Double Bass
I really do love working with good singer songwriters. It’s my all-time-favourite type of music making and there’s nothing quite like a late night session with a good lyricist, where the lines just flow from your fingers, in response to the theme and the words of the song. When the connection is just right, a … Read more
It’s a really nice suprise to find a decent piece of video footage of a gig… This one found its way to me by a very obscure route, but it’s lovely and hope you enjoy it!
Yesterday was a great day… one of those days you know you’ll never forget. Here’s the story… For a few years now, I’ve been playing with the very talented and lovely Rory Butler. Rory is a remarkable songwriter and a beautiful guitar player – think John Martyn meets Nick Drake – dexterous picking and captivating … Read more
Hello from a very cold, wet and inhospitable Isle of Eigg! So, this winter, I’m doing an experiment, whereby I’m located up this way, when I’m not in Edinburgh or running around the UK with my bass in tow. The idea was that it would be a restful time, allowing for hours of playing and … Read more
It’s a real priviledge to be playing with some of Scotland’s leading traditional musicians, and to debut the work of hebridean composer Damian Helliwell. Described as a ‘mandolin and banjo ace’, Damian is also a gifted composer, who has spent the past 5 years both building his own strawbale house and recording studio on the … Read more
It’s really been a busy few months, so I’ve not had time to put up some new tracks recorded back in the summer, with Rory Butler. Rory and I have been working together since 2011, when he won the Celtic Connections Danny Kyle award, and was suddenly appearing live on BBC radio 3, and sharing … Read more
More exciting news which took place in October – the UK release of the new Daimh album, which featured a number of guest players, including myself on bass, in addition to the original 5 piece band. This was another ‘quick fire’ job, just a couple of days in the studio, putting down bass lines for … Read more
I’ve been pretty remiss with the website recently…but it’s for good reason! September was spent in (what I’m sure is) one of the most beautiful places on earth, The Isle of Eigg (Scottish Highlands), for two weeks of intensive recording at the new Eigg Studio. The studio is a really special place; a straw-bale, 100% … Read more
I might have mentioned how much I loved working with ‘acoustic punk troubadour’ Billy Liar in recent months?! Like a young Billy Bragg, he has no fear in singing about things as they really are, calling out the injustice in the world, painting-with-music the oddness and the beauty of our human experience. A welcome balance … Read more
Just back from an incredible day today…meeting Danny Thompson and his beautiful bass, Victoria, for the first time! Danny and I are working together on a project called ‘Bass Without Borders’, and over the course of a year we’ll be enjoying, exploring and experimenting with the role of the double bass in Scottish Traditional music. … Read more