MIISIC FOLK AND HARP FESTIVALS
EDINBURGH FOLK AND HARP
FESTIVALS 1995
TICKETS AND INFORMATION
The Folk Festival takes place at Teviot House. Bristo Square; and the Harp Festival at The Pleasance Theatre complex. at Pleasance. There are three concerts at the Queen's Hall. Clerk Street and one at the Festival
Theatre. Nicolson Street.
At the Folk Festival's Teviot House are bars. a restaurant/cafeteria. records. music and instrument stalls. rooms for workshops. and a creche on weekend
afternoons.
Most concerts and all of the dances take place in the Hall
at the top of the building.
The ()pen Stage. Late Shows and free concerts. sessions and other events. where a wide variety of music can be heard nightly. are in the basement Park Rootn Bar or the first floor Teviot Bar. There are bars on other floors. Tuition courses and workshops will take place iri various rootns around the building (enquire at the box office in
the foyer for details).
During the Folk Festival. Teviot House is open l()am—2am. except Moti-—\\'e(l. when the closing time is
lam.
I’lt'art' IIUIt’ t/tat entrance to 'I't'i'iat Home trfrt'e during the (lav but after 7pm is hr (.‘mtt't'rt tit'kt't. Dattt't' ticket.
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Tickets for the Festival Theatre concert can be purchased at the Theatre Box Office. 529 6000; tickets for the Queen's Hall. 668 2019. Open Stage and all Teviot House Tickets from the Teviot House Box Office in the foyer. 650-1673. A ticket for one of the Queen‘s Hall or Festival Theatre concerts is also valid for entrance to
Teviot House on that night.
FRIDAY 7
I Davey Spillane Trio and Dervish Queen‘s Hall. 7.30pm. £8.50 (£7). A concert of Irish music to set the Festival off. Moving Heart's uillean piper. leader of his own rootsy/blues/rock fusion ensemble. and here in a simple setting with singer/fret player Sean Tyrell and fiddler liam lewis. Dervish are a captivating. amusing. unpretentious band of great players with a female singer. From Sligo but no strangers to Scotland. but this is their first Edinburgh concert. I James Malcolm’s Open Stage Teviot House. Bar. 7.30pm. £3. Any group or soloist can perform for part of the concert. but have to book a slot by
phoning 229 1071 or by prior arrangement with James Malcolm who is a first-rate singer. songwriter. harmonica player and compere.
I Harp Festival Opening Ceilidh The Pleasance
Theatre Bar. 60 Pleasance.
7.30pm. £3.50. Semi- forrnal instrumental music and song. Edinburgh Harp Festival
I Bet Shepherd Teviot House. Bar. 9.30pm. Free. Young energetic band with a contemporary folk sound. including pipes with the fiddle.
I Tomas lynch Teviot House. Park Room. 10.30pm. £4 (£3). Uillean piper. guitarist and songwriter. June Tabor sang on his last album. and she’s choosy.
I Ten Steps to Heaven Teviot House. Hall.
I Festival openers Dervish, rememberedirom a reat
set a few years ago at lnvemess Folk Festival, are technically supporting Davey Spilane’s acoustic trio at the Queen’s Hall, but the storming six irom Sligo can hold their own in any traditional music company.
10.30pm. £6 (£5). Ceilidh dance with the last Tram Tae Auchenshoogle. Cheerful bunch. and they do ring bells.
SATURDAY 8
I Crooked Jack Teviot House. Park Room. 2pm. £3 adults. £2 children. Children‘s show.
I Fleadh Workshops Teviot House. Hall. 2.30pm. Irish group Cluain Tarbh give instruction on fiddle. flute. accordion. step dancing and set dancing. Just turn up on the day. ask at the box office.
I Take These Chains From My Heart Teviot House. Park Room. 4.15pm. £5 (£4). Salami Brother Tally Thomas and singer Janet Russell have constructed a moving and amusing sequence of story and song around the stroke and subsequent fight back to health that Taffy suffered at the early age of 36.
I James Malcolm’s Open Stage Teviot House. Bar. 7.30pm. £3. See Fri 7.
I Robin Williamson and Oeanta Queen‘s Hall. 7.30pm. £6.50 (£5). The Incredible String Bandsman returns to his native city with his eccentric Celtic talent as a singer. storyteller and player of the harp. guitar. fiddle. whistle and a myriad of other instruments. Northern Irish band Oeanta are all multi-instrumentalists. with a wonderful singer. Mary Dillon. Jointly presented by the Edinburgh Harp Festival and the Edinburgh Folk Festival.
I Shake the Shark Teviot House. Bar. 9.30pm. Pleasant. rootsy songs. wayward fiddle. electric guitar and bass.
I Ten Steps to Heaven Teviot House. Hall. l0.30pm. £6 (£5). Ceilidh. Irish set dances called and played by Cluain Tarbh. I late Concert Teviot House. Park Room. 10.30pm. £6.50 (£5). Oige with Ian Carr and Karen Tweed. Wild music from Derry. played by the brightest of the younger generation. Music from Ireland. Europe. America and own compositions. is exquisitely expressed by accordionist Karen Tweed and superbly accomplished guitar player Ian Carr. both from Kathryn Tickell's old band.
I Accordion/Guitar Workshop Teviot House. Middle Reading Room. lpm. £3 (£2). With Ian Carr and Karen Tweed. See Sat 8.
I Elinor Bennett The Pleasance Theatre. 60 Pleasance. 1.45pm. £5 (£4). Pedal harp. triple
harp and small harp in a performance of classical and folk music through the centuries. Edinburgh Harp Festival .
I Crooked Jack Teviot House. Park Room. 2pm. £3 adults. £2 children. Children‘s show.
I Blues Guitar Workshop Teviot House. Middle Reading Room. 2pm. £3 (£2). With US blues singer/guitarist Kristina Olsen.
I Ceilidh Band Workshop Teviot House. Hall. 2pm. £3 (£2). With Robin Dunn of la Toque Bleue. Specialising in Cape Breton and Eastern Canadian music and dances.
I Fleadh Workshops Teviot House. Hall. 2.30pm. See Sat 8.
I Kim Robertson The Pleasance Theatre Bar. 60 Pleasance. 7.30pm. £5 (£4). Return visit by the American small harp player and teacher. in a very varied programme. Support by Rhona MacKay. orchestral harp player. btit her on the clarsach with Duncan Finlay on guitar and Whistlebinkie fiautist Eddie MacCuire in a programme of mainly Gaelic pieces. Edinburgh Harp Festival.
I James Malcolm’s Open Stage Teviot House. Bar. 7.30pm. £3. See Fri 7.
I Take These Chains From My Heart Teviot House. Park Room. 4.15pm. £5 (£4). Salatni Brother Tally Thomas and singer Janet Russell. See Sat 8.
I Sean Keane Band and Deiseal Teviot House. Hall. 7.30pm. £7.50 (£6). Dolores‘ younger brother sings and plays flute in the family tradition. Making it an all-Irish night is the trio. led by flute and low whistle virtuoso Connac Breatnach who improvise round the traditional Irish music forms.
I Cluain Tarbh Concert Teviot House. Bar. 9.30pm. Free. See Sat 8. I Ten Steps to Heaven Teviot House. Hall. 10.30pm. £6 (£5). Ceilidh dance with la Toque Bleue. See 2pm.
I late Blues Concert Teviot House. Park Room. 10.30pm. £5 (£4). Dynamic Californian singer/guitarist and songwriter Kristina Olsen.
MONDAY TO
I Edinburgh’s Youth Caitherin Teviot House. various rooms. 10am—4pm. Classes for secondary school-age youngsters in traditional music on fiddle. accordion and harp. Information from the Adult Learning Project. 337 5442.
I Open Stage Teviot House. Bar. l2.30pm. Free.
I Uschi laar Pleasance
I On Sting’s latest video, recording with classy jazz] rock musicians, was the inimitable, unique talent at Brendan Power, harmonica maestro, and innovator. His remarkable abilities include an astonishing Irish style on the chromatic moothie. He’s here with two imaginative instrumental accompanists on guitar and
bass.
Theatre Bar. 60 Pleasance. 7.30pm. £5 (£4). Classical and jazz strains mix with Indian. Persian and Latin rhythms on the harp. Support from American new age harp player Tina Tourin performing with ()ssian‘s whistle and harp player Billy Jackson and cellist Wendy Weatherby. Edinburgh Harp Festival. I James Malcolm’s Open Stage Teviot House. Bar. 7.30pm. £3. See Fri 7.
I Natalie MacMaster Teviot House. Park Room. 7.30pm. £6 (£5). linergetic young virtuoso Cape Breton fiddler and step dancer. sometimes simultaneously. She's accompanied by Tracey Dares. a great exponent of the island‘s sparkling. driving piano style.
I lorraine Jordan Band Teviot House. Bar. 9.30pm. Free. Scots-based songwriter and cittern player fronts her own band.
I Ten Steps to Heaven Teviot House. Hall. 8.30pm. £5 (£4). Ceilidh dance to the electric guitars. sax and old- fashioned melodeon in Hallyracket from the wilds of Aberdeen.
I Open Stage Teviot House. Bar. l2.30pm. Free.
I Crainne Yeats Pleasance Theatre Bar. 60 Pleasance. 7pm. £5 (£4). Concert of Irish harp music over four centuries. Edinburgh Harp Festival. I James Malcolm’s Open Stage Teviot House. Bar. 7.30pm. £3. See Fri 7.
I Songwriter’s Concert Teviot House. Park Room. 7.30pm. £5 (£4). Two well-respected Scots singer/guitarists. Christine Kydd and Robin laing.
I Ten Steps to Heaven Teviot House. Hall. 8.30pm. £5 (£4). Ceilidh dance with piper Dougie Pincock’s ensemble of like-minded musos in Bobbie Shepherd’s Nightmare.
I Oominic Waiting lyrical Teviot House Bar. 9.30pm. Free.
WEDNESDAY 12
I Open Stage Teviot House. Bar. I2.30pm. Free.
I Bill Morgan and Ray Cardigan Pleasance Theatre Bar. ()0 Pleasance. 7pm. £5 (£4). Festival faithfuls Bill and Ray have a tremendous rapport on harp and guitar for the lush melody and beautiful rhythms of Paraguay. Support from young. gifted Scottish performer Catriona MacKay and a host of L-plate harpers. Edinburgh Harp Festival. I Traditional Songs ot Scotland Teviot House. l’ark Room. 7.30pm. £6 (£5). The Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland presents Ed Miller. award- winrting singer now resident in Austin. Texas; Mirk. the veteran Thurso- based band now with Brian Miller and Gavin Livingstone aiding and abetting the originals. Ian and Margie Sinclair. Newcomer Scott Gardener also makes an appearance.
I James Malcolm’s Open Stage Teviot House. Bar. 7.30pm. £3. See Fri 7.
I Harp Festival Farewell Ceilidh Pleasance Theatre Bar. 60 Pleasance. 8.30pm. lintry by free ticket. Edinburgh Harp Festival
I Ten Steps to Heaven Teviot House. Hall. 8.30pm. £5 (£4). Dance to the Occasionals. one of Scotland's best bands. led by accordion ace Freeland Barbour.
I Kate Busby and Kathryn Roberts Teviot House. Bar. 9.30pm. Free. BBC Young Tradition finalists from England.
I late Concert Teviot House. Park Room. 10.30pm. £5 (£4). Astonishing and amazing taste and prowess on the harmonica! Brendan Power together with Festival stalwart Olly Blanchilower on bass and Frank Kilkelly on guitar. Guaranteed to be one of the musical highlights of the ten days.
52 The List 7-20 Apr 1995