Archives for July 2012

It's great to be back on Radio Scotland with The Album Show, there are so many great albums out there, just not enough time to talk about them all, but we shall try. Tonight on the show a great mix of stuff including a nice chat with Hot Chip about their new album, I got to hang out with Al, Owen and Felix a few weeks back to have a good old natter about 'In Our Heads.' I've always been a big fan of Hot Chip, they get that brilliant balance right of being a dance band who can totally cut it live, and that's what I really feel from this album, that live thing really pulled this album together. We also look at the musical evolution of the legendary Bobby Womack who has been back in our musical conscience thanks to Damon Albarn and Richard Russell, who produced his new album 'The Bravest Man In The Universe.' All that and some awesome tunes. Thanks for listening in advance

E x

Here are the latest ceilidhs, traditional music concerts and classes in Scotland courtesy of the Take the Floor team:

FRIDAY 27TH JULY

CEILIDH

Strathdon - Lonach Hall - Summer Ceilidh with Johnny Hardie and Friends - 8.30pm

FOLK

Tarland - Aberdeen Arms - Cromar Folk Club

Torridon - Loch Torridon Community Centre - Emily Smith and Jamie McClennan

Comrie - St Serf's Episcopal Church -Celebrating Seniors - Folksong, Blues Recitations - 3.30pm

STORYTELLING

Edinburgh - Scottish Storytelling Centre - Fiddle: The Music Folklore and Traditions - 1.30pm

Edinburgh - Scottish Storytelling Centre - Feis Rois Trad Trail - 7.30pm - 12+

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I'm just back from this year's Wickerman Festival in Dalbeattie, Dumfries & Galloway and like previous years Wickerman 2012 didn't fail to disappoint...

All all the essentials in place from lush green fields, purpose built stages to various musical tents which housed many up and coming musical gems; including new rising Scottish talent from likes of Beerjacket, Aaron Wright, Zoe Bestel, Anderson Mcginty Webster Ward & Fisher and Rachel Sermanni...all of whom you have heard across BBC Radio Scotland in the past few months.

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Here is the latest recipe from The Kitchen Café. To be downloaded, kept, cooked and enjoyed.

Peggy Brunache's peach cobbler

The Kitchen Café is on BBC Radio Scotland, every Wednesday 1315-1400

Here are the latest ceilidhs, classes and concerts taking place in Scotland.

FRIDAY 20TH JULY

FOLK

Portsoy - Folk at the Salmon Bothy - with Guest MC - 7pm-10.30pm

Thornhill - New Cample Farm - Emily Smith and Jamie McClennan - 7.30pm

STORYTELLING

Edinburgh - Scottish Storytelling Centre - Clarsach: The Music Folklore and Traditions of the Scottish Harp - 1.30-4pm

Edinburgh - Scottish Storytelling Centre - Fairy Lore: Creatures of the other worlds, 12+ - 7.30pm

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This Sunday my special guest is Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was killed in the Lockebie bombing, In the programme Jim talks about his deep love of the Isle of Skye where he grew up, as well as his connection with one of Scotland's greatest heroines.

30 years working in aid and development work in Africa has given author Chris McIvor a particular view of the way the continent has changed. He also joins me to talk about his latest book 'In The Old Chief's Country', a snapshot from the 1980s - when Zimbabwe was seen as a model country for other to follow.

For all the Olympic athletes, there have been years of training, sacrifice, and intensely hard work. But there's another challenge facing Muslim athletes this time round - in that the Games coincide with the month of Ramadan, the traditional period of Muslim fasting. Professor Mona Siddiqui will be explaining its impact on those involved.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel have always been exempted from military service, but that may be about to change. Journalist Phoebe Greenwood will be explaining why this is such a controversial issue.

The story of a crofter from South Uist, who chose not to talk for 50 years and wove intricate items from grass and leaves is being told in a new play which is touring Scotland. 'Angus - Weaver of Grasses' tells the story of Angus Macphee. I'm joined by Joyce Laing, an art therapist who's collected Angus's work, and Bob Frith, the artistic director of the theatre company who're touring the play.

There's another selection from the Listening Project, and a poem from Egypt in the Written World collection. Together with a great blend of music, listen in this weekend to Sunday Morning With Cathy Macdonald.

YES we are back with a new Album Show series.



We had a couple of Christmas specials but now we have seven weeks to share with your some of the records we think you should have in your collection. Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing some of my favourite albums of the year from The Maccabees to First Aid Kit whilst also celebrating reissues and classic albums, like David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust.

Also got a few nice chats lined up including Shirley Manson, Hot Chip and in our first show I got the chance to have a long chat with the legendary Trevor Horn. We talked about his new project The Producers whilst also getting his memories and thoughts on some of the artists and albums he has worked with over the years, From Grace Jones to Seal and ABC to Simple Minds.

And feel free to send us your recommendations of albums we should be listening to, that's what it's all about, celebrating and sharing our love of music.

See you Friday at 8. Edith x

The latest ceilidhs, traditional music events and classes in Scotland compiled for you by Dawn Baxter and the Take the Floor team.

FRIDAY 13TH JULY

CONCERT

Kelso - ACE Centre - Kieran Halpin - 7.30pm

MUSIC SESSIONS

Edinburgh - Scottish Storytelling Centre - the Music Folklore and Traditions of the Scottish bagpipe with James MacDonald Reid - 1.30-4pm

STORYTELLING

Edinburgh - Scottish Storytelling Centre - Voices in Scotland - 7.30pm

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This week on Sunday Morning with me, Cathy Macdonald, my special guest is poet, linguist and Salvation Army member John Coutts. He'll be talking about his faith and how it's taken him around the globe.

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Let me spell out for you what Thursday's Tango Hotel Echo Mike Echo is. The more observant (or those who have reason to use a police walkie talkie!) will have twigged that we are doing the NATO spelling alphabet as the basis for our show.

It's the set of words that were devised to make the relaying of crucial information across a radio network more reliable. A stands for Alpha, B for Bravo, C for Charlie etc.

It gives us a wide range of bands to choose from and I could end up playing anything from ALPHAville to AmaZULU. As far as songs go, PAPA Don't Preach and DELTA Dawn could both feature.

You choose the music on Get It On so don't be shy about getting in touch with your suggestions. You can call or text during the show or why not get in early with an email to [email protected].

I tried hard to come up with one for every letter but only got 25 as I struggled with LIMA. Can you come up with all 26?

The full list is attached below in case you haven't the faintest idea where to start.

So for reference here is the complete A-Z.

A - ALPHA

B - BRAVO

C - CHARLIE

D - DELTA

E - ECHO

F - FOXTROT

G - GOLF

H - HOTEL

I - INDIA

J - JULIET

K - KILO

L - LIMA

M - MIKE

N - NOVEMBER

O - OSCAR

P - PAPA

Q - QUEBEC

R - ROMEO

S - SIERRA

T - TANGO

U - UNIFORM

V - VICTOR

W -WHISKEY

X - XRAY

Y - YANKEE

Z - ZULU

Here is the latest recipe from The Kitchen Café. To be downloaded, kept, cooked and enjoyed.

Neil Forbes' courgette, lovage and parsley soup with grated cheddar

The Kitchen Café is on BBC Radio Scotland, every Wednesday 1315-1400

This Sunday morning my special guest is writer and academic, Bashabi Fraser. A classical Indian dancer and choreographer, her rich heritage and dual identity informs her writing, and allows her to live, in her head and her heart, between two worlds.

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Here are the latest ceilidhs, traditional music events and classes in Scotland compiled for you by Dawn Baxter and the Take the Floor team.

FRIDAY 6TH JULY

MUSIC SESSIONS

Edinburgh - Scottish Storytelling Centre - Small Pipes with Hamish Moore - 1.30-4pm

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As part of the My Favourite Place in Scotland competition Ricky Ross tells his story...

When I was a child there were a few set outings for my family . Some would venture up the Angus Glens and others across the water to Fife. A picnic would be packed and against the cold blasts of the Scottish summer, my mother would spread a travelling rug and sandwiches would be passed out, tea from a flask poured and we'd hope it would stay dry enough to stay out. The magical part for me came early; it was when my father took the car from the tarmac over the bumpy pavement and on to the grass. Something about that car negotiating the bumps and grooves of the turf signified we really were about to enjoy a different kind of day. Our Singer Vogue negotiating the grassy beach was a lingering metaphor for my father slipping off his tie and rolling up his sleeves; something that never happened.

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Here is the latest recipe from The Kitchen Café. To be downloaded, kept, cooked and enjoyed.

Michael Smith's lemon posset

The Kitchen Café is on BBC Radio Scotland, every Wednesday 1315-1400

My Great Great Grandfather was swept out to sea in an open fishing boat from Shetland and taken to Philadelphia - can you find anything about his stay in America? What were the 'music bells' of St Giles? How did the dog give birth to the fish fly?

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