Blazin' Fiddles

Blazin' Fiddles are a contemporary Scottish fiddle band from the Highlands and Islands. They formed in 1998 to showcase Scotland's distinct regional fiddle styles. The band have a number of awards, including; the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards Live Act of the Year, Album of the Year and Folk Band of the Year. Their records are released on their own indie Blazin' Records label. They have been described as "...the LED Zepplin of the Folk World."

Blazin' Fiddles band performing at the Queen's Hall at the Edinburgh Festival 2016

History

As part of the year of Highland Culture in 1998 the band had originally come together to put on a one-off tour to showcase the various fiddle styles of the Highlands and Islands[1] but the audience reception was so enthusiastic they decided to continue.[2] Their name makes reference to the burning of fiddles that was done by the Church in parts of Scotland in the 19th century.[3][4] In 1999 they were invited to the Fiddlers of the World festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[2] At the Scots Trad music awards they were awarded Best Live Act in 2004,[5] their Album Magnificent Seven was Album of the Year in 2005,[6] and they were Folk Band of the Year in 2013[7][8] and 2019.[9] They took part in the BBC Proms at the Albert Hall, London in August 2005.[10]

Of the original line-up, Aidan O'Rourke and Marc Clement left in 2009 and Catriona Macdonald departed from the band in autumn 2010.[11] They were replaced by the Shetland fiddler Jenna Reid, award-winning guitarist Anna Massie[2] and Young Trad winner Kirsten Harvey.[12] The Scotsman newspaper described them as "...the LED Zepplin of the Folk World."[2] They played at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. the world's largest arts festival, in 2016[13] and (with singer Emily Smith[14]) in 2019.[15]

The album Six was the final recording that features Iain MacFarlane and Allan Henderson, who were both founder members of Blazin' Fiddles.[16]

Blazin' Fiddles has been described as one of the world's most prolific fiddle groups.[17]

Line-up (2019)

Blazin' in Beauly
  • Blazin' in Beauly is an event which has taken place every October since 2000 in a village in the highlands called Beauly.[20] Participants come for one week of fiddle workshops, masterclasses, concerts, sessions and singing. It is open to all ages and levels, and participants can bring their own instruments such as fiddles, guitars and keyboards.[21][22] Blazin' in Beauly was nominated for the Community Project of the Year at the 2019 Scots Trad Music Awards.[23]
  • Bruce MacGregor
  • Kristan Harvey & Rua Macmillan
  • Jenna Reid
  • Angus Lyon, Kristan Harvey & Anna Massie

Past members

Discography
  • Fire On! (2002)
  • The Old Style (2004)
  • Magnificent Seven (2005)
  • Blazin' Fiddles Live (2007)
  • Thursday Night in the Caley (2011)[26]
  • Six (2013)[27]
  • Solo (2014)
  • North (2015)[25]
  • The Key (2017)

References
  1. "Blaze of glory for Trad Award winners". The Inverness Courier. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  2. "Folk, Jazz etc: Musical chairs sees the Blazers in fiery form for new album". The Scotsman. 14 March 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  3. "Scotland's songs and tunes: Instruments: Fiddle". Education Scotland. Archived from the original on 24 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  4. "Blazin' in Beauly". The Scots Magazine. October 2014.
  5. "Cassells pipes up for Trad Awards". The Scotsman. Johnston Press. 1 December 2005. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  6. "Scots Trad Music Awards 2005". Hands Up for Trad. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  7. Ferguson, Brian (8 December 2013). "Donald Shaw honoured at Scots Trad Music Awards". The Scotsman. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  8. "Scots Trad Awards 2013 winners announced". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  9. Fruk Staff (8 December 2019). "WINNERS OF THE MG ALBA SCOTS TRAD MUSIC AWARDS 2019". Folk Radio. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  10. "BBC Proms 2005 - Blazin' Fiddles". Scottish Arts Council. 2005. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  11. "Gig review: Blazin' Fiddles". The Scotsman. Johnston Press. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  12. "Celtic Connections Festival 2011 - Young Trad 2011: Kristan Harvey". BBC. 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  13. "Blazin' Fiddles". What's On. The Queen's Hall. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  14. Rudden, Liam (5 July 2019). "Here's when you can see the iconic Blazin' Fiddles at the Edinburgh Fringe". The Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  15. Gilchrist, Jim (19 August 2019). "Music Review: Blazin' Fiddles with Emily Smith, Queen's Hall (Venue 72), Edinburgh". The Scotsman. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  16. Adams, Rob (9 February 2014). "Blazin' Fiddles, Six (Blazin' Fiddles)". Sunday Herald. Newsquest. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  17. "Scots folksters have Led in their pencils". Henley on Thames News. 20 June 2016. Archived from the original on 23 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  18. "Fiddle Frenzy 2014 Opening Concert". Mareel. Shetland Arts Development Agency. 3 August 2014. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  19. "Article - Blazing Fiddles". Blazin-fiddles.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  20. "Blazin' In Beauly October 2020". Blazin in Beauly. 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  21. "Blazin' in Beauly". TRACS - Traditional Arts Culrure Scotland.org. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  22. Fraser, Gary (8 October 2014). "Blazin' in Beauly - preview". The Scots Magazine. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  23. "MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2019: Blazin' in Beauly". Scots Trad Music Awards. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  24. "Blazin' Fiddles". The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh. 19 August 2009. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  25. McFadyen, Neil (20 November 2015). "Blazin' Fiddles - North". Folk Radio. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  26. "Blazin' Fiddles". footstompin.com. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  27. Wilkinson, Allan (2015). "Blazin' Fiddles - Six (Proper)". Northern Sky Magazine. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
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