So who's the Catskinners then?

The Catskinners are a folk band from Glasgow who perform a variety of material from the tradition and contemporary sources, as well as original songs written by John McCreadie.

Working on the principle that there is more than one way to perform a song, (hence the name) we have a flexible and adaptable approach to the music where, (depending upon the venue) we can alternate between big orchestral sounding arrangements to intimate moments where we and the audience become close confidantes. We’re able to adapt the complexity of how we present each show to best fit the performance space.

We cover a huge range of styles, including jazz/folk fusion, blues, shanties, traditional ballads, Americana and English chanson using acoustic and electric guitars, various drums and other percussion, concertina, melodeon, harmonicas, and a Roland guitar synthesiser which lets Kenny Caird conjure everything from piano to saxophone to big orchestral backdrops from his guitar.

Similarly we draw our material from a wide range of sources, including the Tradition, Robert Burns, and 20th century writers and poets such as Alistair Hulett, Henry Lawson, and Guy Clark, with a number of John McCreadie’s own songs peppered through the mix.

The current line up is:

John McCreadie: Guitarist, Singer, and Songwriter. Formerly of Diggery Venn, Radical Road, and the Govan Spoonful, and an established solo performer and festival compère, John’s involvement with Scottish folk music spans several decades.
He has a considerable reputation as a songwriter, and his songs have been covered by some of Scotland’s great singers such as Arthur Johnstone, (Doomsday In The Afternoon), and Sheena Wellington (Where Are You Now My Son?)

Kenny Caird: Multi-instrumentalist and Singer. Kenny plays acoustic and electric guitars, guitar synthesiser, chromatic and octave harmonicas, anglo concertina, and button accordion.
With a background in blues rock, Kenny came to the folk scene in the early 1980s after hearing a Dick Gaughan record and deciding he wanted to be part of this music. His use of synthesisers and electric guitars bring a certain unorthodoxy to some of the Catskinners performance.

Trish Caird: Percussionist and Singer. A relative newcomer to the world of performance, Trish has developed her skills at various singers’ sessions around Glasgow before joining forces with Kenny and John. Her percussion playing occasionally raises eyebrows among the traditionalists of the ethnic drum because of her love of using domestic utensils such as pastry brushes as drumsticks. Trish’s attitude is “If it works, why not?”

Book the Catskinners for your club or festival!

For bookings or any other queries:

Ken: 07570829683
John: 07796005934

catskinner@keromail.com

Listen at our Reverbnation Page and become a fan!

http://www.reverbnation.com/thecatskinners/

Visit our forum!

http://catskinners.myfastforum.org/

Tuesday, 19 May 2009

What's been happening this month?

Well.

The Lorna Lavelle Band did the opener at the Star Club on the 16th April. Lorna was jetlagged all to hell, but the professionalism was all there.

Then there was Jim King and Steven Clark's album launch onthe 24th.

I recorded them at the Star Folk Club early in 2008 and we finally got the editing finished and the album released.

It's called "Tougher Than Suet". Find out more here and here and here, and it's a damn fine record.

The launch was in Dows in Queen Street and we had a rather spiffy session after it.

People travelled from all over the world and Shawlands to be there.

Here's Jim and Steve looking performy.










Then the Lorna Lavelle Band had a live broadcast spot on Celtic Music Radio from the Oran Mor on the 2nd May. Here's John and me tuning up in the empty bar.

They recorded it and put it out on their listen again feature. The sound is a bit iffy because they had some techy problems.

After the Oran Mor we were all off down to Girvan for the Folk Festival, which was good fun this year. We managed to find a session in the Hamilton Arms with a bunch of good musicians and singers, then over to the Roxy for sunset in the beer garden where we got in tow with John Morrison the Silver Fox for a tune or two.




The Roxy session didn't last long because it was getting too cold to play - but it was a laugh anyway.

9th May was the Moniaive Festival, and we joined the Babbitty Bowster session musicians on the charabanc down to the Borders.

We spen the day in a six and a half hour megasession in the Craigdarroch which has since been described as the best afternoon session anywhere, ever, so it must have been good. We were in the middle of it and we had a great time. Thank you Moniave.

Here's Lorna having a great time.



On the way back up the road we had a session on the bus..



Tricia had thoughtfully packed a bottle of whisky which helped smooth the journey back to Babbitty's. We all piled in there and had yet another session.




Lorna went back to Canada the day after Moniaive. We did record a couple of tracks with her which I'll post later.

Check out her myspace

More later.

Ken
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