont/Sir David Davidson of Cantray
04 Miss Campbell of Saddell/Miss Sophia Campbell's Reel
05 Willie Smith/The Morrisonian Strathspey/James Millar, Bullionfield
06 Durisdeer
07 Herbie MacLeod's Hornpipe/Ron Gonella Comps to Senator Robt Byrd of W Virginia
08 Miss Mary Lee's Delight/Miss Marianne Oliphant/Hon Mrs Maule's Reel
09 Johnny Faa/Miss Agnes Loudon/Rachael Rae
10 Prince of Wales/Sauteuse/Jamie Gow, Crathie Bellman
11 Bonny Aboyne/Mr Eager's Strathspey/Miss Sandra Webster
12 Jamie Lyall/Willie Blair/Rut Bell's Reel
13 Miss J Rose's Reel/Mrs Oswald of Auchincruive/The Good Doctor
14 Willie's Fair, and Willie's Rare/Flowers of the Forest
15 Miss Gray of Carse/The Fife and Forfar Hunt's Fav/The Forfar Hunt

Front and back covers included


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Lomond Folk: Blended Scotch (1976)

Lomond Folk: Blended Scotch (1976)

The Glasgow duo of Robin Campbell and Donald Brown on what I believe is their second album from 1976. They are joined by Alex Hutton (mandolin, banjo, fiddle), Archie Duncan (accordion), John Henery (string bass) and Jimmy Grossart (drums, percussion).

01 The Haunted Single End
02 Massacre of Glencoe
03 Isle of Dreams
04 Sergeant, Where's Mine?
05 The Sarry Heid
06 Scots Wha Hae
07 The Whisky Chorus
08 That's Glasgow
09 Friends
10 Bonnie Dundee
11 Drinkin' Willie's Rum
12 When Children Were Young

Front and back covers included.


Unavailable

Lomond Folk: Flower of Scotland (1974)

Lomond Folk: Flower of Scotland (1974)

Lomond Folk were Robin Campbell (born c1944) and Donald Brown (born c1948), a Glasgow-based duo who sang fairly standard folk fare and some self-penned songs. They met in 1962, but it wasn't till 1967 that their mutual interest in folk music led to the formation of Lomond Folk. As well as touring Scotland, they were the hosts of the Black Bull folk club in Milngavie for five years. This was their debut album.

01 Cam Ye By Atholl
02 Carles of Dysart
03 The Water Is Wide
04 The Canongate
05 Come Sail With Me
06 Rattlin Roarin Willie
07 Farmyard Medley
08 Flower of Scotland
09 Piper o' Dundee
10 Land of Dreams
11 Bonnie Glenshee
12 Shades of Amber
13 The Deil's Awa Wi the Exciseman
14 Sad Goodbye

Front and back covers included

Unavailable

The Viking Country Dance Band: Orkney Goes Dancing (1965)

The Viking Country Dance Band: Orkney Goes Dancing (1965)

An EP published by Phoenix Recordings and recorded in the Phoenix Cinema in Kirkwall, Orkney. The band's line-up was Allan Anderson (accordion), Jim Anderson (accordion, piano), Robin Bain (bass), Hugh Inkster (Stroh violin), Brian Findlay (guitar) and Linay Linklater (drums). According to the sleeve notes, the band were known all over the mainland of Orkney. Fiddler Hugh Inkster was recorded a few times and pops up on some interesting albums later on, from the Orkney Strathspey and Reel Society (recorded in 1976) to School of Scottish Studies recordings and a Smithsonian Folkways album of 1979.

01 Roxburgh Castle/Wind That Shakes the Barley/Inver Lasses
02 The Balintore Fisherman/The Royal Scots Polka
03 Bonnie Dundee/Jackson's Jig/Kenmuir's On an Awa
04 Meeting of the Waters/Gledaruel Highlanders

Unavailable

The Crofters (Aberdeen) (1969)

The Crofters: The Crofters (1969)

As far as I know, this was the only recording from this Aberdeen-based group, released on the Beltona Sword label. The Crofters were husband and wife Bill Christie and Eileen Christie, and Frank Robb, and formed in about 1969 for a talent contest in Aberdeen. The instrumentation is vocals, guitars, fiddle and harmonica. There is no connection to the Edinburgh group of the same name (see this post).

01 Bottle of Wine
02 The Roving Ploughboy
03 Drunken Sailor
04 The Last Thing On My Mind
05 Crawlin'
06 Whiskey In the Jar
07 Killiecrankie
08 Roddy McCorley
09 Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go
10 This Land Is Your Land
11 I Never Will Marry
12 Tear Down the Buildings
13 Johnny Cope
14 We Shall Not Be Moved

Front and back covers included.

Unavailable

The Crofters (Edinburgh, mid-1960s)

The Crofters, pictured above singing at the YMCA in central Edinburgh, 1966. Pictured left to right are, Steve Brown (banjo, vocals), Pat Ledgerwood (lead vocals), Aly Fraser (vocals), Sandy Scott (mandolin) and George Anderson (guitar). Based in Edinburgh, they performed for about three or four years, made a demo recording, and appeared on the radio, but no official recording was ever released. Pat Ledgerwood went to live in Canada, and still sings. Steve Brown is still in Edinburgh, retired, and is learning penny whistle. No connection to the Aberdeen-based Crofters (see this post).