In fact, the album has taken 18 months to complete. It’s well worth either wait.

There’s a wide ranging seletion of writers here, from Billy Connolly (I Wish I Was In Glasgow), Joni Mitchell, Richard Thompson, her brother Stephen Grant and the self-penned, Nothing to You. The latter has a great Latin/Spanish rhythm.

Eilidh herself was a delight to gab to. Infact, having turned off the recorder, we chatted for another 45 mins. Apparently you can set the world to rights without alcohol!

I loved her first album, released in 2001, but I have to say I kinda lost touch after that. This new album is a return to a “traditional” style. But it’s not the style of music that grabs you, it’s the voice. It’s the voice and the arrangement and partnership with husband, Sam Lakeman.

After interviewing Cara for Celtic Music Radio, I had the opportunity to see her perform at Celtic Connections. Several songs were performed with just piano and voice.

Sam, apparently, does not like a mic on stage and interviews, but he sure does talk elequently through the piano.

Esther comes from a musical family, with her father owning the studio her album Right Here was recorded in!

We got talking, by email, about my ramblings on Celtic Music Radio. it turns out Gina is also a big Celtic/Folk music fan. She will be heading to the town of Cygnet, Tasmania for the Cygnet Folk Festival, which takes place from Friday 9th Jan – Sun 11th Jan 2009.

Not only that, Gina also sent me a great CD by Annie Parsell & Peter Hicks called Listen…. We’ve been playing it now for a couple of weeks on the station.

We made contact with Peter Hicks and I had the pleasure of talking to him live from Tasmania today on my show. What a lovely bloke!

The festival sounds great too. Dougie MacLean is in Australia at the moment and will be playing at the festival.

So, if you’ve the time (and money for the air fare!), why not visit the Cygnet Folk Festival next weekend in Tasmania!

Craig Jeffrey's Don't Blow Away album

Craig Jeffrey is another chap I can say I have had the pleasure to meet and interview.

He’s a young lad form Galashields in the Borders of Scotland and has just released his debut album to a storm of publicity both locally and nationally. His launch gig in the Borders has had to be repeated three times to fit everyone in!

You’ll also hear Craig’s music in the Woolpack on Emmerdale and in the Rover’s Return up Coronation Street!

He’s a quiet chap is our Craig, although we had a good gab, he is obviously happier “speaking” with the guitar. His father and manager, Bill, is a delightful gab though. As you’d expect, he waxes lyrically (excuse pun!) about his son’s talent. However, he has every right to do so and speaks enthusiastically for Craig, as Craig clearly communicates through his songs.

Anyway, please support Craig by buying his album, you won’t be disappointed!

So I’m at home now,having brought some stuff to listen to and I’ve just tried to get into a CD (I won’t embarass the offending artist) but those plastic overs are quite fiddly to get off you know.

It’s a small thing but it’s a good tip for all you artists sending CDs to people if you want them to listened to.

Celtic Music Radio is undertaking a special 24 hour broadcast of Scottish music on Sunday (30th November). Yours truly will be broadcasting from 12 midnight to 8am with my good pal Alex.

Listen live at www.celticmusicradio.net

Why not contact us in the studio?

studio@celticmusicradio.net
or by Skype. Our name is celtic.music.radio

Hope you can join us. It’s gonna be fun!

Last week’s album of the week was Girls and Strong Whisky by Brogue; a lovely couple, based in Bo’ness but originally from Zimbabwe/Rhodesia.

When Brigitte and David came into the studio to record their interview I jokingly suggested it would be great if they could record some jingles for the station. And lo and behold, that’s what was in my inbox tonight!

Can’t wait to get to the studio to load them up. Listen out for them.

Sloan’s Ballroom is situated in the Argyle Arcade in Argyle Street, Glasgow. it’s one of the oldest buildings in the city, and hosts a few bars and a small, but very interesting ballroom.

There’s no lift in the building, and while Celtic Music Radio’s OB kit is handily housed in one managable box, the girls had to assist their sound guys by lugging the PA system up several flights of stairs. Never mind Gillian and Freya will have their own road crew shortly no doubt!

It’s a very intimate venue, holding a crowd of around 150 folk. The acoustics are excellent. there’s nothing like live music, and this gig didn’t disappoint.

The support band were excellent (I’ll update when I can remember their name), consisting of clarsach, fiddle and percussion. a good future for them too, methinks.

The Duplets themselves were great and the acoustics of the ballroom really added to their performance.

To be honest, I wasn’t especially impressed the first time I heard the album, but Alex pushed it as an album of the week. So I listened to it more and it really grew on me and it’s actually an excellent fusion of traditional Scottish songs mixed with Bridget and David’s African background.

A good few years ago,we attended a friends’s wedding. They had a band playing and they covered Bonnie Wee Jeanie MacColl. This has also been one of my favourites and it was great to hear it “modernised”, and this is what Brogue have done with the songs they’ve chosen for their album, Girls and Strong Whisky.

So we invited them into the studio for a chat about the album. They are quite honestly, two of the nicest people I have ever met in my life. Very natural, very chatty, but they’ve moved back to Scotland due to the situation in Zimbabwe, and are naturally upset at the state that their country finds itself in. 

Bridget’s father, who’s still in Zimbabwe, runs the Zimbabwe Conservation TaskForce. Much of the animal population is dwindling because even in the government run national parks they’re not being cared for. Bridget’sfather provides food and water as wellas veterinary services, and is doing what he can to keep elephants, lions, hippos, giraffe etc alive. The situation is so bad that animals would normally be eating one another queue up together when they hear the water pumps running andeveryonegets a fair share.

Looking forward to hearing Brogue play live in 2009.