"...a beautiful noise. A jigging, reeling juggernaut... brilliantly arranged - the putative 'Scottish National Folk Orchestra' walloped off the main auditorium stage in sound waves that thumped into your chest with the impact of a benign piledriver"
THE HERALD
10-FEB-09 Unusual Suspects at the Philharmonie, Luxembourg
A lone piper starts the concert as the rest of The Unusual Suspects take their places. We know from the publicity that we’re going to be hit fairly soon by a considerable ‘sound’, and when it quickly comes, it does not disappoint. It is loud and true and happy, with a rhythm and vigour that dares you to try and not pick up the beat and join the ride …
Their ‘folk orchestra theory’ has many layers, with jazz influences and strong rhythmic undertones that shift from melancholic pipes to the wildest of trumpets. They evoke different Scottish Landscapes in a signature change: the intertwined fiddle trio in a blink, jamming in the snug of a Shetland pub, are suddenly joined by a brassy sound that pulls your imagination into a city-scape of a bustling Sauchiehall Street.
Full throttle, with the pipers and fiddlers moving their fingers and elbows faster than we believe possible, it’s not hard to imagine these guys playing open-air, and the spontaneous audience jigging and reeling that would ensue. But the acoustics of the Philharmonie really befit their dynamic sound, and allows the audience the ability to focus on all the details of an eclectic performance – such as the musicality of Mairearad Green’s accordion and Corrina Hewat’s faultless harp playing, juxtaposed with Tom Lyne’s melodious bass guitar debut and an “In Yer Face” drum duet in the ‘Big Set’ finale.
Thankfully it is not necessary to fit The Unusual Suspects into a genre. Suffice to say, the Scottish folk/jazz fusion works, and all these fine players get their chance to shine, and display an innate musicianship. A dynamic evening of rhythm, humour, jazzy interjections, great arrangements and mesmeric tempos. “Time Wears Awa” – Aye, it did, and left us, literally, ‘reeling’.
Here's a clip from RTL Luxembourg News 7th February 2009
Check out some videos - the first three clips are from the 2007 Lorient Interceltique Festival:
"Pressed For Time"
"Lost In Oberlin / Duns Dings A' "
"Lorient Suite - Clip 1"
"Lorient Suite - Clip 2"
All videos from Lorient filmed by Appletaxi Productions
Unusual Suspects promo clip from 2004:
'…the performance of a lifetime, they rewrote the book on how folk should look and sound… If you witnessed this extraordinary performance, you can look back years from now and say: "I was there." Unforgettable.' THE SCOTSMAN
'…It's big, bold, brassy, and adventurous... This whirlwind of sound takes Scottish music to unimagined heights.'
THE LIVING TRADITION
'…The Unusual Suspects presents music from the tradition in large-scale, full-flavoured flow, co-inventors Corrina Hewat and David Milligan's arrangements, brass section leader Rick Taylor's inspired input, and the players' disciplined exuberance conspiring in an ensemble that puts the art in party.' THE HERALD
Also I run The Great Edinburgh Run to help send Finola Forman to college as the government in Scotland wont help disabled people with complex when they want to go into further education, check out her site at
Thanks for the add. How to I get in to an open rehearsal? Auditions? etc. Can't get there until 2010, but want to get you on my list to hear live! Tanya allstringsconsideredmusic.com
Hi Folks, thanks for being connected with Celtic Connection. Amazing music on your site, would be fine, to listen to you once live. All the best wishes, the CC's
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