Master
Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser
and Tony McManus, one of the most
admired guitarists on the Celtic
scene, unite their creative forces
in a partnership of incredible musical
power and beauty. Drawing from deep
wells of tradition and technical
prowess, they explore the rich range
of Scottish music, from the pipe
tunes and song airs of the Highlands
to the music of Scotland's noted
fiddler/composers such as Marshall,
Skinner, and the Gows. The duo flows
from the intimate and subtle nuances
of a poignant Gaelic lament to a
no-holds-barred fiddle flurry of
strathspeys and reels, captivating
audiences wherever they perform.
Critics
and crowds have been raving since
Tony joined Alasdair on stage for
a seat-of-the-pants concert cum jam
session in Glasgow, Scotland in November
1996. Since then, the duo has performed
at major festivals in Australia,
Denmark, Canada, the United States
and Scotland. Their eagerly-awaited
debut album, Return
to Kintail, was released
by Culburnie Records in 1999.
"Talk
about a dream team: The fiddler
regarded by many as the finest
current exponent of the Scots tradition,
paired with the Paisley-born guitarist
who's melodic and rhythmic artistry
has been setting audiences afire
around the world."
- Celtic Connection Program
*
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
DISCOGRAPHY (as Alasdair Fraser and Tony McManus)
Return to Kintail, Alasdair Fraser & Tony
McManus (Culburnie Records, 1999)
Heat the Hoose, various artists (Tartan Records,
1998)
Celtic Colours II, various artists (SMP Records,
1998)
REVIEWS
"Fraser
and McManus blew us away comprehensively. Fraser's
intensely expressive phrasing and astonishing dynamic
range achieved joyous symbiosis with McManus's intricate,
silvery picking and agile rhythmic twists."
Sue Wilson, The Scotsman - Scotland
"At times they did the impossible, making a duo sound
like a four or five piece ensemble. The finale of
their fantastic musical journey saw a packed audience
cheering for encore after encore."
RBC, Highland Gathering - Australia
"This was pure communication, first between two artists,
and then to a sea of waiting hearts."
Kelley Edwards, What's Going On Magazine - Nova Scotia,
Canada
PERFORMANCES:
Celtic
Connections Festival, Glasgow, Scotland
Celtic Colours Festival, Cape Breton,
Canada
Fiddle '96, '97 & '98, Edinburgh, Scotland
Sebastopol Celtic Festival, California
Hebridean Festival, Isle of Lewis,
Scotland
Highland Music Festival, Scotland
Brunswick Folk Festival, Brunswick,
Victoria, Australia
National Folk Festival, Canberra,
ACT, Australia
Halker Kro Folk Festival, Denmark
Varsity Theater, Davis, California
St. John's Presbyterian Church,
Berkeley, California
Milam Auditorium at Oregon State
University, Corvallis, Oregon
Aladdin Theater, Portland, Oregon
Skagit Valley College, Mt. Vernon, Washington
Museum of History and Industry, Seattle, Washington
Avalon Theater, Easton, Maryland
The Ram's Head, Annapolis, Maryland
The Birchmere, Alexandria, Virginia
Olin Arts Center, Lewiston, Maine
Chocolate Church, Bath, Maine
Somerville Theater, Boston, Massachusetts
Museum of our Natural Heritage, Lexington, Massachusetts
The Knitting Factory, New York, New York
Josephine Muller Auditorium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cannon Chapel at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
Be Here Now, Asheville, North Carolina
Henry Wood Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
Valley of the Moon Fiddlers Concert, Santa Cruz,
California
Performing Arts Center at Cal State Northridge,
Northridge, California
Fiddle Summit, M.L. King Jr., JHS Auditorium, Berkeley,
California
FOR
BOOKINGS AND INFORMATION, PLEASE
CONTACT:
Culburnie Records, PO Box 219, Nevada City, CA 95959
Ph:530/292-4219, Fax:530/292-4352, Email: usinfo@culburnie.com
Order
Culburnie T-shirts online.
Buy our albums in quantity from our distributors.
