Ed Pearlman is a seasoned performer & teacher, working from a depth of experience in Scottish & Cape Breton fiddle music, as well as a variety of other styles.
He's been fortunate enough to work closely with many top Celtic musicians since 1980. Currently, he is enjoying working with his son Neil, who not only knows Scottish music thoroughly but is also an excellent jazz pianist. Neil's accompaniment is heartfelt and rhythmically fascinating. They've been recording a new CD.
Ed's old solo recording, "Boston Hospitality", came out on CD in Sept 07 on the 20th anniversary of the LP/tape release. It was originally digitally recorded, so it's great to have back in circulation, and sounding fresher than ever. The album was called "milestone album for the Boston Celtic community" by the Boston Globe, and "precious artistic jewel" by TACTalk, a newletter from Canada focused on dance and dancle music. It features Scottish fiddle and piano, with added fiddle, harp, bass, drum, and hammered dulcimer, on some tracks.
Ed's new website at www.edpearlman.net explores new ways for people to listen to recorded and live tracks, learn tunes online in new tunelearning pages, and read articles Ed has written for Scottish Life magazine and a music teachers blog.
Ed teaches in Maine, and elsewhere via internet and music and dance camps (including the Ohio Scottish Arts School, Maine Fiddle Camp, Blazin in Beauly, Pinewoods, Ashokan). He performs often with his wife, Laura Scott, an innovative Highland dancer and Cape Breton stepdancer, and dance improvisor, and his family band Highland Soles.
Ed brings to his music a depth of experience that comes not only from constant performance and teaching but also work as a writer, organizer, distributor, and camp director. He has written the music column for Scottish Life magazine since 1996, organizing and directing the Scottish Fiddle Rally, which ran 1985-1999 and paired soloists from Scotland and Cape Breton along with about 40 group players and dancers for a great annual show. A highlights CD from this series includes soloists Alasdair Fraser, Natalie MacMaster, Aly Bain, Jerry Holland, and Buddy MacMaster and is available from Greentrax Records (CDTRAX154). Ed was also a CD distributor to US stores for nearly all major artists and labels from Scotland and Atlantic Canada for 10 years. For 7 years he directed and performed in the Celtic Festival at the Hatch Shell in Boston, showcasing the best Irish, Scottish and Cape Breton musicians and dancers in New England.
Ed's "Meet the Instruments" camp introduces kids aged 8-12 to all the musical instrument groups over the course of a week, along with a chance to make their own. Too many kids are handed instruments, or don't get a chance to find the right one for them; on a small scale, this camp tries to remedy that shortcoming.
See my website for music download & purchasing info.
Caught the concert at the Iron Horse last night. FABULOUS!!! Just chanced on the listing a couple days ago while looking for a good birthday treat for a friend. We couldn't have picked a more perfect present. You and Neil were fantastic, and it was amazing to see you just jump in and play with Coyote Run as if you had all practiced for weeks together. We were all just blown away by the music, and left with big huge grins on our faces and two new groups to add to our favorites (and a bag of CDs to pass along to our friends!).
Great version of the Danish tune 'Rumlequadrillen'. I am coming to the US East Coast with my freind Harald Haugaard (Danish duo Haugaard & Høirup) in the very last week of Febuary and the first weekend of March. Do you know of a venue or a home in Boston were we could do a concert? Merry Christmas, Morten Alfred Høirup (www.hhduo.dk)
Hi Ed, a belated thanks for the add, greetings from Denmark (and Morten said to say 'hi' too).
Good to finally have a chance to hear you, I'm enjoying your fiddling on these tracks. You've even got a Danish tune! We'll have to catch a tune next time I'm back in New England.