Fiddle and piano
Fiddle and piano
I couldn’t resist getting my camera out when I noticed the way the light was falling on this fiddle and piano recently. It was a quiet moment after a party – and what a fantastic party is was. Being serenaded by theramin is something that will stay with me for a while! I’m lucky to be part of an active community of musicians who regularly seem to have some sort of social gathering in the calendar. This one was to celebrate a friend’s 60th birthday – the event itself had thoughtfully been planned to fall on my own birthday, which happened to be at the weekend. It was a cracking evening, with the New Rope String Band playing a memorable gig, and followed by plenty of shared music into the wee small hours.
A few of us were having a quiet tune or two in the morning when I noticed the sunlight light falling on my fiddle with the piano behind.
Update – 10th November 2012
This photo is now one of four card designs which I have had printed. The cards will be on sale at the stalls at the Scots Fiddle Festival (16th-18th November) in Edinburgh.
Treacherous Orchestra at Celtic Connections
What a fantastic gig last night – The ABC was packed, and by the end of the night, the floor was bouncing like a trampoline. I didn’t take my camera, so here’s a couple of pics taken on my phone.
Orkney band ‘Broken Strings’ at the Scots Fiddle Festival
The young Orcadian band ‘Broken Strings’ played a cracking set at the Scots Fiddle Festival a couple of weeks ago.
‘Broken Strings’ playing at the Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh
Vamm at the Scots Fiddle Festival in Edinburgh
The final Saturday recital at the Scots Fiddle Festival in Edinburgh was the first gig for Vamm, a new band formed by fiddlers Catriona Macdonald and Patsy Reid, with Marit Falt on mandola.
Catriona Macdonald, fiddler
Patsy Reid, fiddler
Vamm playing their first gig
The Little Biggar Band photoshoot
Little Biggar Band photoshoot
We had a lot of fun taking on a recent photoshoot for the Little Biggar Band’s new website.
The Little Biggar Band from the Scottish Borders
There was some playing around with variations on a band name – how about this one?
…or this?
But this was my favourite version…it took a while to get them all strung up for this shot! 
Photos commissioned by the band Corran Raa
Scottish Traditional Music
So a couple of weekends ago I was up in Ballachulish for a lovely gig from Corran Raa. The following morning’s photoshoot for their new website was slotted neatly in between showers (of the weather variety…nothing to do with cleanliness!)
Here are some of my favourites from those ‘morning after’ shots:
Jenny Smith, fiddler
Kath Bruce, keyboard player and singer
Janet Lees, fiddler
Robbie Leask, guitarist
Ali White, fiddler with the Battlefield Band
Feis Rois
I was at Feis Rois over the weekend – there were some cracking concerts. Saturday night’s gig started off with two fiddlers, Ali White and Mike Vass, playing together. Superb!
Here’s a photo of Alasdair in full flow:
Heeliegoleerie
A couple of photos from a trip to Edinburgh’s Bongo Club last week to take photos for the fabulous ceilidh band Heeliegoleerie. They were playing for one of the regular Ceilidh Club ceilidhs.
There was a whole load of energy in that room!
Here’s Heeliegoleerie:
…and Allan, playing bodhran:
Bellevue Rendezvous
Gavin Marwick, of Bellevue Rendezvous, December 2010.
Fiddler at Edinburgh’s folk club
…and please don’t try this at home
The New Rope String Band were playing at the Edinburgh folk club tonight. If you haven’t seen them before, I can’t recommend them highly enough. They’re great musicians, but incredible comedians as well. The evening was stuffed full of chuckles, giggles, and guffaws.
One of my favourite moments involved Pete Challoner garotting Tim Dalling, with the aid of a double bass…
The dangers of playing a double bass
Charlie McKerron playing at the Scots Fiddle Festival
I was experimenting with depth of field when I took this photo of fiddler Charlie McKerron. I rather like the focus on the hand where it’s all happening!
Charlie McKerron playing at Edinburgh’s Scots Fiddle Festival
Scottish traditional music instruments
Traditional music instruments on Lismore
In my spare time, I play in a band which includes an impressive array of Scottish traditional music instruments, some of which are unusual. The lineup includes fiddles, guitar, mandola, mandolin, melodeon (or button box), Scottish smallpipes, whistle, flute, bodhran and concertina. The band met through playing in a local informal pub session, and have enjoyed playing at a number of community events.
We recently took some time out to visit the beautiful island of Lismore. We were visiting the island for a creative weekend with Mairi Campbell. The band was put through it’s paces, brushing up on our stage presence, and working on various aspects of our performance, from Friday evening and all day on Saturday. On Saturday evening, we gave a performance in the lovely hall on the island to a hugely appreciative local audience.
What an inspirational weekend it was! Lovely people, magic summer sunshine (in October!) in a very beautiful place….and some amazing musical moments…
If you are interested in using this or similar photos, I’m working on building a Scots music song and dance photo resource The images can be licensed for the purposes of promoting Scotland and its culture.
Sarah-Jane Summers, Scottish Fiddle player
Sarah-Jane Summers
Sarah-Jane Summers playing her Hardanger fiddle, with her trio at the Edinburgh Folk Club in 2009. It was a fantastic gig!
Sarah-Jane Summers, fiddle player from Scotland
