Fairport Convention and some other Folk

Feis Rois
A 2-parter marking the 35th anniversary of this Ross-Shire based festival event thing. The first part was mainly a performance of a piece called The Seer, with Lauren MacColl talking through the various parts of the story. The second one was a more familiar collection of numbers from Sian, Project Smok, and Mairearad & Anna, which various FR alumni talking about their past experiences.

Winston Marshall has quit Mumford & Sons in a dispute over opinions.

Seirm: James Grant
The old Hallelujah Man again, though he didn't do that this time, though he did cover Wild is the Wind, as Bowie had recently died at this time. Kyle Carey, Gillebride MacMillan and the Wainwright Sisters also featured, as did Piaf! The Show.

Seirm: Blue Rose Code
Cathy again, this time introducing Blue Rose Code, Siobhan Wilson, Eoghan O Ceannabhain, Ruth Keggin, and a veritable supergroup comprising Kathleen MacInnes, Mike Vass, Dermot Byrne and Brian Finnegan. And good luck to all fo them. BRC probably were the most interesting offering.

Gordon Lightfoot - In Concert
From 1972, Gordon did his stuff, with its Canadian edge, and also fitted in a cover of "Me and Bobby McGee" which he described after as though Kris Kristofferson was some newbie, which is always a quirky touch with repeats like this.

Seirm: Altan
Besides this lot, there was music from Robert Robertson, Flavia Coelho, Simon Thoumire & David Milligan, Daoiri Farrell, and finally the redoubtable Julie Fowlis too.

Sad to hear of the death of Nanci Griffith, who was 68. I heard an album of hers last year, which was impressive. RIP 

Seirm: Altan and more
No chats, just more performances, from Altan, Siobhan Wilson, Flavia Coelho, Robert Roberson, Piaf & The Show, Maggie MacInnes, Ruth Keggin, Daoiri Farrell, James Grant, Blue Rose Code, and Simon Thoumire & David Milligan.

Seirm: Gillebride MacMillan and others
Another compilation of extra stuff from that series, so returns for Lunasa, the Wainwright Sisters, and crucially Kris Kristofferson. I thought I'd seen it before, especially when he introduces his friend Roddy Hart for the finish, but they do different songs to the last time, so it must be new. He does manage Help Me Make It Through The Night and Me And Bobby McGee by himself.

Under Canvas
A 2-part highlights thing about this festival, held in Inverness earlier in 2021. Ellen MacDonald linked it together, and there was chat and performances from Malin Makes Music, The Canny Band, Iona Fyfe, Mischa MacPherson, Josie Duncan, Joy and Andrew Dunlop, and many more. Good stuff.

Orain nan Gaidheal
Julie Fowlis introduced this 2018 round-up as the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra backed many of the great and the good, from Arthur Cormack to Gillebride MacMillan to Isovel Ann Martin to Julie herself.

Paddy Moloney, founder of Irish legends the Chieftains, has died at the age of 83:

https://www.npr.org/2021/10/12/1045331888/paddy-moloney-irish-folk-music-legend-and-founder-of-the-chieftains-has-died-at-?t=1634128102666

RIP 

TransAtlantic Sessions / Dluth An Daimh
Julie Fowlis anchors yet another 'best of' type series. Aly Bain, Bruce Molsky, Sharon Shannon, Michelle Wright and Joan Osborne were among the performers in this first edition...

TransAtlantic Sessions / Dluth An Daimh
...and this second one included Mark O'Connor, Kathy Mattea, Jay Ungar, Iris deMent, and Emmylou Harris too.

Runrig: There Must Be A Place
The full story from most band members over its 40-odd year lifespan to its 2018 farewell concert. They were able to get past the exits of Donnie Munro and Pete Wishart and once they found their musical niche, they made the most of it.

TransAtlantic Sessions / Dluth An Daimh
The 3rd one included Dan Tyminski, Donal Lunny and continuing the trend of left-field inclusions was Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Curadur: Cerys Hafana
She's not just a harp player - she's a triple harp player; and she gave praise to Bragod, Gwenifer Raymond and Beth Celyn & Jordan Price Williams. 

TransAtlantic Sessions / Dluth An Daimh
The 4th selection gave turns to Eric Bibb, Emily Smith and Guy Clark, and this edition's unexpected treat was Rosanne Cash.

TransAtlantic Sessions - Dluth Am Daith
The 5th of this series had James Taylor, Alison Krauss and Mary Chapin Carpenter, among more usual names.

The Old Grey Whistle Test: Ralph McTell
He got his turn in 1976, switching from guitar to piano at times. He included tracks from John Martyn and the Reverend Gary Davis (a regular choice of his), got Streets of London in before the end, and was already doing From Clare To Here at this time.

TransAtlantic Sessions - Dluth am Daimh
The penultimate show managed to include Alison Krauss, Rosanne Cash, Liam O'Maonlai and even some from presenter Julie Fowlis herself.

Folk Hibernia at the BBC
Collection from 2007 which included plausible names like Christy Moore and the Chieftains, but maybe stretched a point to include Van Morrison, Thin Lizzy and the interminable Pogues.

TransAtlantic Sessions - Dluth am Daimh
The last of this series, and they rounded off with a version of "Will the Circle be Unbroken?"

Set The Night On Fire - The Story of Ewan MacColl
Kirsty's dad, who adopted his stage name as part of his commitment to his musical cause. His 3rd wife was Peggy Seeger. Billy Bragg and Barbara Dickson were among the contributors.

Skerryvore
A selection of live material from 2020, I suspect from one of those festival efforts cobbled together at the time.

Legendary folk singer Norma Waterson has died. She was 82. RIP 

Gwyl Cwlwm Celtaidd Glasgow '22
It's that time of year, and this year Celtic Connections had a Welsh theme, hence this show fronted by Eve Goodman and Gwilym Bowen Rhys, as they performed and talked to other performers like N'famady Kouyate, Iona Fyfe, plus members of AVANC too.

The Quay Sessions at Celtic Connections
Roddy Hart presented music from Brian Finnegan, Kris Drever, Sturdom and Karine Polwart & Dave Milligan.

Wales @ Celtic Connections
Rather like the Eve Goodman prog above, only in English, presented by Bethan Rhiannon of Calan fame. The format about Wales' involvement at the annual folk festival was really similar, to the point I was amazed nobody mentioned it. Eve Goodman got interviewed here, and there was plenty of performance footage too.

Cuirm @ Celtic Connections
Mischa MacPherson presented this, which made no mention of the Welsh contingent because they had plenty of acts to discuss otherwise, from Heal & Harrow to the Canny Band, to a special night where a supergroup paid tribute to the late Nanci Griffith who was a big supporter of the festival.

Laura Marling - Live from Union Chapel
A solo performance from June 2020 around the time of her Song For Our Daughter effort.

Seirm: Celtic Connections
The first of this series from 2022, as Mary Ann Kennedy introduced, and sometimes chatted to members of Trail West, the Breath, the Lena Jonsson Trio and Brian Finnegan.

Seirm: Celtic Connections
This time, it was the Ciaran Ryan Band, the Trials of Cato, Mairi MacMillan and Jarrod Dickerson, with chats to all four acts along the way.

Seirm: Celtic Connections
This edition saw the Henry Girls, the Alt, the Calum Stewart Quartet, and Mairi McGillivray, all of whom got to have their say, not always to Mary Ann.

Hamish
Lengthy account of Hamish Henderson, who helped with the Edinburgh festival, and was also a champion of local folk works in otherwise unremarkable parts of Scotland. A great many friends and contributors paid respects, including folkies like Aly Bain and even some audio of Pete Seeger.

The Cutter - Seonaidh Beag Iain
The story of Johnny Iain Morrison, a lorry driver from North Uist who inspired the MacDonald brothers from Runrig, who later wrote their hit The Cutter about him (or his dad). They spoke to him via Zoom especially for his short tribute.

Seirm @ Celtic Connections
The supergroup of FRETS, plus Stundom, DLU and Layla McCalla in this edition, plus chats to various members.

Cuirm @ Celtic Connections - Spell Songs
Another supergroup, including Julie Fowlis, Kris Drever, Karine Polwart and others. A nice change to just have a single focus show.

Seirm: Celtic Connections
The penultimate show featured the Kinnaris Quintet (though there was only 4 of them with the other on maternal duties), Marit and Rona, a supergroup called the Yellow House Band, and another one from Mairi McGillvray. Also chats with members of the three main featured acts.