1. Art and Diseño

Celtic Connections 2015
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15 January – 1 February
This media release includes information on:
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The Programme Announcement
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The Showcase Scotland Weekend
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Education at the Festival
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Funders of the Festival
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Full Event Listings
CELTIC CONNECTIONS 2015 PROGRAMME LAUNCHED
The programme for Celtic Connections 2015 has been launched by Artistic Director
Donald Shaw. To watch a video of Donald talking about the highlights and
ethos behind next year’s festival please follow this link:
http://youtu.be/z6vFqrxCy-w
Students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland helped launch the festival by
playing a tune on the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall steps. The RCS will present a
concert at Celtic Connections 2015 which is inspired by ‘Wayfaring Strangers’ –
Fiona Ritchie’s epic book charting the musical voyage from Scotland and Ulster to
Appalachia.
The eclectic programme for next year’s festival includes some of the best-known
musicians in traditional and roots music, world, indie, jazz, folk, soul and Americana.
Over 2000 musicians from every corner of the globe will come to Glasgow between
Thursday 15th January and Sunday 1st February 2015.
Among the artists appearing at Celtic Connections 2015 are Fairport Convention,
Calexico, Craig Armstrong with the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, Shooglenifty,
Tweedy, Eddi Reader, Treacherous Orchestra, Lambchop performing Nixon,
Carlos Nunez, Danu, King Creosote – Scotland With Love, Angelique Kidjo with
the RSNO, Punch Brothers, Dick Gaughan, Le Vent Du Nord, Blazin’ Fiddles,
Tommy Emmanuel, Hudson Taylor, The Pierces, Taraf de Haidouks, The
Mischa Macpherson Trio, Ella the Bird, Tony Allen and Skerryvore.
Remembering the Late and Great
One of the main themes running through next year’s festival is paying homage to the
late and great musicians who have left their mark on the current musical landscape.
The Opening Night will be a show dedicated to the remarkable Martyn Bennett, one
of Scotland’s great musical visionaries. To commemorate ten years since his
passing, the Opening Night of the festival will feature a full orchestration by
experimental cross-genre classical violinist Greg Lawson of Bennett’s last great work,
the album ‘Grit’. It was a fearless album that drew from the great voices of the
tradition like Lizzie Higgins and Sheila Stewart MBE and placed them against a
soundscape of beats and samples and started the evolution of celtic fusion.
There will be a tribute night to singer, songwriter, song collector, author, broadcaster,
playwright, actor, director, poet and activist Ewan MacColl (1915-1989). MacColl
established the country’s first folk club and started the groundbreaking Radio Ballads
series. Curated by his sons Calum and Neill – both successful musicians themselves
– and featuring a hand-picked house band, a stellar array of artists from diverse
genres will perform both well-loved and lesser-known songs from MacColl’s
repertoire.
Band of Friends is a celebration of the life and music of Rory Gallagher. The Irish
born legendary blues-rock guitarist died tragically young in 1995 but his legacy lives
on in the work of accomplished musicians Gerry McAvoy, Ted McKenna, and Marcel
Scherpenzeel. Covering all parts of the globe and producing some of the greatest
rock/blues albums of the 60’s, 70's and 80's the music of Rory Gallagher lives on
through this three piece band.
Named for one of his best-loved tunes, Crossing the Minch pays tribute to Pipe
Major Donald MacLeod MBE (1916-1982). Born in Stornoway, he served (and
played) throughout World War II – once reportedly escaping capture by speaking
Gaelic – before sweeping the boards on the post-war competition circuit. Renowned
for his melodic inventiveness, he published seven collections of his tunes, and
pioneered the use of recording in teaching. To celebrate this remarkable legacy, a
multi-generational cast includes pipers Calum MacCrimmon, John Wilson, John
Mulhearn, James Duncan Mackenzie and Rona Lightfoot, plus Alasdair White,
Charlie MacFarlane and the Glenfinnan Ceilidh Band.
Big Names at the Festival
Jeff Tweedy, otherwise known as the single name Tweedy, will be performing at
Celtic Connections 2015. Penned as one of the most emotionally fluent American
songwriters around and founder of top alt-country/rock acts Uncle Tupelo and Wilco,
and Billy Bragg’s collaborator on the Mermaid Avenue series of Woody Guthrie
material. His double disc album released this year entitled ‘Sukierae’ has been
recorded with his 18 year old son and drummer Spencer and marks another richly
fruitful chapter in one of American music’s most consistently creative careers.
Nashville based outfit Lambchop will be performing their classic album Nixon. More
a fluid collection of musicians headed by Kurt Wagner their style has incorporated a
huge range of influences since the early 1990’s when they first came to the fore
under original name Posterchild.
Secure in their seminal status, as leading progenitors of English folk-rock, Fairport
Convention will be gracing the Celtic Connections stage for the first time since 2006.
Helmed by co-founder Simon Nicol, today’s line-up continues to tour annually and will
be performing material from their aptly-named new studio album, Myths and Heroes,
alongside favourites from nearly a half-century’s back catalogue.
Celtic Connections would hardly be complete without a starring role for Glasgow’s
own Eddi Reader although this will be her first headline show in six years. The show
will follow rapturous reviews for her 10th solo album, 2014’s Vagabond. The new
album’s sources and springboards encompass Michael Marra, Declan O’Rourke,
Amy Winehouse, John Masefield, traditional Scots song and her granny’s storytelling,
complemented by favourites from Reader’s nearly 30-year back catalogue, with ultra-
classy accompaniment from longtime collaborators Boo Hewerdine, Alan Kelly, John
Douglas, Kevin McGuire and Steve Hamilton.
One of contemporary America’s most distinctively poetic voices Patty Griffin will
perform as part of Transatlantic Sessions.
Grammy award winning diva of African song Angelique Kidjo will be performing
alongside the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
Instruments for Life
One of the key strands at Celtic Connections 2015 is a collection of gigs that highlight
the stories of hand made instruments from across the world.
The Fiddletree is a show at next year’s festival which has been inspired by a book of
the same name. The book was written by violin-maker Otis Thomas and tells the
story of how he made a violin from an old sugar maple tree that grew beside his
house in Cape Breton. It is a story about transferring life from the natural world into a
living voice through music, about making something which is both personal and
unique. This ties in perfectly with a key ethos of the festival – the search for music
which is personal and unique and that has hundreds of years of stories in it’s make
up, just like that big old tree. This Celtic Connections gig will include beautiful tunes
all played by fiddles, clarsach, mandolin, viola and cello which have all been built
from this same tree. Musicians playing these unique instruments will include Sarah
McFadyen on fiddle and Mairi Campbell on fiddle and viola.
Sam Sweeney’s Fiddle: Made in the Great War is a multi-media performance. In
2009, Bellowhead’s Sam Sweeney bought an apparently new fiddle, but with a label
inside that dated it to 1915. His quest to discover the instrument’s story, and that of
its original maker - who turned out to have died in World War I - became the startingpoint for this acclaimed performance, incorporating music-hall songs, regimental
marches and reworked traditional ballads with film and spoken narrative, eloquently
spanning a century’s history. Together with Sweeney’s bandmates Paul Sartin
(vocals/fiddle/cor anglais) and Rob Harbron (vocals/concertina), celebrated storyteller
Hugh Lupton completes the cast.
The Big Screen at Celtic Connections
Another key strand at this year’s festival is the collaboration of music and screen.
Glasgow’s Craig Armstrong still credits his hometown as being fundamental to his
success – even though he’s now at home in the most glittering celebrity circles and
sought after by the world’s top movie-makers as well as stars like Madonna, U2, Tina
Turner and Spice Girls. This October he has released his latest solo album, It’s
Nearly Tomorrow which he’ll perform in full at his festival show. The second half of
the show will revisit some of his best-loved cinematic work including hits from Moulin
Rouge, Great Gatsby and Romeo and Juliet and will feature the Orchestra of Scottish
Opera.
A major hit of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games cultural programme, From
Scotland With Love is a composite documentary film, uniting Scottish Screen Archive
material with a bewitching original score by Kenny Anderson, aka Mercury-nominated
indie-folk hero King Creosote. Exploring themes of love and loss, war, resistance,
emigration, work and play, the film and its music are crafted via close collaboration
between Anderson and director Virginia Heath, and presented at this Celtic
Connections show as a combined screening and concert, with Anderson at the helm
of a nine-piece band. Opening for this show will be New Zealand singer Tiny Ruins.
Folk and Trad at the Heart of the Festival
At the heart of the festival is the vibrant folk and traditional music scene, with some of
the UK and Ireland’s finest musicians set to raise the roof this January and February.
New Irish supergroup Usher’s Island - with Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Paddy
Glackin, John Doyle and Michael McGoldrick - will be making their Celtic
Connections debut.
Tiree’s own folk-rock outfit Skerryvore will be delighting fans with their mix of moving
original songs and their rousing traditional melodies with bagpipes, fiddle and
accordion.
Bringing their own unique blend of Gaelic and English, traditional and contemporary
musicianship, Scottish six-piece Mànran will headline their own show on the final
Saturday.
Orkney’s award winning stomp band from Orkney The Chair will get the even the
most reserved Celtic Connections beating a path to the dancefloor.
Singer songwriter Karine Polwart will once again showcase her talent for crafting
unique and enduring melodies at next year’s festival. Her gift for saying just enough
without overstating her case, her range and the dynamism of her arrangements all
come together in songs of contemporary relevance.
Individually, Frances Black and Kieran Goss today rank among Ireland’s most
popular contemporary folk artists, but their rise to fame began together, when ‘Wall of
Tears’, a song from their self-titled 1992 album, was featured on all-time bestselling
compilation A Woman’s Heart, catapulting the duo onto the international stage. This
Celtic Connections gig rekindles that timeless partnership in concert for the first time
in more than two decades.
Scottish supergroup Breabach will headline at the festival with their thrilling and
unique brand of contemporary folk music which has earned the group international
recognition on the world and roots music scene. They will be supported by the Alan
Kelly Gang.
Collaboration and Camaraderie
Collaborations have always been a key aspect of the Celtic Connections festival.
Egos are left at the front door as artists join forces to produce unique musical
experiences.
Bruce 700 was originally commissioned by Stirling Council to mark 700 years since
the Battle of Bannockburn, this epic creation by revered Highland piper and Gaelic
scholar Allan MacDonald features a cast of some 50 musicians, on pipes, strings,
brass, vocals and percussion. Combining his wealth of historical knowledge with
grand contemporary flair, the music, on which MacDonald collaborated with cellist
and arranger Neil Johnstone, vividly and movingly evokes the sounds, action and
emotions of battle. Performers include Angus MacDonald, Iain MacDonald, Aidan
O’Rourke, Lori Watson, Innes Watson, Christine Hanson, Fraser Fifield, Dick Lee,
Duncan Lyall, Mary McMaster, Donald Hay, Daniel Thorpe, Griogair Labhruidh,
Kathleen MacInnes and Rod Paterson, together with Stirling youth music groups.
The Elizabethan Session will be showcased at Celtic Connections. The specially
commissioned project has created new work inspired by the Elizabethan age. The
English Folk Dance and Song Society teamed up with the annual Folk by the Oak
music festival to bring together eight leading folk musicians for the project. Martin
Simpson, Nancy Kerr, Jim Moray, Bella Hardy, John Smith, Hannah James, Rachel
Newton and Emily Askew form the group who wrote and recorded an album of work
at the picturesque location of Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, the childhood home of
Queen Elizabeth I.
Scottish supergroup Blazin’ Fiddles are doing a very special concert at next year’s
festival entitled ‘Strings Attached – The Next Generation’. This will include a number
of guests including Stateside’s Aoife O’Donovan and Scottish vocalists Rachel
Sermanni and Adam Holmes. The full line up is still to be announced.
A World of Music
There is a strong world music strand at Celtic Connections 2014 when the festival will
celebrate the musical connections with other countries from across the globe. An
important element to the festival year on year is the sense that our own traditional
music here in Scotland sits under a bigger umbrella of world music and so musical
performances for example from the artists of Western Mali alongside musical
performances from artists of the Western Highlands is a natural marriage.
A perfect example of this kind of collaboration is Lahore Ceol Mor – an inspirational
collaboration between BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winners The Mischa
MacPherson Trio and classical Pakistani musicians from Glasgow’s twin city
Lahore. This collaborative work was a highlight of Festival 2014, the culture
programme that ran alongside the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Timbuktu indie kids and stars of the African Express Album Songhoy Blues are a
fantastic example of the next generation of Malian talent. The young Malians started
a band to boost the morale of their fellow refugees and their gritty, bluesy sound is
born out of defiance after the conflict that has scarred Mali in recent years and is sure
to be an unforgettable musical experience for the Celtic Connections audience.
Afro-beat godfather Tony Allen will also be showcasing at next year’s festival. The
Nigerian drummer, composer and songwriter Allen is one of the co-founders of the
genre of Afrobeat music.
Americana at the Festival
Some of the World’s most exciting Americana and bluegrass talent will visit Glasgow
this January.
Comprising five dazzling young US virtuosos, individually and collectively at the
cutting edge of today’s new acoustic scene, Punch Brothers synthesise and
transcend a vast swathe of styles – including folk, pop, classical, bluegrass, rock and
jazz. With their third album, 2012’s ecstatically-reviewed Who’s Feeling Young Now?,
the band - founded by ex-Nickel Creek mandolin prodigy Chris Thile, who also leads
on vocals and songwriting – emerged as a true ensemble project, capitalising fully on
the talents of guitarist Chris Eldridge, banjo player Noam Pikelny, violinist Gabe
Witcher and bassist Paul Kowert.
Following an impromptu joint performance at the 2014 Telluride Bluegrass Festival,
three of the hottest rising stars in contemporary US roots music – ex-Nickel Creek
singer and fiddler Sara Watkins, multi-talented prodigy Sarah Jarosz and exCrooked Still vocalist Aoife O’Donovan – make their official collaborative debut at
Celtic Connections 2015.
Drawing on influences from musical legends such as Louis Armstrong and Fats
Waller, the California Feetwarmers offer equal parts New Orleans jazz and ragtime
featuring, banjo stomps, horn-heavy rags, and happy traditional jazz. At Celtic
Connections 2015 among others the band will perform hits from their self-titled album
which blends traditional jazz, blues and rags.
Americana legends Rodney Crowell and Patty Griffin will be a very welcome
addition to add to the Americana vibe of this year’s Transatlantic Sessions.
Perhaps the ultimate secret to the Transatlantic Sessions’ winning formula is that
there is, ultimately, no formula, beyond the magic of world-class musicians, drawn
from diverse but kindred fields either side of the Pond, inspiring one another afresh.
Familiar as Celtic Connections audiences are with the shows’ tried and tested
framework, for performers it remains a rare chance to cut loose from their customary
territory, in cahoots with an A-list mix of old and new friends, and stretch their
creative wings.
Epitomising the calibre of line-up that the event now routinely attracts, Rodney
Crowell makes his first appearance among the US contingent, as his 40-year career
continues on a renewed artistic roll. After sharing a Grammy with Emmylou Harris for
their 2013 duets collection Old Yellow Moon, he reaped further plaudits the following
year for his latest solo release, the gutsy yet eloquent Tarpaper Sky. Fellow
Grammy-winner Patty Griffin has long been acclaimed as one of contemporary
Americana’s most distinctively poetic voices, most recently for her seventh album
American Kid, a movingly meditative tribute to her late father.
Also new to the show is Devon-born guitarist and singer John Smith, whose
stunning steel-strung guitar work and earthily compelling songs won him many new
fans when he supported Nic Jones here in 2013, while ex-Nickel Creek singer and
fiddler Sara Watkins, now forging a successful solo career, and all-round US roots
maestro Dirk Powell are both welcome return visitors. Kathleen MacInnes brings
sublime vocals from Scotland, alongside other familiar faces including the everwonderful Tim O’Brien and guitar hero Russ Barenberg. Musical directors Aly
Bain and Jerry Douglas once again helm the dream-team house band of Michael
McGoldrick, John McCusker, Danny Thompson, John Doyle, James
Mackintosh and Donald Shaw.
Approaching their 20th year, Tucson-based collective Calexico – centred on the
founding partnership of Joey Burns and John Convertino – emerged at the forefront
of contemporary US acts straddling vintage roots and alternative cool. With hints of
New Orleans hoodoo on their latest studio LP, 2012’s Algiers, recent reports of
another album nearing completion promise fresh surprises among this Celtic
Connections set-list.
The Indie Strand
With the influence of folk on the indie scene the most prominent it has ever been,
Celtic Connections once again features a top line-up of indie and rock artists in 2015.
Staking out his own rootsy territory somewhere between Bon Iver and Mumford &
Sons, Missouri-born Nathaniel Rateliff released his second album, Falling Faster
Than You Can Run, to glowing reviews in 2014.
An unclassifiable but instantly recognisable alloy of folk, indie, pop and Stateside
elements, Findlay Napier’s vividly character-driven songcraft, commanding vocals
and powerful guitar work – previously heard with Back of the Moon and The Bar
Room Mountaineers – now takes centre stage with his solo debut VIP: Very
Interesting Persons, based on quirky real-life biographies. Tonight’s CD launch
features album guests including co-writer/producer Boo Hewerdine, Louis Abbott,
Gillian Frame and Hamish Napier.
In only its third year, the Roaming Roots Revue already feels like a cherished Celtic
Connections institution. The annual concert is a perfect example of the festival’s new
and memorable collaborations. Next year’s line-up celebrates the radiant thread of
harmony linking so many classic rock, folk and pop acts, such as the Everlys, Simon
& Garfunkel, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Big Star and Teenage Fanclub, with
artists from three continents performing these forebears’ material alongside their
own. Among a wealth of one-off duets, confirmed pairings include indie/Americana
icon Grant-Lee Phillips with revered desert-rock maverick Howe Gelb, and Rachel
Sermanni with Colin MacLeod. US and UK duos The Pierces, The Lost Brothers and
Cory Chisel & Adriel Harris are already renowned as spine-shivering harmonisers, as
is Wailin’ Jennys co-founder Ruth Moody. Rising stars Dawn Landes, from Kentucky,
and New Zealand’s Tiny Ruins complete the guest-list, with musical director Roddy
Hart and his Lonesome Fire crew once again serving as house band.
Jazz at the Festival
Celtic Connections will welcome back Venezuelan jazz pianist Leo Blanco when he
will be performing a collection of pieces from his back catalogue of critically
acclaimed albums.
Steel guitar mavericks The Campbell Brothers will also perform John Coltrane’s ‘A
Love Supreme’ at Celtic Connections 2015.
The US-born, German-based pianist/composer Chris Jarrett and Italian violinist
Luca Ciarla have each carved out highly distinctive paths across diverse musical
genres, before joining forces in early 2014. Jarrett – younger brother of fêted jazz
pianist Keith – has composed for opera, ballet and film, working with poets, jazz and
world musicians as well as solo, while Ciarla’s dazzling improvisational gifts
interweave folk, jazz and classical elements. Together, both are inspired to fresh
heights of creativity.
Quotes
Donald Shaw, Artistic Director of Celtic Connections, said: “In recent years, the
festival has grown into a celebration of musical genres from all corners of the globe
and this will be just as prominent in 2015. At no other festival do musicians embrace
the opportunity to collaborate with musicians from different countries and musical
genres than they do at Celtic Connections.
“We will not only be celebrating world class music next year, but there will be a
number of concerts that highlight the amazing stories behind the making of handmade instruments from across the world. It is easy to forget about the love and care
that goes into creating these personal and exceptional instruments and there is a
connection to be drawn between the uniqueness of the musical collaborations we
endeavour to showcase at the festival and the creative qualities of these individual
instruments.
“In a year that celebrates the 100th anniversary of the great folk song collector Alan
Lomax ,Celtic Connections will celebrate great tradition music revolutionaries such as
Martyn Bennett and Ewan MacColl.”
Councillor Archie Graham, Chair of Glasgow Life, said: “After what has been a
fantastic year for Glasgow - when the city was under the international spotlight for the
Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games - events such as Celtic Connections prove
that Glasgow is not just a one hit wonder and that we have a plethora of world-class
events all year round that enhance the city’s reputation as a major tourist destination.
“Year on year the festival firmly places Glasgow on the world music map. Celtic
Connections is internationally renowned and attracts visitors and musicians from all
over the world. Celtic Connections contributes to a hugely positive cultural and
economic impact for Glasgow and the rest of the country.
Ian Smith, Portfolio Manager: Music and IP development at Creative Scotland,
said: “Celtic Connections is now firmly established as the foremost festival
celebrating the Celtic Diaspora on a world stage. The programme for 2015 again
exemplifies that we connect our music, not only with other Celtic nations and
cultures, but welcome the world to Glasgow to enjoy some of the greatest folk,
acoustic and traditional music that Scotland produces and celebrates. For many
international artists, this is THE festival to perform at and no truer than to participate
in Showcase Scotland, where this year, as our international partners we welcome
colleagues from New Zealand. Celtic Connections once again engages with artists
from around the world and connects them to our great cultural heritage.”
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Celtic Connections Press Office
Tel: 0141 287 3565
Email: [email protected]
Notes to Editors
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Celtic Connections 2015 runs from Thursday 15 January – Sunday 1 February and
comprises a wealth of concerts, ceilidhs, workshops, free events and late night sessions
taking place over 18 days.
Various venues across Glasgow are utilised for Celtic Connections 2014 such as the Main
Auditorium and the newly reopened Strathclyde Suite in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall,
O2 ABC, The Tron, Òran Mór, The Mitchell Theatre, City Halls, St Andrews in the
Square, The Arches and the Old Fruitmarket will all play host to Celtic Connections events.
The festival boosts the local economy and tourism industry in the normally quiet post-festive
period.
Celtic Connections continues to have an international appeal and enhance Glasgow’s
reputation as a major tourist destination. Fans visited from all corners of the globe to
experience the best in traditional, folk, roots, world and indie music. In 2014 Celtic
Connections saw an increase to 7% of visitors from oversees and 4% of the audience visited
from the rest of the UK. 29% of festival fans accompanied their visit to Celtic Connections with
an overnight stay. An impressive 89% of visitors stated that attending Celtic Connections was
their sole or main reason for visiting Glasgow and 61% said they had also attended Celtic
Connections in 2013. Festival fans attended an average of 3.5 events. 99% of festival goers
rated the overall quality of the festival very highly - either ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
Celtic Connections is promoted by Glasgow Life. Glasgow Life and its service brands (found
at www.glasgowlife.org.uk) are operating names of Culture and Sport Glasgow ("CSG").
CSG is a company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland with company
number SC313851 and having its registered office at 220 High Street, Glasgow G4 0QW.
CSG is registered as a charity with the office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (No
SC037844).
A.G. Barr supports the work of Glasgow Life, as the charity’s first City Partner, and BAM
Properties supports the work of Glasgow Arts, as our first Arts Supporter.
Creative Scotland
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries
across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. We enable
people and organisations to work in and experience the arts, screen and creative industries in
Scotland by helping others to develop great ideas and bring them to life. We distribute
funding provided by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery. For further information
about Creative Scotland please visit www.creativescotland.com. Follow us @creativescots
and www.facebook.com/CreativeScotland
Celtic Connections 2015 tickets are now on sale:
Online
By phone
In person
www.celticconnections.com
0141 353 8000
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
2 Sauchiehall Street
Glasgow, G2 3NY
City Halls and Old Fruitmarket
Candleriggs
Glasgow, G1 1NQ
To apply for Media Accreditation for Celtic Connections 2015, visit
www.celticconnections.com