Bold

great album to add ‘wackadack’!! x

Perriangel PAP001 ~ her own label
http://www.peerieangel.demon.co.uk/

Licensed in North America by Compass Records

Musicians:
Catriona MacDonald
David Milligan
Conrad Ivitsky
James Mackintosh
Ian Lowthian
Tony Mcmanus
Iver Kleive

Polls 2001 “Top 5 World Music Albums of the Year”

fRoots Magazine 2001 “Top 10 Folk Albums of the Year 2000”

MOJO Magazine 2001 (Folk Album of the Month, April 2000) Recognised artist “Album of the Year and Musician of the Year”

BBC2 Folk Awards 2001 (Included in the released compilation cd The Folk Awards on Topic records)

“Scottish Folk Album of the Year” CD NOW

1.) Andy’s Saltire / Maggie’s Pancakes

Andy’s Saltire -Amy Geddes
Written by a great friend and fellow fiddler Amy Geddes, this tune celebrates her dad’s joy at the result of the Scottish Referendum and the finding, at last, of his Scottish flag.

Maggie’s Pancakes -Stuart Morrison

Another great tune I learnt from Amy…slowed down for maximum groove.

2.) Shetland Reels: Three Drunken Fiddlers/Muckla Skerry A’ Three/Robbie Tamson’s Smiddy

One of my favourite things in life is listening to old archive recordings of shetland players. Their playing is unique and inspiring. Here are three tunes that I love… The first, three drunken fiddlers, is kicked of by the fine playing of the late Gibby Gray a native of Unst, Shetland. (I`ve never heard of any fiddlers touching a drop!!!) muckle aa skerry in three and robbie tamson’s smiddie I learnt from the playing of Whalsays great fiddler Gilbert Hutchison…

3.) Michael’s Mazurka

Michael’s Mazurka - Michael Ferrie
This beautiful tune was written by the late michael ferrie of aith, shetland; a brilliant young fiddler taken too soon. For betty, ray and alan with love x

4.) The Shetland Fiddle Diva / Purfy

The Shetland Fiddle Diva - Ian Lowthian
At last a tune written for me by Ian Lowthian…and a jig no less! Ian always bemoaned the fact that I didn`t ever play jigs!

Purfy -Brian Finnegan
A brilliant tune by Armagh flautist exraordinaire, the lovely Brian Finnegan. Written for one of Northumbrian piper Kathryn Tickell`s cats.

5.) Eilidh’s Trip In Germany / The Monday Morning Reel / Land Ta Lea

Eilidh’s Trip In Germany - Ian Lowthian
Ian Lowthian’s tune for a mad time had on the Scottish Folk Festival Tour in Germany , written for a great West Coast fiddler Eilidh Shaw.

The Monday Morning Reel - Phil Cunningham
Another tune by another great Scottish accordion player, given the Northern girls’ Isles treatment with my fabulous friend Aimee Leonard’s bodhran playing.

Land Ta Lea -Shetland trad.
An old trad tune learnt from the playing of ?????. A hilarious time was had by all in the studio in the clapping ceilidh!!!

6.) The Tuddal Troll - Catriona MacDonald

I inherited my teacher, Tom Anderson’s Hardanger fiddle with strict instructions to go to Tuddal in Telemark, Norway and study with one of its greatest exponents Knut Buen. This I have done several times . What an amazing musician and man…a man with character and charm. This tune came out of our meeting!!

7.) Freddie’s Tune - Friedamann Stickle

This tune is attributed to the old Unst fiddler F. Stickle. It was unnamed and just known at home as Freddie’s Tune. I was aged 12 when I learnt to play this tune. I never tire of its beauty and simplicity. To the memory of dad and tammy.

8.) Return To The Stewartry / Slanttigart / Tame Her When Da Snaw Comes

Return To The Stewartry - Ian Lowthian
One of the most soulful 6/8s around…Created in the brain of Ian Lowthian it was specially commissioned by some Scottish country dancers for a new dance of the same name.

Slanttigart - Shetland trad.
A quirky Shetland upside-down version of the Scottish reel Lord Macdonald.

Tame Her When Da Snaw Comes - Shetland trad.
Taming a pony or a wild shetland woman? You decide!!

9.) The Lost Ponytail / Dennis’ Tune

The Lost Ponytail - Catriona MacDonald
There are always earth-shattering moments in everybody’s lives and this tune commemorates one such time. Iwrote this to mark the occasion when accordionist Ian Lowthian cut of his much-loved ponytail (or dare I say rats tail!)

Dennis’ Tune - Dennis McDermott
A mad tune by one of Ian Lowthians accordion students. Try and tap your foot if you dare! Dedicated to Conrad and James’ stamina!

10.) Da Silver Bow / The Joy Of It!

Da Silver Bow - Shetland trad
In times gone by the black hair of a pony’s tail was used to hair the fiddle bow and this tune’s title immortalises the tune maker’s delight at seeing his first white or silver hair on a bow. I learnt this from the playing of the late Peter Fraser of Finnigart who passed on some of the most unusual of all the old Shetland melodies.

The Joy Of It! - Catriona MacDonald
The relationship between a musician and their instrument is multifaceted…happy, sad, wild, gentle. This tune came out of one moment of the sheer joy of being able to express yourself through music!! Iver Kleive is one of Norway’s finest church organists . I feel privileged he could join me on this track…


Engineered by Stuart Hamilton.
Mixed by Stuart Hamilton & Catriona Macdonald
Produced by Catriona Macdonald
Recorded at Castlesound, Pencaitland, Scotland
Church organ recorded at St. Mary’s Church, Haddington

~ features a mix of Shetland traditional tunes, original pieces by MacDonald and a few other unfamiliar tunes.

~ to show another side of the Shetland fiddle tradition, using layers of harmony, and playing many tunes that had been forgotten in archives for years, even on occasion playing along with archive recordings of old players who had passed away many decades ago.

Young Traditional Musician award winner. Catriona’s playing can range from laid-back rootsy dance vibes, to driving traditional reels, from poignant slow airs to jazz-influenced numbers.

~ pupil of the late Dr Tom Anderson MBE

~ part of “Blazin’ Fiddles”

~ active in a trio with bassist Conrad Ivitsky (also a member of Shooglenifty) and pianist David Milligan. She previously toured with accordion player Ian Lowthian, who contributed several tunes to this album, and participated in String Sisters with Liz Carroll, Liz Knowles, Annbjorg Lien, Natalie MacMaster and Mairead ni Mhaonaigh (of Altan fame).

I don’t think this is Catriona’s debut recording. She released an album with Ian Lowthian in 1993. https://thesession.org/recordings/200