Description
Recorded live at the 2011 Orkney Folk Festival, and featuring some of the islands’ finest musicians, this album captures the quality, spirit and sheer warmth of one of the most memorable nights in the festival’s history. From the tradition-bearers of Billy Jolly and Kenny Ritch Snr through the extraordinary musicianship of Billy Peace’s generation to Kris Drever and Kristan Harvey. A rich and rewarding blend.
- Orkney Jigs
- Polkas
- Sweet Honey in the Rock
- Lily and Diana’s
- Pipers Cave
- Isle of Erin
- Billy’s Leap
- Bride’s Lament
- Watchmen’s Polka
Some of Orkney’s finest musicians from through the generations are being showcased in the live album. Orkney Folk Festival: The Gathering was recorded during the festival in an event sponsored by Scotland’s Islands 2011.
Under the direction of Orcadian fiddler Douglas Montgomery, The Gathering concert featured some of the islands’ best known recent exports such as Kris Drever and Kristan Harvey, alongside tradition-bearers like Billy Jolly and Kenny Ritch Senior.
The most talked about event of the 2011 festival. Some of the highlights of that night are now available on this CD.
“We did plan on releasing a CD to accompany the project” says Douglas “but the live recording from the night was originally intended for festival promotion, and to make it easy to do again, with a different band, so that it could become a rolling cast and theme. We hoped that parts of it could be released, but never really thought that the whole recording could be used – the quality that came back was amazing. Perhaps the reason that it’s turned out so well is that we didn’t actually manage to rehearse everything before the concert. Some of the sets were off the cuff on the night, which made it very exciting, and I feel that comes through on the CD as well.”
