FIONA MACKENZIE decides family ties work their own magic in music, but wonders if they might include both sexes next time

Calum Alex Macmillan

IF THERE was ever a series of concerts designed to demonstrate what the Blas Festival is all about – Community, Gaelic, Music and Youth – then this one fits the bill very well. This series of four concerts showcases the traditional talents of four fathers and sons, from Scotland and Ireland.

The third concert in the series was held in the Glenurquhart Village Hall, a real traditional hall which is still at the heart of many local community events, a hall where some of the cream of Scotland’s musical cultural heritage have played over the years.

First to take the stage were Dagger and Neil Gordon from Ross-shire. Mandolin player Dagger is well known as a tutor of the instrument as well as being prominent on the cèilidh scene, and has three sons, all musicians. He performed here with his youngest son, Neil, 16, on piano and fiddle.

They played a variety of sets, including local tunes such as ‘Ardross Hall’, and after a slightly nervous beginning, it was easy to see just how a family connection can make for a musically harmonious partnership. In fact, this was clear in all of the four partnerships – being a blood relation must make for some intuitive artistic connection too.

All of the artists involved were totally at ease with each other, feeding off the others emotional involvement in the music, whether tunes or songs. Also clear was the total relaxation, particularly amongst the younger half of the pairs, when it came to swapping instruments. All of the younger partners are multi instrumentalists and changed effortlessly between instruments, depending on what the arrangements required.

Gerry and Donal O’Connor, from Ireland, provided the audience with their customary style of immaculate phrasing and bowing interpretation from both on fiddle and piano, proving why they are two of Ireland’s most in-demand traditional duos.

Piping ace Duncan MacGillivray was accompanied by son Iain, on pipes, piano, fiddle and bodhran, although this writers’ favourite set was definitely the pipe duo, when at times it was hard to hear that there were in fact two sets of Highland pipes being played, so in tune with each other were father and son.

Seonaidh and Calum Alex Macmillan delivered (on Seonaidh’s 70th birthday) an effortless set of Gaelic song, including puirt a beul, the Skye love song ‘O Mhàiri, He Mhàiri’, cèilidh songs such as ‘Balaich an Iasgaich’, joined by an audience in fine voice and the fine traditional ‘Oran a Nèibhidh’.

The occasional gaps in technical mastery on the part of one or two of the younger performers will surely be filled in the coming years, with the pride and experience of the fathers to draw on.

The audience left Drumnadrochit secure in the knowledge that the future of these musical traditions are safe in the hands of this next generation of performers. Just one query. Family Ties? Not ‘Fathers & Sons”? I can think of several mother/daughter or father/daughter partnerships which could have been programmed. Next year, perhaps?

© Fiona MacKenzie, 2009

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