Erin Mungall-Baldvinsdottir with Evie Alberti, Becka Gauld and Ben Shanks: members of Jelephant Folk Band in their full Nordic/Scottish mode ranging from Icelandic, Finnish, Saami and Gaelic. Jelephant was called ‘a band to watch for the future’ by Ian Oliphant when playing their demo on Celtic Music Radio. https://www.facebook.com/JelephantBand

Singer/flute/whistles/songwriter: Erin Mungall-Baldvinsdottir’s powerful folk-rock vocals combine a three-octave range with operatic high notes, gruff low notes, a jazz lilt and the inspiration she takes from Nordic singing traditions such as Saami joik, Swedish kulning and North Karelian folksong. She studied jazz flute at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and folk music and song in Finland, Iceland and at an international music camp that she helped run at Skye’s Gaelic College Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in 1999. Long ago she reported for BBC Radio 3 and World Service Music and even sang live at an Irish/Iceland folk festival at Icelandic Opera House. Her lyrics address neurodiverse relationships, social isolation during the pandemic, involuntary childlessness, political exile, heartbreak, stroke, internet dating, and love for her favourite feline!

Piano: Ben Shanks, a Peebles native, is a recent piano graduate of the music degree course at Edinburgh Napier University for which he spent time studying in Finland. A classical pianist and organist by background, he is Director of Music at Stockbridge Parish Church, leads a choir and glides happily between playing Sibelius, liturgical music and pelting the life out of a Scots dance tune.

Saxophone: Becka Gauld, a known face on Edinburgh’s folk-arts scene, is a folk-jazz sax player who shines brightest when improvising a new riff or amping it up on a jazz classic. She started playing at a young age, and when not making music moonlights as a crafts maker with her original line of ecologically-themed jewellery and wire sculptures, Becka’s Insects.

Guitar: Evie Alberti is a guitarist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist from the north-east of England based in Edinburgh. She is guitarist for the band Jelephant. Whilst studying music at the University of Edinburgh, Evie’s performance experience has ranged from Jazz Bar gigs to 5-star rated fringe shows and Hidden Door festival performances.

Brian Ó hEadhra & Fionnag NicChoinnich with Órla Ní Eadhra and Ró Ó hEadhra (BFÓR): a family affair from Inverness drawing on the Gaelic traditions of Scotland, the Nordic countries and the North Atlantic Fringe. https://www.brian-fionnag.com

Brian Ó hEadhra and Fionnag NicChoinnich, along with their children, perform songs from the Gaelic, Scots and Irish traditions as well as newly composed material drawing inspiration from music and cultures primarily from the North Atlantic fringe.

Brian grew up in St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, and Dublin, Ireland. Fionnag is from the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. They are based in Inverness, the capital of the Scottish Highlands. Over the past 25 years, they have performed across the globe and recorded on many albums with acts such as Anam, Cruinn and Mackenzie, as well as performing on various projects including international films and game soundtracks. Fionnag received the Gaelic Singer of the Year award at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Awards 2020 whilst Brian was nominated for the same award in 2019.

The duo has released three albums; “TÌR – Highland Life & Lore“, “TUATH – Songs of the Northlands“, and “Càirdeas“. TÌR was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2018 International Folk Awards. All albums have received high critical and public acclaim with TÌR being described as “…destined to become a classic of contemporary folk music… an inspired, beautiful album” by Folk Radio and TUATH as a “masterpiece” by Irish Music Magazine. Their latest album Càirdeas was released in 2021 and was described by Irish Music Magazine as “one of the most appealing acoustic albums of the year… this is a work of deep cultural importance… the album is a model for every artist who has something to say and sing about.”

“Brian Ó hEadhra and Fionnag NicChoinnich are two extraordinary artists. Both are outstanding singers and songwriters and some of the best voices in the Gaelic language world.” Folk Music Central

 

Sir-Reel Clarks: a music and song duo comprising Andy & Aaron Clark, carrying on their family’s musical heritage despite the challenges Aaron has faced to become a champion melodeon player. https://www.facebook.com/SirReelClarksFamilyBand

Meet Sir-Reel Clarks, the dynamic family band hailing from Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Music has always been a part of the Clarks’ family tradition, and it was after Aaron inherited his grandfather’s melodeon in 2019 that he discovered his passion for playing music. Despite facing challenges in school, Aaron was determined to show the world that anyone can learn to play music. With inspiration from Tim Edey, Aaron honed his skills during lockdown and is now making a name for himself as a talented and innovative musician.

Aaron has just released his debut album, Out of the Box, which he collaborated on with his dad Andy and Tim Edey. Featuring some of Aaron’s original compositions, the album showcases his ability to juggle different styles and genres to create a truly unique sound.

But Sir-Reel Clarks is more than just a band – it’s a family that supports Aaron’s aspirations and helps him realize his dreams. Aaron’s Autism, ADHD, Dyspraxia & Tourettes have not stopped him from becoming a North-East Scotland Champion – winning numerous TMSA competitions over the past few years and recently appearing at Celtic Connections.

As Tim Edey himself said, “Aaron stands out as an extremely gifted melodeon player, whose musical ability cannot be denied”.

Miguel Girão & Amy Laurenson (BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2023 winner): Guitarist and Piano duo drawing on Amy’s native Shetland traditions and Miguel’s exploration of Scandinavian cultures. https://amylaurenson.com/ & https://miguelgirao.com

Amy & Miguel, a piano and guitar duo, met in 2021 while studying together at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The duo explore the music traditions and folklore of Scotland, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Rooted in the traditional music scene, but having had classical training, the duo challenges the roles usually associated with their instruments. Through the interchange of melodic and harmonic roles within their arrangements, the duo draws influence from classical, contemporary, and jazz music.

Amy Laurenson is a pianist from the Shetland Isles, currently based in Glasgow. Rooted in the traditional music of Shetland, Amy explores the music of her homeland and further afield. Amy is the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2023 winner and gained her Honours Degree in Traditional Music from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Miguel Girão is a guitarist from the Portuguese midlands, now based in Glasgow. Having established himself as a soloist, Miguel also works collaboratively with artists ands projects such as Eve Simpson, Tern, and Jocelyn Petit & Ellen Gira. Over the years Miguel has released records with different projects in his homeland, and more recently released his debut album ‘Prologue’ followed by the release of his latest EP ‘The Courtly Seam’.