Skyhook - At the Stringsmiths Forge - Music & Performance - CD

1. Calum breugach / Miller of Drone / Midgefest / Snowing up the hill (4.05) Trad. / N. Gow / C. James / C. James arr. Skyhook Cath & Martin: fiddles, Eoin: guitar Two old strathspeys from the Skye collection, published 1887. The first is also known as Malcolm the Liar, the second is commonly attributed to Nathaniel Gow - lyrics associated with this melody state that the miller was a sturdy loon! Midgefest was written in the Scottish Highlands in August. The last tune appeared whilst on Derwent Edge, the day snow defied gravity and fell upwards for a while. 2. Caber Feidh / Mutt's favourite / Miss E. MacLeod / Aoife's reel (5.15) Trad. / J. Holland / R. MacIntosh / J. Holland arr. Skyhook Cath & Martin: fiddles, Eoin: bouzouki, guitar, Andy: double bass A Cape Breton setting of a classic 18th century Scottish pipe reel (the name translates as the Deer's Antlers), then a punchy Jerry reel, back to the 18th century for Red Rob's Miss MacLeod and finally another belter from Jerry - we love playing this set. 3. Bonny light horseman (5.02) Trad. Arr. Skyhook Eoin: vocals, guitar, Martin: bouzouki, Cath: viola, Andy: double bass, Sue: backing vocals Eoin's version of a song he learned from great singer and guitarist Hugh Waller, cornerstone of the Sheffield folk scene for decades. We dedicate this to him, his family and many friends left behind, as he sadly passed away in March this year. Thanks Hugh. 4. Mr. & Mrs. Accordionator / One Brown Trout / Stringsmith's reel (3.15) C. James / C. James / C. James arr. Skyhook Cath & Martin: fiddles, Eoin: guitar The first tune was a wedding present for Martin Green and Inge Thomson. Skyhook's Martin likes to fish in the lochs of Morar - this second tune celebrates his life-time's catch. Stringsmith is the historical term in South Yorkshire for a hammer man working in the early iron forges. Our photos were taken at Wortley Top Forge, go and visit if you can - it's amazing! 5. Taylor Ryan (1.48) B. Stubbert arr. E. Teather Eoin: guitar Brenda wrote this as a reel, Eoin turned it into something altogether more contemplative. 6. Bothy reel / Bothy birthday / Ardnamurchan reel (3.39) C. James / C. James / C. James arr. Skyhook Cath & Martin: fiddles, Eoin: guitar, Ciaran: bodhran All written in coastal bothies in the West Highlands of Scotland, the perfect place for some tune-hatching. 7. New Year's day / Fr. Eugene's welcome to Cape North / Mr. Lobster (5.53) C. James/ M. MacDougall / C. James arr. Skyhook Cath: viola, fiddle, Martin: guitar, fiddle, Eoin: bouzouki, guitar, Andy: double bass Another tune written in a bothy by the fire, the day after the party. Cape North is the most northerly point on the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, it's a stunning headland of rugged cliffs and wild creatures. Mr Lobster can be seen off the coast of Ardnamurchan with his boat and creels. 8. Roseville Fair / Kissing is the best of a' (3.56) B. Staines / trad. Arr. Skyhook Eoin: vocals, guitar, Cath & Martin: fiddles, Ciaran: bodhran, Sue: backing vocals A longstanding favourite in the Skyhook live set. It's a party song about dancing, music and falling in love, followed by an appropriately titled reel. 9. In memory of Jerry / Highlands of Banffshire / Mavis Beacon teaches typing (4.04) C. James/ trad. / C. James arr. Skyhook Cath & Martin: fiddles, Eoin: guitar A tune for the mighty fiddler and composer Jerry Holland (1955-2009). The strathspey is from the Athole Collection, first published in Inverness in 1884. It may not be common knowledge that Mavis Beacon cannot teach or type as she is not a real person. 10. Phil's jig / Dutchman's frolics / Tom's thumb (4.21) Trad. / trad. / C. James arr. Skyhook Cath & Martin: fiddles, Eoin: guitar, Ciaran: bodhran Two Irish jigs followed by one written for Cath's nephew, Tom, when he was still a baby. 11. Turtle and the asp (4.20) M. Simpson arr. Skyhook Eoin: vocals, guitar, Cath: viola, Martin: fiddle A song based on an animal fable found in various forms in the folklore of Europe, Africa, India and beyond, and also in Aesop's fables. The moral: kindness to evil will be met by betrayal, or perhaps it's just a reminder to choose one's friends wisely. 12. Eyre on a C string / Lady Gordon of Gordonstown / Archie Menzies (5.08) C. James/ W. Morrison / J. Lowe. Arr. Skyhook Cath: viola, fiddle, Martin: fiddle, Eoin: guitar A tune - complete with comedy "bum note" - to commemorate the near-demise of Cath's viola under the behind of a certain Mr D. Eyre, followed by two 19th century Scottish reels.

• Skyhook - At the Stringsmiths Forge - Music & Performance - CD
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