Musicians
Freda Leask - tracks 1 & 7, backing vocals on 4, 8 & 10Freda has been the driving force behind the musical element of this venture, rallying Shetland musicians to come together in different combinations to produce this unique, high quality album. She is a hugely talented singer/ songwriter with Shoormal whether fronting the band as lead singer or as backing vocalist. Many of her own compositions are sung in the Shetland dialect but range in style from folk to country to gospel. www.shoormal.co.uk
(photo www.billyfoxphotography.com)
Gregg Arthur - tracks 1, 4, 10 Gregg plays keyboards with Shoormal but is also responsible for recording and engineering with precision and sensitivity. He has linked with ICC to oversee the production of the CD.
(photo www.billyfoxphotography.com)
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JJ Jamieson - track 7JJ is a talented musician, playing banjo and other assorted instruments! He plays with Bongshang who are described as a folk/bluegrass band, although their unique style defies description. However his main contribution to this project has been in hours of recording and engineering.
(photo www.billyfoxphotography.com)
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Mandy Tait - track 7Mandy has produced the inspirational art-work for the Christmas card. Her working title was "Glory Revealed" and the finished piece shows something of the mystery and magnitude of the Christmas story. She is in her final year of an honours degree course at Duncan Jordanson School of Art in Dundee. However she first hit the musical stage aged 3 singing at local events in her home village, Midyell. Later on she took up the fiddle under the tutelage of the late Dr Tom Anderson and has played alongside well known Shetland musicians such as Eunice Henderson before leaving Shetland for the mainland.
(Photo Colin Tait)
The Tullochs - track 7
Sisters Freda Leask and Mandy Tait have produced their first ever recording together for the Beacon CD under the direction of JJ Jamieson. This could be the start of something big!
Sisters Freda Leask and Mandy Tait have produced their first ever recording together for the Beacon CD under the direction of JJ Jamieson. This could be the start of something big!
Shoormal - tracks 1, 4, 10
Shoormal have released 3 beautifully crafted albums to date, "Indigo Skies", "Migrant" and "Turning Tide", to great critical acclaim. The vocal harmonies ebb and flow between Freda Leask, Joyce McDill and Donna Smith while Jonathan Ritch (double bass), Trevor Smith (guitar), Gregg Arthur (keyboards, accordian and vocals), and Gordon Tulloch (guitar) interweave to create a unique masterful style. They have played at major festivals throughout the UK, including Celtic Connections, and also further afieid in Austin, USA and appear courtesy of Greentrax www.shoormal.co.uk.
Shoormal have released 3 beautifully crafted albums to date, "Indigo Skies", "Migrant" and "Turning Tide", to great critical acclaim. The vocal harmonies ebb and flow between Freda Leask, Joyce McDill and Donna Smith while Jonathan Ritch (double bass), Trevor Smith (guitar), Gregg Arthur (keyboards, accordian and vocals), and Gordon Tulloch (guitar) interweave to create a unique masterful style. They have played at major festivals throughout the UK, including Celtic Connections, and also further afieid in Austin, USA and appear courtesy of Greentrax www.shoormal.co.uk.
Joyce McDill - track 4, backing vocals on 1 &10Joyce has fast been gaining a huge reputation as a singer and deservedly so, as she simply has one of the most original and distinctive voices around. Her songwriting expresses depths of sensitivity and insight, flowing powerfully from personal experience.
(Photo www.billyfoxphotography.com)
Donna Smith - track 10, backing vocals on 1 & 4Donna's sweet tones can be heard both as lead vocalist and in backing harmonies.She has been with Shoormal since they formed in 1997 along with her husband Trevor, their inspirational guitarist.
(Photo www.billyfoxphotography.com)
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Ivor (Fred) Polson - tracks 2 & 7When Fred is not on the high seas he is participating in music in one way or another. An enthusiastic and much sought-after bass player on the islands, he can be seen in various line-ups. He is probably best known as the regular bass player for the Sheila Henderson Band. Fred is also an excellent mandolin player and harmony vocalist and has instigated many a blue grass outfit.
(Photo www.billyfoxphotography.com)
Eunice Henderson - track 2Eunice was born and brought up in Shetland. A talented fiddler since childhood she is a hugely respected Shetland fiddle enthusiast, so much so that she was recently asked to lead a week long Shetland fiddle music class in New York, including a concert. She teaches fiddle in 7 Shetland schools and enjoys playing piano for her many prize winning students. She is also a fantastic singer and entertainer.
www.shetland-music.com.
Sheila Henderson - track 3Sheila has released 2 albums and is currently working on a third. Whether solo acoustic, or with her band, Sheila is a diminutive, musical tour de force. She has played the Wembley Country Music Festival and the Big Big Country Festival and has supported Steve Earle. www.shetland-music.com
(Photo www.billyfoxphotography.com)
Brian Nicholson - track 3, 5
Brian's incredible guitar playing is in demand by various bands. He plays with the Sheila Henderson Band, Hom Bru and No Sweat and has toured all over Europe. He also provides backing vocals of great depth and sensitivity. www.hombru.co.uk
Brian's incredible guitar playing is in demand by various bands. He plays with the Sheila Henderson Band, Hom Bru and No Sweat and has toured all over Europe. He also provides backing vocals of great depth and sensitivity. www.hombru.co.uk
Jenny Keldie - track 5
Jenny hails from Burra Isle but now lives in neighbouring Orkney She has been part of the Sheila Henderson Band for many years, playing fiddle and singing harmony vocals in this country and abroad. Jenny is an outstanding singer and musician in her own right, playing fiddle internationally, and leading Shetland's Young Heritage Fiddlers for some time.
Jenny hails from Burra Isle but now lives in neighbouring Orkney She has been part of the Sheila Henderson Band for many years, playing fiddle and singing harmony vocals in this country and abroad. Jenny is an outstanding singer and musician in her own right, playing fiddle internationally, and leading Shetland's Young Heritage Fiddlers for some time.
Jillian Isbister - track 6A rising young star in the Shetland firmament, Jillian has astounded audiences at Celtic Connections with the maturity of her performances. She has released an EP "Ma Smaa Temple Me" and is currently working on her first album www.shetland-music.com
(Photo www.billyfoxphotography.com)
Erin Sandison - track 8Erin recently claimed the runner-up slot in 2007 Shetland Young Musician of the Year and has appeared at Celtic Connections in Glasgow. She has a distictive vocal style with a maturity which belies her mere fifteen years. www.shetland-music.com
May & Mackie (Sutherland) track 9A husband and wife team who front a driving country band. They have released 3 albums: the latest being "Long Way down the Road". May's daughter, Rhonda, on mandolin and vocals, is also a member of the band. They hit musical headlines in USA when performing May's father's story ( the late Thomas Fraser of Burra Isle) http://www.shetland-music.com/.
Rhonda Simpson - track 9
Recently Rhonda has teamed up with Freda Leask, Gregg Arthur, Trevor Smith and Gordon Tulloch of Shoormal for festival events in Shetland. Depending on the occasion, Rhonda has the ability to move with ease from the nostalgic old-time musical influences of her family to solid rock and roll.
Recently Rhonda has teamed up with Freda Leask, Gregg Arthur, Trevor Smith and Gordon Tulloch of Shoormal for festival events in Shetland. Depending on the occasion, Rhonda has the ability to move with ease from the nostalgic old-time musical influences of her family to solid rock and roll.
Dana Watt- track 2