A fabulous double bill from four hugely talented musicians. North and East performed by Gareth Davies-Jones on guitar and vocal accompanied by Calum Stewart on flute. Also the instrumental duo of Ailie Robertson on harp with Sarah-Jane Summers on fiddle and hardanger fiddle.
North By East is a musical collaboration between singer-songwriter Gareth Davies-Jones and flautist Calum Stewart. Taking songs and tunes from three distinctive regions of the British Isles Gareth and Calum have put together a compelling and engaging evening of musical entertainment. From tales of rural life, industry and shipwrecks to reflections on itinerant pencil makers the stories that lie behind the songs add an extra dimension to the show, evoking lifestyles passed into history. The artists also share something of their own musical heritage and the impact that the landscape, the people and the places of the North East regions have had on their writing and performance.
Gareth Davies-Jones was born and raised in County Down in the North East of Ireland and now lives near Newcastle Upon Tyne in the North East of England. A fine singer songwriter Gareth has performed along with the top names in traditional and contemporary music including the Waterson Carthy, Yvonne Lyon, Spiers and Boden and Karine Polwart.
Calum Stewart is originally from Elgin in the North East of Scotland and studied on the folk degree course at Newcastle University. As a soloist, and in a range of bands, touring home and abroad and in his latest mega band membership Manran Calum is clearly one of the most sought after young flautists in the land.
We also see the welcome return of two hugely talented Scottish musicians, Ailie Robertson on Clarsach and harp and Sarah-Jane Summers, on fiddle and Hardanger Fiddle.
Ailie Robertson, five times National Mod Gold Medallist, is a musician in the broadest sense: composer, arranger, teacher, improviser and harp virtuoso. “Her synthesis of Irish, Scottish and contemporary harping technique into an individual style represents the realization of otherwise unimagined possibilities for the Celtic harp” (Niall Keegan, 2006).
Ailie grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, and was immersed in the harp world from an early age. Through her piano and clarsach lessons she developed a love for both classical and traditional music, and in 2005 gained a 1st-class MA in Irish Music Performance from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance
When she is not in the studio or on the road, Ailie is a much sought after teacher around the UK and Ireland. She has taught at various festivals, was co-founder and director of the highly successful Borders Harp Weekend and tutors regularly for Feisean nan Gaidheal, as well as teaching privately and in several schools.
Ailie has an outstanding series of recordings with her band, club favourites, Outside Track, and with a range of other musicians. Her most recent recording is a live album “Traditional Spirits”, made in 2011 in the company of some of Scotland’s finest traditional musicians.
Sarah Jane Summers is an exciting young fiddler who has thrilled our club each time she has played. A founder member of Norwegian-Scottish band, Fribo, she has toured extensively and performed at festivals such as WOMAD, Celtic Connections, etc. Much in demand as a fiddler tutor, Sarah-Jane teaches regularly worldwide. Her teaching has taken her as far afield as New Zealand, Colorado and Inverness. She was the director of the RSAMD Junior Academy Traditional Music course in Glasgow until August 2010, when she relocated to Oslo to undertake a 2-year Masters degree in Norwegian folk music at Norges Musikkhøgskole.