Feb 21, 2012

Sandy Semeonoff plays mainly acoustic music from around the world and this Tuesday, 21 February is Mardi Gras 2012 in New Orleans. Sandy’ll be including Carnival music from Louisiana, the Caribbean, Brazil and Europe.

Planet Waves is broadcast live on Tuesdays at 7.00-8.00pm with a repeat on Wednesdays at 12 noon-1.00pm. You can listen to Planet Waves on our Catch Up Anytime section for up to 30 days after broadcast here.

21^st February 2012 – Mardi Gras

Go to the Mardi Gras – Professor Longhair – Golden Decade: Music of my life – Vol 4 – Membran Records – New Orleans

Carnval Brass Band (Comparsa: Conga) – Band from Santiago – Afro-Cuba: A Musical Anthology – Rounder CD1088 – Cuba

Betece – Africando feat Amadou Balake – Afro-Latin Party – Putumayo PUT 235 2 – Cuba/Burkina Faso

Zydeco Mardi Gras – Boozoo Chavis – Zydeco Trail Ride with Boozoo Chavis – Maison du Soul MdS CD 1034 – Lousiana

La Vieille Danse de Mardi Gras (The Mardi Gras Song) – Wade Frugé – Old Style Cajun Music – Arhoolie – Louisiana

Frühling – Herman Van Veen, Edith Leerkes – Songs in the Distance – Le Chant du Monde 2742038 – Holland

Where Are You? (opening) – Kayhan Kalhor – I Will Not Stand Alone – World Village 468100 – Iran

The Springtime Fool – Bard – The Springtime Fool – no label – England

Samba Marching Medley (excerpt) – Samba Ya Bamba – Mad Bongos ‘n’ That – SambaYaBamba – Glasgow

Narhalla Marsch – Alfred Kluten – Authentic Germany – Sonoton SAS 042 – Germany

Hallelujah Chorus – Roches – Keep on Doing – Warner Bros WB K 57027 (LP) – USA

Som do Carnaval – Baden Powell – Tristeza on Guitar – Polydor 583 708 (LP) – Brazil

Aquele Frevo Axé – Gal Costa – Acoustic Brazil – Putumayo PUT 234 2 – Brazil

Pan Explosion – Steelband from Antigua – Carnaval d’Antigua – Playasound PSTZ 2008 (LP) – Antigua

Echo Blues (sig tune) – Frank Wakefield – That was now… this is then! – Rosewood RA 62096 – Tennessee

Feb 21, 2012

The Celtic Music Radio Album of the Week commencing Saturday 18 February 2012 is the the CD from Jennifer and Hazel Wrigley, the internationally acclaimed fiddle and guitar duo from the Orkney Islands who have a magical new album to perform.

Ross Macfadyen talks to Jennifer Wrigley about the new Wrigley Sisters album Idiom which is a sparkling blend of traditional, contemporary and original material, invigorated with jazz, blues and ragtime flavours.

Like an Orkney sunrise, Idiom bursts with light, colour and outrageous and dizzying energy. Idiom has woken the timeless standing stones of Orkney and made them dance again. Idiom reflects a confidence and maturity honed from years of touring and playing.

Jennifer and Hazel have won a number of national and  international awards, with Jennifer Wrigley herself a past winner of the BBC Young Tradition Award, the UK’s premier accolade for emerging folk music talent.  The sisters are unquestionably two of the highest profile cultural and creative arts ‘ambassadors’ to emanate from Orkney and are clearly appreciated as such within their home community.

Album of the Week, Saturday at 12 noon and 12 midnight and Monday at 6.00pm and also Catch Up anytime.

Feb 21, 2012

Album of the Week this week is Idiom from Jennifer & Hazel Wrigley.

COMBINING mastery with mischief, and tradition with modernity, Jennifer and Hazel Wrigley, the internationally acclaimed fiddle and guitar duo from the Orkney Islands, have a magical new album to perform.

Idiom is a sparkling blend of traditional, contemporary and original material, invigorated with jazz, blues and ragtime flavours. Like an Orkney sunrise, Idiom bursts with light, colour and outrageous and dizzying energy. Idiom has woken the timeless standing stones of Orkney and made them dance again. Idiom reflects a confidence and maturity honed from years of touring and playing.

Wrigley and the Reel is a 4 to 6 piece band where Jennifer and Hazel are joined by ‘The Reel’; comprising of outstanding
musicians who are regular visitors to the sessions at The Reel in Orkney with boundless musical dexterity and vitality, Orcadian wit and good fun!

After years of touring, the Wrigley Sisters returned to Orkney and in 2004 set up ‘The Reel’: predominantly a music school but also encompassing a cafe & bar, music shop, venue and exhibition space. The school now has in excess of 600 students, allowing the lasses to ‘put something back into Orkney.’

Hailing from Orkney, the twin sisters began performing together – Jennifer on fiddle and Hazel on piano and guitar – when they were 8.  Their universal audience appeal reflects both the calibre of their music and the effervescent charm of their performances.

Their recorded output – from their 1991 debut Dancing Fingers recorded between the age of 13 and 16 years, its successor The Watch Stone (1994), third album Huldreland, fourth album Mither 0′ The Sea, fifth album Skyran and their sixth and most recent release Idiom – reveals their assurance and sophistication and reaffirms their international prominence.
Jennifer and Hazel have undertaken three world tours, visited forty seven countries (including fifteen trans-Atlantic trips) and appeared in countless television and radio productions. They have undertaken many musical and education related initiatives and collaborations; several with internationally renowned artists such as Evelyn Glennie.  In addition they have also undertaken and delivered extensive teaching and music workshop initiatives throughout the world.  The sisters were extensively involved in
‘Live Music Now’ – a tutorial initiative whose patrons are Yehudi Menuhin and Prince Charles.

Jennifer and Hazel have won a number of national and international awards, with Jennifer Wrigley herself a past winner of the BBC Young Tradition Award, the UK’s premier accolade for emerging folk music talent.

The sisters are unquestionably two of the highest profile cultural and creative arts ‘ambassadors’ to emanate from Orkney and are clearly appreciated as such within their home community.

Click here to buy a copy of Idioms from Amazon and support Celtic Music Radio.

Feb 21, 2012

This week Stewart talks to Nashville based husband & wife duo Joey & Rory, who are one of the headliners at the Northern Nashville Caithness Country Festival this Easter.

The dates are from Friday 6 to Monday 8 April 2012 at the Halkirk Riding Centre, Thurso, Caithness.  More information about the festival here.

Also this week, the Hillbilly Heaven feature marks what would have been Johnny Cash‘s 80th birthday and Stewart features the new album from Lyle Lovett.

Stewart Fenwick plays the best in Country music from here in Scotland and around the world.

Stewart Fenwick Country, Sunday 26 February, 12 noon-2.00pm.