Blazin' Fiddles

Blazin' Fiddles

Six

(Blazin' Fiddles)

Six marks the final recording with Blazin' Fiddles of founder members Iain MacFarlane and Allan Henderson, whose departure from the group during Celtic Connections even brought Aberdeen footballing legend Willie Miller on to the stage. Like a football team, the Blazers have survived and thrived through transitions before in their 15-year history, and while Six sets the bar high for the next edition, newer arrivals can clearly make an impact. Angus Lyon's typically imaginative piano accompaniments, a relatively recent addition, bring a fresh perspective both to multiple-fiddle selections and Bruce MacGregor's lovely reading of the William Marshall air, The Marquis Of Huntly's Snuff Box, while Jenna Reid's Shetland accent exerts quite a pull on the ensemble. Overall, Six's strengths mirror the Blazers' - a great selection of tunes, ranging from the genteel Mama, Come Let's Dance, to Colgrave Soond's swinging Shetland exuberance and Bulgarian's exotic snap, all played with emphatic expressiveness and an enthusiasm that all but tears through the hi-fi speakers.

Rob Adams