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From bagpipe-accompanied breakdancing to Cuban-influenced reels by way of bothy ballad singing, celebrations of Gaelic bardship and a pipe band vying for heavy rockers' attention, the ninth instalment of the Scots Trad Music Awards certainly underlined the event's ability to bring every strand of traditional music together in its now very broad church.
Factor in the main business of the evening – the awards themselves, with attendant introductory and acceptance speeches – plus the odd storytelling workshop on how not to recycle old gags, and you're looking at, in this instance, a marathon. At something approaching five hours in length, there was perhaps a case for tweaking the formula.
The music delivered onstage was a mixed success. Among the more interesting sequences were the American cellist Natalie Haas demonstrating how to lend a natural and relaxed yet vital and effective groove to Alasdair Fraser's fiddle tunes, accordionist Duncan Black showing a more expansive take on the Scottish dance band repertoire, and Joe Aitken and cronies delivering a delightfully authentic Muckin' O' Geordie's Byre as if they still had sharn on their shoes.
Where the event always scores big marks is in honouring not just those whose work makes it on to stage and disc but also those who, very often voluntarily, make gigs, clubs, festivals and educational projects happen. The Hall of Fame is also a hugely admirable strand and this year provided an impromptu highlight from Rab Noakes, Barbara Dickson and Davie Stewart bringing terrific gusto to their recently departed friend and brand-new inductee John Watt's marvellously colourful celebration of his native kingdom's riches, Fife's Got Everything.
The awards in full: Venue of the Year – The Ben Nevis, Glasgow; Event of the Year – Orkney Folk Festival; Club of the Year – Leith Folk Club; Instrumentalist of the Year – Innes Watson; Scots Singer of the Year – Siobhan Miller; Scottish Dance Band of the Year – Robert Nairn Band; Services to Gaelic Music – Tobar an Dualchais; Up-and-coming Artist of the Year – Rura; Trad Music in the Media – Transatlantic Sessions; Scottish Folk Band of the Year – Battlefield Band; Gaelic Singer of the Year – Norrie MacIver; Composer of the Year – Aidan O'Rourke; Scottish Pipe Band of the Year – Field Marshal Montgomery PB; Music Tutor of the Year – Mairi Campbell; Live Act of the Year – Skerryvore; Community Project – Blazin' In Beauly; Album of the Year – Manran by Manran; Hamish Henderson Services to Traditional Music Award – Arthur Cormack. Hall of Fame inductees: Alasdair Fraser, Bobby MacLeod, Ian Duncan, John Watt, Donald MacLeod (Islay), Billy Thom, Bert Jansch and The Tannahill Weavers.
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