Posts for January, 2022

The musical evolution of Old Blind Dogs began in Aberdeen in 1992 with roots that grew from the eclectic music scene that flourished in the Granite City during the early 90’s. Four musicians from very different musical backgrounds came together to create a full-time professional touring band with the aim of showcasing the rich tradition of songs and tunes of the North East of Scotland on an international stage.

The current band line up has been settled for several years now and consists of four of Scotland’s finest traditional musicians at the top of their game. Original member Jonny Hardie (fiddle/vocals) is joined by Aaron Jones (cittern/guitar/vocals), Ali Hutton (pipes/whistles) and Donald Hay (percussion/vocals) and collectively they comprise one of the hottest live tickets on the traditional Scottish music scene today.

As recent inductees to the BBC ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards ‘Trad Music Hall of Fame’ the ‘Dugs’ will celebrate thirty years on the road in 2022 by launching their fourteenth studio album ‘Knucklehead Circus’ in Winter 2021. A joyous, uplifting and fun album full of compelling energy and intoxicating rhythm on which ‘OBD’ continue to innovate within their tradition while faithfully revealing its essence. Here’s to many more years of Old Blind Dogs!”

Having a clearout? We will accept donations of complete, clean, resealable books at the Ballater Community and Heritage hub 1st-25th Feb.

Want your own stall? Cost £12 paid in advance

Teas and home bakes served all-day

Proceeds to V&A halls (ballater) trust

Every Wednesday – come and join us at the Skiing Doo!

Treat your loved one to a special meal at the Rowan Tree Country Hotel, Aviemore.

Enjoy a four-course tasting menu with a glass of prosecco so that you can celebrate in style.

The cost is £55, with a £10 non-refundable deposit per person to secure your table.

Tables throughout the evening from 5:30 pm

Book online at www.rowantreehotel.com or call 01479810207

Hamish Napier is a Scottish folk multi-instrumentalist and composer inspired by the heritage and nature of his native landscape of Strathspey.

Join us as he performs his award winning new album The Woods (Album of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards). His original March 2020 album launch tour was cancelled just as the national lockdown hit, and postponed to 2021 and then again to 2022.

Not one to give up easily, Hamish finally gets the chance to share his music inspired by the flora and fauna of Scotland’s native forests. Hamish, who plays wooden flutes and piano, will be joined by two of Scotland’s finest folk musicians, Patsy Reid (fiddle) and Innes Watson (guitar and viola). Hamish’s music is innovative, incorporating sounds from jazz, electronica and classical music, while also celebrating and respecting Scotland’s rich musical heritage. Humorous, engaging and heart-warming, Hamish’s performances are often interdisciplinary, incorporating poems and stories about nature, folklore and communities.

The Woods is album no.3 in his Strathspey Pentalogy – a 5-album exploration and celebration of his homeland, following on from The River and The Railway. He will also share a few of the work-in-progress pieces from forthcoming album no.4!

We are delighted to welcome Jackie Kay to the St Margaret’s stage to speak with Fiona Kennedy about her fascinating life and literary career.

Jackie Kay CBE was born and brought up in Scotland. In 2016, Kay was appointed the Makar or National Poet for Scotland for a five year term. She is the author of – among other books – The Adoption Papers, which won the Forward Prize, Red Dust Road, winner of Scottish Book of the Year Award, Trumpet, and the Costa-shortlisted Fiere. She is professor of Creative Writing at Newcastle University.

Supported by the Fife Arms’ Community Programme.

With the release of its second album, Cairn, Scottish pianist Fergus McCreadie’s trio underlined its status as one of the most exciting young groups in European jazz and the third album due in Spring 2022 looks certain to maintain the trio’s momentum.

The trio’s music is dynamic and beautifully crafted, reflecting the Scottish landscape and musical traditions while honouring the American and European jazz legacies, and its huge emotional pull has brought audiences to their feet across Northern Europe and resulted in an appearance at Ronnie Scott’s International Piano Trio Festival.

McCreadie has been winning awards since his mid-teens and his group’s debut album, Turas, released in 2018, showed extraordinary maturity. It won the Album of the Year title at both the Parliamentary Jazz Awards – the UK’s most prestigious jazz prizes – and the Scottish Jazz Awards. McCreadie himself went on to win the Best Instrumentalist title at the Scottish Jazz Awards in 2018 and 2020.

Chosen as Jazz FM’s featured album of the week ahead of its release, Cairn earned five stars from Mojo and four stars from Jazzwise and was acclaimed as one of the key jazz releases of 2021 by prominent industry observers before the end of January.

It marked the further development of McCreadie’s composing talents and the trio’s ability to think, create and play with one voice, qualities that make their live performances such exuberant, uplifting and soul-stirring experiences.

“A trio capable of rivalling EST or The Bad Plus for sheer excitement…” – Mojo

“real personality … lucidly atmospheric … fire and virtuosity” – The Times

“Simply outstanding” – Jazzwise

“Vibrant, progressive, wistful … and possessing a distinctive character whose root lies in both the artistic heritage and the landscape of McCreadie’s Scottish homeland.” – AP Reviews

“A virtuosic technique…high in emotional depth” – Tommy Smith

“Think Erik Satie running on Islay Malt rather than Absinthe” – The Scotsman

“Prodigious, cascading technique while communicating warmth of personality” – The Herald

Come and explore local crafts and produce in the beautiful Cairngorms National Park.

Come and explore local crafts and produce in the beautiful Cairngorms National Park.

Our feral Konik ponies make light work of grazing the Marshes, keeping the habitat in tip-top condition for the special birds that live there.

Join us to learn all about them, before going on a short walk to find out about how they fit in with our wider work managing the reserve and our plans for the future.

Wednesday 2nd February
10am-12noon

This event is free, but booking is essential as places are limited by parking capacity – please email: insh@rspb.org.uk

(Our walk will be about 1 mile over uneven pathless terrain with one small, but fairly steep slope. Unfortunately this route is not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies. Wellies are essential as the entrance to the field regularly floods in winter – we do have a small number of pairs available to borrow, please let us know and we’ll see if we have your size!)