BAIRNS
- Jock Tamson’s Bairns are Rare
- And Rare is the new Cool
- Bold and Bountiful on Grand Scales
- These Oatmeal Brothers
- Fed on Scones of Destiny
- And Tunes of Glory
- Neither lightly cooked nor underdone
- Through Real Time and Strathspace
- An International Adventure
- True Romance and Universal Riches
- In the Big Picture of the Handing Over
- Jock Tamson’s Bairns’ Fingerprints are Ubiquitous
- Ubiquitous and Rare
- - MICHAEL MARRA
They continue to create and re-create Scottish music that's simultaneously real and magical (Rob Adams, The Herald)
...new light on Scots tradition ...breathtaking, sometimes as complex as a classical piece and sometimes starkly simple
(Mick Tems, Taplas)
NEWS
Bairns at Celtic Connections 2008
25 November 2007
The Bairns will feature in one of Celtic Connections' Classic Albums concerts, featuring most (or all) of the classic Lasses Fashion album.
The line-up will see the return of Jack Evans and Ian Hardie for this gig
New CD from Ian Hardie
24 November 2007
Ian Hardie has released a splendid CD with a new web site to boot.
The CD is based on trips Ian has made to the US and another bout of composing using altered tunings, drawing on the old-time fiddle tradition of Appalachia.
Sounds good too, and you can hear samples on the web site.
Rare: A Musical Portrait of Jock Tamson's Bairns
Wednesday, 27 December 2006
On BBC Radio Scotland, Sunday 31 December (Hogmanay!) from 9:05pm - 9:58pm (GMT) you can hear the story of the Bairns. The Radio Times says:
Rare: A Musical Portrait of Jock Tamson's Bairns
Jock Tamson's Bairns are one of the most creative
and influential bands in Scottish traditional music. Here, Billy
Kay tells the story
of a group of musicians who came out of the vibrant session scene
in Edinburgh's Sandy Bell's pub in the late 1970's and went on
to make
four seminal records. Billy is joined by singer/songwriter Karine
Polwart, Lowland piper Hamish Moore, fans from their Edinburgh
festival gig,
and Bairns present and past.
If you don't like sitting round your wireless on Hogmanay, you can use the BBC Listen Again service for 7 days after the broadcast. If you miss this as well, then get in touch- we may be able to get copies if you are really desparate.
Rob Adams has done a preview of the programme in the Herald.
Bairns Sell-out
30 November 2006
We have received notification from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe that we offically sold-out this year, which means we are authorised to proudly flaunt this logo.
Anna-Wendy Stevenson
Friday, 24 February 2006
We're delighted to be joined by ace fiddler and composer Anna-Wendy Stevenson for our upcoming concert which will launch Edinburgh's Ceilidh Culture on 31 March 2006.
Anna-Wendy is also joining us in our gigs over the summer, as a replacement for Ian Hardie, who left the band in December.
Changes...
Thursday, 22 December 2005
It's been a busy year for the Bairns' members, although not so busy for the band after the release of Rare in April. A change of agency early in the year is now working through to busier prospects for 2006.
The main change comes with the departure of Ian Hardie from the band. We are very sorry to see Ian go, as one of the original Bairns, and we wish him all the best in his future musical activities.
So, expect some changes to the line-up next year- we'll keep you posted.
More wee pointy things...
Thursday, 28 April 2005
Another 5 star review from the Listening Post!
... The singing, the playing, the harmonies and the sheer undiluted quality remain as the benchmark for any others who aspire to understand and convey traditional Scottish music at its finest.
... Proof, if any was needed, that this really is one of the finest groups ever.
Five stars for Rare
Sunday, 24 April 2005
Rare has just got a 5 star review from Sue Wilson in the Sunday Herald!
... a benchmark of taste, sensitivity and quietly authoritative musicianship.
... brimful of sparkle and finesse... as good as you’ll hear anywhere.
New Album Release
Sunday, 17 April 2005
The new album is out and the first reviews are coming in. In the first week, Rare has been featured on BBC Scotland's Celtic Connections, Travelling Folk, and Ian Anderson programmes. It was Album of the Week on Radio Nan Gaidheal and The Reel Blend. It will be featured on Australian national radio and US stations this week.
"SMASHING- out the top drawer" ROBBIE SHEPHERD
New web site
Sunday, 17 April 2005
The new web site is open for business. If you have any problems, please let us know.
MUSIC
Rare
The latest album from the Bairns.
...a rare treat of excellent songs and tunes
...top-class instrumentals combined with some beautiful songs
May You Never Lack a Scone
A priceless collection of ubiquitous rarities. Features a scone recipe from John's Granny. Now with fruit.
A' Jock Tamson's Bairns
Two classic albums for the price of one. Includes the 'Lasses Fashion' which was shortlisted for the Best Trad Album of all time in the Scots Traditional Music Awards, and was in Richard Thomson's Top 10 Albums for Q Magazine, alongside the Platters and Elvis...
Fergusson's Auld Reikie
Features Tony Cuffe, Billy Kay and the Bairns. Re-released to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of one of Scotland's greatest poets, Robert Fergusson.