Celtic Connections Listings 2009 - Thursday 22nd Jan

Celtic Connections Listings 2009 - Thursday 22nd Jan - Monday 26th Jan

Listings:

See:

Thursday 22nd January

Iain Anderson in Conversation
Gavin Reid and Owen Dudley Edwards
Thursday 22 January, 12:30pm
£3.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Gav in Reid, Director of the BBC SSO and Owen Dudley Edwards, writer, historian and raconteur, discuss the merits of UNESCO Creative Cities.

Celtic Music Radio 1530AM Live

Gordon Hotchkiss Hotchpotch Afternoon Session
Thursday 22 January, 2pm
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Gordon Hotchkiss presents his show live from the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, featuring all the latest festival news, as well as concert previews and interviews with festival artists.

Danny Kyle's Open Stage

Thursday 22 January, 5pm
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Hosted by Danny Kyle's good Fridayends Gibb Todd and Liz Clark, the Open Stage is a chance to see new musical talent as they try to win a coveted support slot at next year's festival - and all absolutely free!

Sponsored by the Evening Times

Ceol's Craic Workshops
Thursday 22 January
Free but ticketed
CCA

4 - 6pm: Creative Writing (Gaelic)
6 - 8pm: Puirt-a-Beul (mouth music)

Skerryvore

Thursday 22 January, 7:30pm
£12.50 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult)
Oran Mor

Dubbed the boy-band of Scottish traditional music, Skerryvore's driving sound fuses bagpipes, accordions and fiddle with kicking guitar, bass and drums. Over the past three years, Skerryvore's explosive music has seen them touring and performing at festivals worldwide, including Italy and the Netherlands. In 2008 they made their debut in the USA in 2008, accompanying Scotland's First Minister Alex SalMondayd for performances at the Ryder Cup in Kentucky, before blasting their sound to crowds in Chicago. With a highly anticipated 3rd album due for release in 2009, and tours to Canada, Portugal and Spain, catch them now before they get any bigger!

Deaf Shepherd and David Munnelly Band

Thursday 22 January, 7:30pm
£15 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult)
ABC

Approaching their fifteenth anniversary, Deaf Shepherd remain one of Scotland's most sought-after traditional acts, despite their all too rare live appearances nowadays. Combining the white-knuckle excitement of full-throttle instrumentals with the masterly ballad singing of John Morran, the rest of tonight's line-up comprises Clare McLaughlin, Jenna Reid (both fiddle), Finlay MacDonald (pipes, whistles), Malcolm Stitt (bouzouki) and Mark Maguire (bodhran), plus a surprise special guest or two.

By Heck!, the title of the David Munnelly Band's last album, certainly sums up audience reactions to their uproarious mix of traditional West Mayo wildness with romping swing and ragtime rhythms. Their powerhouse instrumental line-up, led by Munnelly on accordion, is now complemented by the magically dark-hued voice of Shauna Mullin.

Heartstring Sessions: Arty McGlynn & Nollaig Casey with Maire Ni Chathasaigh & Chris Newman and Bethan Nia

Thursday 22 January, 8pm
£12.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite

Bringing together two of folk music's most revered duos, the Heartstring Sessions is a long-planned but newly-realised collaboration between Irish fiddler/singer Nollaig Casey, her harpist/singer sister Maire Ni Chathasaigh, and guitarists Arty McGlynn and Chris Newman. Both individually, and in their respective partnerships, all four rank aMondayg today's most influential traditional musicians, each having pioneered new techniques and interpretative approaches, balancing fidelity and innovation with extraordinary virtuosity. Performing a mix of sparkling dance tunes, lyrical slow airs, classic ballads and superb original material - with a dash of bluegrass, rockabilly and ragtime thrown in - this is probably the classiest Celtic string band you'll ever hear.

Opening the show is Bethan Nia, winner of a Danny Kyle Award in 2008, who has gained recognition as a Celtic harpist and singer who pushes the boundaries of traditional Welsh music.

Emily Smith with Bella Hardy

Thursday 22 January, 8pm
£12.50
St Andrew's in the Square

A delectable double bill featuring DumFridayesshire-born singer Emily Smith, who recently earned glowing reviews for her third album, Too Long Away, with Derbyshire singer/fiddler Bella Hardy, a double nominee in the 2008 Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Songs of Scotland

Protest Songs
Thursday 22 January, 8pm
£10
Universal
Protest Songs

The Songs of Scotland series has become an important part of the Celtic Connections programme, helping to maintain the festival's link with Scotland's love of song and is enjoyed equally by its audience and performers.

We will feature ten themes, which provide a comMonday thread throughout each night. Songs from the Gaelic and Scots traditions, as well as more contemporary songs which have entered into the tradition over recent years, will take audiences on an entertaining journey into Scotland's song tradition.

Tonight will be hosted by Ishbel MacAskill and features Brian McNeill, David Ferrard and Gillebride MacMillan.

Nick Harper with Duke Special

Thursday 22 January, 8pm
£12.50
The Classic Grand

Variously dubbed "the acoustic Hendrix", "the English Jeff Buckley" and "Dylan for the iPod generation", latter-day troubadour Nick Harper - son of hippy legend Roy - commands equal devotion aMondayg fans for his prolifically articulate songwriting, his fiercely virtuosic guitar work and the exhilarating passion of his live performances.

The music of Belfast singer-songwriter Duke Special weaves between melancholy and melodrama, demi-Mondayde desolation and carnivalesque extravagance, drawing on influences that range from Gershwin-style swing to East European folk. He recently folloWednesday up 2006's multi-platinum-selling Songs from the Deep Forest with the darker-hued, boldly adventurous Never Thought This Day Would Come.

Flight of the Arctic Tern with Iain Anderson & Mark Sheridan

Thursday 22 January, 8pm
£12.50
The Tall Ship

The arctic tern migrates farther than any other bird, leaving its breeding grounds in October to migrate to the other end of the world - to the southern pack ice of Antartica and as far as Australia.

Alexander Gunn left his home in Durness in 1854 and found himself en route to Australia, one of the many tens of thousands of Scots who left these shores during the Highland Clearances. These journeys were long and hazardous and often ended in tragedy. 155 years later a letter turns up in Durness addressed to his family descendant, Iain Anderson, postmarked Bendigo, Australia.

This is the story of Alexander's journey narrated by Iain Anderson, written and composed by Mark Sheridan and performed by Anderson, with Bethany and Jenna Reid (fiddles), Tom Dalzell (soprano saxophone), James Lindsay (bass) and Mark Sheridan (keyboards and percussion).

BBC Radio Scotland 92-95 FM & 810 MW Live Radio Broadcasts

Travelling Folk with Archie Fisher
Thursday 22 January, 8pm
Free but ticketed
BBC Scotland, Pacific Quay

Archie Fisher presents a special live show featuring some of the best music from this year's festival, from BBC Scotland's new headquarters at Pacific Quay. Live on BBC Radio Scotland.

Ceol's Craic

Thursday 22 January, 8:30pm
£12.50
CCA

Kathleen MacInnes and Stevie Jackson (Belle & Sebastian) - one of the most talented and unique traditional Gaelic singers of recent years teams up with leading a Glaswegian contemporary musician.

Norrie MacIver and Quest - Puirt-a-Beul (Gaelic mouth music) is seamlessly merged with beat-box in a novel and surprising way.

The Tempus Fugitives - a mixture of North American song-driven country folk-rock with an occasional Gaelic phrasing or two!

Maire Ni Choilm - fantastic Sean-nos singing direct from Ireland.

Asturian Night with Llan de Cubel and Anabel Santiago

Thursday 22 January, 9:30pm
£16
Old Fruitmarket

The mountainous northern Spanish region of Asturias, a close cultural cousin to neighbouring Galicia, nonetheless nurtures its own distinct traditions, strongly informed by the Celtic heritage of Europe's Atlantic seaboard. Those age-old connections with Scotland, in particular, have been vibrantly rekindled in recent decades, not least by the pioneering band Llan de Cubel, without whom no Asturian gathering at Celtic Connections would be complete. Celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2009, the group are justly regarded as godfathers of the current Asturian folk revival, combining carefully-researched traditional material and instrumentation with deft contemporary touches.

Tonight's other acts include rising star Anabel Santiago, a dazzling young singer in the ancient Asturian style of tonado, a distant relative to flamenco characterised by its intense, powerful delivery. Her most recent album, 2007's stunning Desnuda, allies her mesmerising voice with specially written songs by her close collaborator Ismael Arias, amidst a bold mesh of influences from tango to country.

Celtic Connections Festival Club hosted by Gibb Todd

Thursday 22 January, 10:30pm
£5
Quality Hotel

Get ready for some late-night music!

Our late-night club ensures there is even more music to enjoy after all the gigs are over. Join local and international artists as they make special unbilled appearances or join in one of many sessions happening in the bars.

With food and drink in plentiful supply you can happily keep going into the early hours of the morning whilst witnessing some of the best musical collaborations of the festival.

Master of ceremonies, Gibb Todd returns to present each act on stage and Doris Rougvie hosts The House of Song in a peaceful oasis away from the main stage.

Friday 23rd January

Iain Anderson in Conversation
Bruce Durie and Professor Alan Riach
Friday 23 January, 12:30pm
£3.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Burns and the Year of Homecoming come under the scrutiny of broadcaster and genealogy expert Bruce Durie and Professor of Scottish Literature Alan Riach from Glasgow University.

Celtic Music Radio 1530AM Live

Gordon Hotchkiss Hotchpotch Afternoon Session
Friday 23 January, 2pm
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Gordon Hotchkiss presents his show live from the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, featuring all the latest festival news, as well as concert previews and interviews with festival artists.

Ceol's Craic Workshops

Friday 23 January
Free but ticketed
CCA

4 - 6pm: Creative Writing (Gaelic)
6 - 8pm: Gaelic Song
6 - 8pm: Box Playing for adults

Danny Kyle's Open Stage

Friday 23 January, 5pm
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Sponsored by the Evening Times

Ensemble Kaboul

Friday 23 January, 6pm
£10
City Halls, Recital Room

Ensemble Kaboul is a shining exemplar of Afghanistan's traditional musical aesthetic mixing haunting vocals with vibrant instrumentation.

Youssou N'Dour and Old Blind Dogs

Friday 23 January, 7:30pm
£28
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium

The unrivalled superstar of AFridaycan music, Youssou N'Dour is a uniquely pivotal figure in reconnecting his native musical languages with those of the West. His extraordinary 2007 album Rokku Mi Rokka - "you give me something, I give you something" - profoundly encapsulates the fertile relationship of equals he has forged aMondayg the diverse musical cultures of his Senegal homeland, from griot storytelling to Sufi mysticism, and diasporan styles such as blues, funk, Latin, soul, reggae and jazz. This exclusive Celtic Connections performance features N'Dour at the helm of his veteran Super Etoile outfit: "the best band in the world" according to top US critic Robert Christgau.

Old Blind Dogs have long been established as one Scotland's top contemporary folk acts, whose current line-up features Aaron Jones, Jonny Hardie, Ali Hutton and Fraser Stone. They have recently been involved in fundraising for the Dialaw Music Centre in Senegal, which provides musical and cultural education for local young people and visiting students.

Slide and Jennifer Port

Friday 23 January, 7:30pm
£12.50 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult)
Oran Mor

Balancing deep-dyed fidelity to Irish tradition with bold original material and innovative arrangements, the award-winning five-piece Slide are one of the hottest current prospects on today's Celtic scene. Their line-up comprises Daire Bracken (fiddle/guitar), EaMondayn de Barra (piano/flute/bodhran/whistle), Aogan Lynch (concertina/whistle), Mick Broderick (bouzouki/mandolin) and Andrew Murray (vocals).

Singer and harpist Jennifer Port won a Danny Kyle Open Stage Award in 2002, graduating from the RSAMD the following year. Her subsequent career highlights include premiering her New Voices commission, Silver Lining, at Celtic Connections 2004, performing at Madonna's Wednesdayding, and being selected for the prestigious Distil programme of composers' retreats.

Edwyn Collins and The Bluebells

Friday 23 January, 7:30pm
£15 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult) ABC

Edwyn Collins has been a much-loved doyen of literate Scottish pop since his earliest Postcard hits with Orange Juice in the 1980s, later folloWednesday by the international smash A Girl Like You in 1995. This homecoming show follows his rapturously received sixth solo release Home Again - "a richly textured, folk-influenced album in which Collins's lyrical genius shines as hard as ever" (The Guardian) - and his triumphant return to the live arena in 2007-8, after recovering from a severe brain haemorrhage in 2005.

Opening the show will be a rare live reunion of the short-lived but fondly remembered Bluebells -best known for the irresistibly catchy Young At Heart - featuring original members Bobby Bluebell (aka Robert Hodgens), and David and Ken McCluskey.

Nu-Nordic Night

Friday 23 January, 8pm
£12.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite

Sampling the current wave of musicians forging new comMonday ground between Celtic, British, American and Nordic traditions, this four-act bill is hosted by the vibrant Edinburgh-based vocal/instrumental quartet Fridaybo, performing with Norwegian guests Annlaug Borsheim (fiddles) and Silje Hegg (flutes), and Gaelic singer Naomi Harvey. Also featured are the fiendishly inventive Anglo-SWednesdayish duo of Ian Carr (guitar) and Niklas Roswall (nyckelharpa); the exciting new instrumental five-piece Baltic Crossing, comprising musicians from Finland, Denmark and England, and Californian folk/classical fusioneer Barry Phillips, playing a customised cello with sympathetic strings, like those found on a hardanger fiddle or nyckelharpa.

Kathleen Boyle and Debra Salem

Friday 23 January, 8pm £12.50 The Tron Theatre

A talented accordion and piano player, and member of Dochas and Cherish the Ladies, Kathleen Boyle plays here in a solo outing with her own band. Together with Martin O'Neill on bodhran, Ali Hutton on guitar, and Jenna Reid on fiddle, they will perform pieces from her latest album An Cailin Rua (The Red Haired Girl).

Winner of a Danny Kyle Award at Celtic Connections 2008, Belfast-born jazz vocalist Debra Salem opens the show with her distinctive jazz/folk crossover style.

New Irish Tradition with Pigeon Top and Lorcan Mac Mathurna

Friday 23 January, 8pm
£12.50
St Andrew's in the Square

A joint Celtic Connections debut for the firebrand Belfast four-piece Pigeon Top, mixing up high-voltage traditional tunes with Americana songs, and Cork singer Lorcan Mac MaThursdayna, whose intensely soulful engagement with sean-nos tradition has won comparisons to Iarla O Lionaird.

Tift Merritt and Clare Maguire

Friday 23 January, 8pm
£12.50
The Classic Grand

With her delicate, honeyed voice and thoughtfully crafted lyrics, Tift Merritt has been hailed by Uncut magazine as "the most accomplished new American female singer-songwriter to emerge in a decade". Her songs are a subtle synthesis of Nashville influences with artful shades of folk, rock, blues and soul as suggested by the title of her 2008 release, Another Country.

Written whilst on hiatus with a piano in Paris, Merritt came home with her best and most personal songs to date which she describes as a plainspoken look at the distance we all attempt to cross: between two people, between one heart and the rest of the world.

Aged only 21, hotly-tipped singer-songwriter Clare Maguire cites Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Howlin' Wolf aMondaygst her influences. Her haunting, mesmerising sound is fast earning her a loyal following.

The Hot Seats

Friday 23 January, 8pm
£12.50
The Tall Ship

Formerly trading as Special Ed & the Shortbus, Virginia quintet The Hot Seats have been described by The Herald as "the love-children of Bill Mondayroe and Frank Zappa". Their exuberantly high-octane performances, cooking up bluegrass, skiffle, vaudeville, blues and jug-band flavours, won a Herald Angel award at last summer's Edinburgh Fridaynge.

Ceol's Craic

Friday 23 January, 8.30pm
£12.50
CCA

Tonight's celebration of Gaelic arts features:

Maeve Mackinnon and special guests - the beautiful voice of the acclaimed Scots Gaelic singer.

Ness Melodeon Band - the infamous Lewis group of traditional melodeon players.

The Parsonage - a group inspired by the raw storytelling simplicity of the folk, country and blues traditions, not unlike the oral traditions of Gaelic song.

Louis de Paor - a key protagonist in the 1970s-80s Irish language poetry renaissance, now one of the most respected performers of his generation.

Shooglenifty with Ensemble Kaboul and Baskery

Friday 23 January, 9:30pm
£16
Old Fruitmarket

An inspirational force ever since their first emergence from Edinburgh's murkiest folk haunts, way back in the early 1990s, acid-croft maestros Shooglenifty continue their musical adventures with a new double album later in 2009, material from which will feature tonight both in their main set and in a groundbreaking collaboration with Afghanistan's leading folk group, Ensemble Kaboul. Sparked by their meeting at Borneo's Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival in 2007, this joint performance will include both specially written material and new arrangements of tunes from each band's repertoire, aligning Shooglenifty's Celtic lyricism, pulsing grooves and atmospheric textures with Ensemble Kaboul's haunting vocals and vibrant traditional instrumentation.

Baskery are three SWednesdayish sisters - Greta, Stella and Sundayniva Bondesson - playing an arrestingly punk-infused blend of country, blues and rock'n'roll, interspersed with lyrical, softer-hued ballads. Aligning vibrant three-part vocals with guitar, banjo, dobro and upright bass, they released their debut album Fall AMondayg Thieves in 2008.

Celtic Connections Festival Club hosted by Gibb Todd

Friday 23 January, 10:30pm
£7.50
Quality Hotel

Get ready for some late-night music!

With food and drink in plentiful supply you can happily keep going into the early hours of the morning whilst witnessing some of the best musical collaborations of the festival.

Master of ceremonies, Gibb Todd returns to present each act on stage and Doris Rougvie hosts The House of Song in a peaceful oasis away from the main stage. Mary Ann Kennedy introduces a special edition of BBC Radio 3's World on 3 live from the Kintyre Suite tonight, featuring performances by some of the top acts performing at Celtic Connections (free entry with your Festival Club ticket).

Saturday 24th January

Public Workshops - Mandolin for Beginners

Saturday 24 January, 11amSaturdayurday £7Saturdayurday Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Tutors from the Lanarkshire Guitar and Mandolin Association will introduce basic techniques of the mandolin, including playing melodies and chords. The general introduction to music includes looking at a variety of styles, the basics of reading music and music theory. This is a good introduction to the mandolin for players of other fretted instruments.

Public Workshops - Learn the Small Pipes in a Day

Saturday 24 January, 11a
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall,
£35Saturdayurday Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Buchanan Suite

This workshop covers use of bellows, blowing and fingering techniques and tuning of drones. During the day, Dave Shaw will teach you a relatively simple tune, generally a jig or NorThursdaymbrian reel. Numbers are strictly limited and pipes are provided. Over 14 years and complete beginners only please.

Public Workshops - The Big Ballad

Saturday 24 January, 11am
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, LoMondayd Foyer

Gordeanna McCulloch and Anne Neilson are two of Scotland's finest singers and wonderful interpreters of the rich Scottish ballad genre. Learn about the background stories to these fascinating songs; learn about the people behind them and the ways in which their stories unfold. Personal recording equipment is welcome.

Public Workshops - Clarsach Workshop

Saturday 24 January, 11am
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Clyde Foyer

Heather Downie is a talented and accomplished player and tutor of this beautiful instrument. Here's your chance to extend your skills on the clarsach. This workshop is suitable for beginners and improvers. Please book early to avoid disappointment as numbers of harps are very limited. If you have your own harp, please bring it with you.

A 12 Hour Celebration of 250 Burns Songs

Saturday 24 January, 12pm
Free although we will be accepting donations to support our Education Programme - a minimum donation of £3 is suggested
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite

In what's surely another first for Celtic Connections (and arguably eligible for some kind of world record) this midday-to-midnight extravaganza, on the eve of Burns' birthday, aims to feature performances of 250 Burns songs, by an almost non-stop rotation of singers drawn from far and wide across the folk scene and beyond. Co-ordinated by Dr Fred Freeman, who masterminded and produced the landmark 12-volume series The Complete Songs of Robert Burns, the marathon show will feature many leading artists who appear on those recordings including Rod Paterson, John Morran, Ross Kennedy, Steve Byrne, Wendy Weatherby, Gillian McDonald, Christine Kydd, George Duff and a cast of over 60 other weel kent faces. Audiences are invited to sample proceedings in two smaller manageable portions where they are free to come and go - though equally welcome to go for the 12-hour record themselves!

Supported by Homecoming Scotland

The Annual Piping Concert with the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band and Bagad Cap Caval

Saturday 24 January, 12:30pm
£12.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium

Our two featured bands this year are the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band and Brittany's Bagad Cap Caval, each boasting a unique reputation in the competitive field.

Originally founded in 1883, the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band was one of the first to be formed outwith the army, and remains one of the few professional pipe bands in existence, forming its own police unit stationed in Glasgow. Currently led by Pipe Major Don Bradford and Drum Sergeant Eric Ward, they are 12-times winners of the RSPBA World Pipe Band Championships, with their drum corps also regularly ranked aMondayg the world's best.

After claiming top Grade 2 honours at the Worlds in 2008, Bagad Cap Caval, under Pipe Major Herve Le Floch, recently became the first Breton band ever awarded Grade 1 status. In between winning competitions, they are co-creators of the stunning music and dance spectacle Ijin, premiered in 2006.

Public Workshops - Bodhran & Spoons

Saturday 24 January, 1:30pm £7 Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Spoon maestro Eddie Scott and his percussionist pal Norman Chalmers make a welcome return to Celtic Connections with their distinctively clattering workshop. Some spoons will be provided but if you have a favourite set, bring them along. Silver ones make the best noise! Glasgow Fiddle Workshop will provide the tunes.

Public Workshops - Ukulele for Beginners

Saturday 24 January, 1:30pm
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, LoMondayd Foyer

If you're now a committed ukulele fan, this workshop will take you further on your fantastic journey. Finlay Allison, one of GFW's original tutors and well known for his work with Stramash, will take you through your paces to learn more about chord sequences and tempo. This workshop is guaranteed to make you smile.

Public Workshops - Singin' on yer Mammy's Knee

Saturday 24 January, 1:30pm
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Clyde Foyer

This workshop is for adults caring for young children (parents, childminders, playleaders and grannies too!) Lots of dandling songs, action songs and singing games for under 5s. Grown-ups obligatory as they must come prepared to bounce the child on their knee. Chrissie Stewart-Skinner will teach lots of old favourites and new songs too.

Ceol's Craic Workshops

Saturday 24 Jan
Free but ticketed CCA

4 - 7pm: Sean-nos dancing
4.30 - 6.30pm: Box playing for young people
6.30 - 8pm: Canntaireachd with Rona Lightfoot

Danny Kyle's Open Stage

Saturday 24 January, 5pm
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Sponsored by the Evening Times

McKerron, Clement & Edey

Saturday 24 January, 6pm
£10
City Halls, Recital Room

A new project from Session A9 fiddler Charlie McKerron, with guitarist Marc Clement and multi-instrumentalist Tim Edey. Expect high octane tunes from this new trio.

Auld Lang Syne

Saturday 24 January, 7:30pm
£22, £20
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium

Amidst a worldwide weekend of festivities marking 250 years since Robert Burns' birth, Celtic Connections presents perhaps the ultimate singers' gathering, transcending genres, generations and national boundaries in a spirit to which the bard himself would surely raise a glass. Unforgettable renderings of Burns' own timeless songs will be heard alongside contemporary compositions articulating similarly universal themes. The Scottish performers hosting this once-in-a-lifetime occasion include Eddi Reader, Dick Gaughan, Karen Matheson, Michael Marra, Dougie MacLean, Emily Smith and The Cast, along with instrumental guests including John McCusker and Phil Cunningham. And at her own instigation, after being forced to cancel her Celtic Connections appearance in 2007, living legend Odetta will also be celebrating Burns here in Glasgow. Look out for details of one or two other very special visitors from the worlds of rock and pop, yet to be announced.

Sponsored by ScottishPower and supported by Homecoming Scotland

Kathy Mattea and Dean Owens

Saturday 24 January, 7:30pm
£16
City Halls, Grand Hall

The Grammy-winning singer Kathy Mattea has long steered a sure-footed, soulful course between country and folk influences, ever since her breakthrough hit in 1986 with a cover of Nanci Griffith's Love at the Five And Dime. Her latest album, 2008's hauntingly stripped-back Coal, represents both a personal and an artistic return to her roots, paying tribute to the hardscrabble history and culture of US mining communities, like the one where she grew up in West Virginia, in material by such leading songsmiths as Jean Ritchie, Billy Edd Wheeler, Hazel Dickens, Si Kahn, Utah Phillips, Merle Travis, and Darrell Scott.

In the words of Irvine Welsh, who supplied the sleevenotes for Dean Owens' recently re-released Whisky Hearts, its songs "resonate with the beauty and power that only a truly committed writer and performer can bring." Drawing on a rich swathe of Americana, folk and vintage rock influences, Owens blends them with a subtly distilled intensity all of his own.

The Broken Family Band and 9Bach

Saturday 24 January, 7:30pm
£12.50 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult)
Oran Mor

One of the late John Peel's favourite acts, the wilfully unclassifiable Broken Family Band have, in their own words, "set themselves apart from their contemporaries by simply not giving a Mondaykey's." Attempts to label their music have variously included references to country, heavy metal, English folk and indie guitar-rock: all that's guaranteed is an inordinately good time.

Formed in 2005, 9Bach have been tipped as one of Wales most exciting new folk-based acts. Centred on the spellbinding vocals of Lisa Jen, their bold reworkings of centuries-old songs also feature harp, harMondayium, guitars, percussion and bass.

Classic Album: Battlefield Band - "Home Is Where The Van Is"

Saturday 24 January, 7:30pm
£15 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult)
ABC

As classic albums arguably should, the Battlefield Band's 1980 album Home Is Where the Van Is enraged purists aplenty on its release, but is now justly regarded as a landmark in the contemporary evolution of Scottish folk music. Its pioneering integration of non-traditional instruments like synthesiser, electric piano and harMondayica with fiddle and bagpipes proved an enduring inspiration to countless other musicians - aMondayg them being current Battlefield Band fiddler, Alasdair White, who recalls hearing it in his father's record collection as a child. It also marked longtime member Brian McNeill's first notable emergence as a songwriter, in The Lads O' the Fair, and was the group's debut release in America. Tonight's one-off show will feature the 1980 line-up alongside today's, uniting Alan Reid, Brian McNeill, Duncan MacGillivray, Ged Foley, Mike Katz, Alasdair White and Sean O'Donnell, to perform material from both Home Is Where the Van Is and the band's recent repertoire.

The Tailor of Inverness

Saturday 24 January, 8pm
£12.50
The Tron Theatre

Written and performed by Scottish actor Matthew Zajac, this multi-award-winning one-man show, exploring his Polish father's experiences during World War II and subsequent life in Scotland, was a sellout hit at the 2008 Edinburgh Fridaynge. Directed by Ben Harrison, of Grid Iron theatre company, and incorporating live fiddle music from Gavin Marwick (Saturday 24th) and Jonny Hardie (Sunday 25th), it was praised by The Observer as "a triumph of evocative staging and storytelling", and by Fest magazine as "a stunning realiSaturdayion of the one-man form."

A Highland Fiddler featuring Bruce MacGregor, Duncan Chisholm and Ian MacFarlane

Saturday 24 January, 8pm
£12.50
St Andrew's in the Square

A musical tribute to the great Highland fiddler and teacher Donald Riddell (1908-1992), featuring three of his star pupils - Bruce MacGregor, Duncan Chisholm and Iain MacFarlane - accompanied by Jonny Hardie (guitar), Brian MacAlpine (keyboards) and Rory Campbell (whistle, pipes).

Baskery and The Bevvy Sisters

Saturday 24 January, 8pm
£12.50
The Classic Grand

Comprising SWednesdayish sisters Greta, Stella and Sundayniva Bondesson, Baskery stir up a strikingly original, punk-infused blend of country, blues and rock'n'roll, interspersed with lyrical, softer-hued ballads. Aligning vibrant three-part vocals with guitar, banjo, dobro and upright bass, they released their debut album Fall AMondayg Thieves in 2008.

The Bevvy Sisters - recently featured on Eliza Carthy's acclaimed Dreams of Breathing Underwater album - unite the richly seasoned voices of Heather Macleod, Kaela Rowan and Lindsey Black, in a headily harMondayised cocktail of jazz, Americana, folk and newly-written material. Sometimes sighted fronting Edinburgh's semi-mythical LoveBoat Big Band, they're accompanied here by Emma Smith (double bass), David Donnelly (guitar, mandolin) and James Mackintosh (percussion).

Gurf Morlix and The Lost Brothers

Saturday 24 January, 8pm
£12.50
The Tall Ship

Widely revered as a producer and multi-instrumental sideman for all manner of Americana legends, Gurf Morlix is also a singer and songwriter to be treasured, aligning stark yet poetic lyrics with classic country-blues grit. The Lost Brothers are Irish non-siblings Mark McCausland and Oisin Leech (ex-The Basement/747s), singing Everleys-eque harMondayies over twin acoustic guitars.

Ceol's Craic

Saturday 24 Jan, 8.30pm
£12.50
CCA

Tonight's celebration of Gaelic arts features:

Iain Morrison & Daibhidh Martin - a unique combination of English and Gaelic, spoken word, songs and instrumentals, inspired by growing up on the Isle of Lewis.

Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub), Euros Childs and Nuala Kennedy - names that need no introduction who promise to create a contemporary Celtic sound.

Lorcan Mac MaThursdayna - provides his own distinct and highly acclaimed interpretation of Sean-nos.

Sean-nos Dancers - a trio of dancers from Ireland perform the traditional dancing style Sean-nos.

Salsa Celtica and The Long Notes

Saturday 24 January, 9:30pm
£16
Old Fruitmarket

A stunning synthesis of virtuosity and energy, Salsa Celtica's marriage of Latin American sounds with Scottish and Irish folk has been rapturously received at Celtic, jazz, world music and salsa festivals across the globe. Their albums, most recently 2006's El Camino, have topped the New York and LA salsa charts, as well as the European world music charts, cementing their reputation as one of today's most exciting world music acts. Assembled especially for Celtic Connections 2009, the Salsa Celtica Big Big Band features an array of guest instrumentalists encountered on their travels, along with Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis, performing a mix of brand-new material and fresh back-catalogue arrangements.

Notwithstanding the exceptional calibre of its constiTuesdaynts - Scottish fiddler Jamie Smith, ex-Bumblebees accordionist Colette O'Leary and London-Irish banjo/mandolin ace Brian Kelly - The Long Notes' ensemble synergy magically surpasses the sum of its parts, in captivating arrangements of Celtic tunes old and new. Tonight they perform with guest Ewan Robertson (guitar/vocals).

Homecoming Scotland: All-Star Ceilidh Band

Saturday 24 January, 10:30pm
£10
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium

The first ever ceilidh to grace the Main Auditorium of the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall - duly stripped of seats in preparation to give you a chance to don your very best dancing shoes - featuring arguably the finest band ever to lead off a St Bernard's Waltz, exclusively assembled to greet Burns' 250th birthday. A truly formidable accordion frontline features the Fabulous Borsini Brothers themselves, Phil Cunningham and Donald Shaw, together with Fergie MacDonald, Alasdair MacCuish and Gary Innes. Also leading the charge will be fiddlers Charlie McKerron, Allan Henderson, Eilidh Shaw, and Archie McAllister, powered by the dream-team dance-band rhythm section of pianist Tom Orr, bassist Alasdair MacLeod and drummer Fraser MacInnes. As befitting the occasion, this will be a ceilidh in the word's fullest musical and convivial sense, with pauses in the dancing for some surprise special-guest turns, and for sampling the doubtless mighty craic around the main hall.

Book early to be guaranteed dancing space.

Supported by Homecoming Scotland

Celtic Connections Festival Club hosted by Gibb Todd

Saturday 24 January, 10:30pm
£7.50
Quality Hotel

Get ready for some late-night music!

With food and drink in plentiful supply you can happily keep going into the early hours of the morning whilst witnessing some of the best musical collaborations of the festival.

Master of ceremonies, Gibb Todd returns to present each act on stage and Doris Rougvie hosts The House of Song in a peaceful oasis away from the main stage.

Sunday 25th January

Public Workshops - come&try Scottish Step Dance

Sunday 25 January, 11am
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Sandra Robertson from the acclaimed dance group 'Dannsa' will be leading this workshop and will take her students through some basic strathspey and reel steps. Sandra will be concentrating on teaching steps and patterns of steps to interpret the music provided by Fin Moore. Wear any flat shoes (not trainers) that are comfortable for dancing.

Public Workshops - Learn the Irish Pipes in a Day

Sunday 25 January, 11am
£35
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Buchanan Suite

This instrument has a reputation for being difficult to learn but in the skilled hands of Dave Shaw, piper and pipe-maker from North Durham, you will find that you can learn this sweet instrument in just one day. Suspend your disbelief - it can be done! Over 14s and complete beginners please.

Public Workshops - Bodhran for Players

Sunday 25 January, 11am
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, LoMondayd Foyer

Mark Dunlop will show you how to expand your repertoire of rhythms and individualise your style of playing. This workshop is for players who can play jigs and reels at really reel time (no, really) and want to develop light and shade, pace and style in their accompaniment. Please bring your own bodhran.

Public Workshops - come&try Waulking

Sunday 25 January, 11am
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Clyde Foyer

No knowledge of Gaelic is required for this workshop but there is a fair amount of arm activity. The ancient and traditional art of waulking (shrinking) the tweed used to be a familiar sight in the Highlands of Scotland and songs were Sundayg to make the hard work more enjoyable. Chrissie Stewart-Skinner and Alpin Stewart will teach simple and melodic Gaelic songs to help the tweed on its shrinking journey. Come and join in the fun!

New Voices

Griogair

Sunday 25 January, 1pm
£10.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite

An outstanding young champion of his native Gaelic culture, heir to generations of tradition-bearers, the singer, songwriter, piper and guitarist Griogair Labhruidh is one of the few artists today writing new songs in Gaelic. Those premiered here, under the title Fear-ealaidh - an old Gaelic word for a poet or minstrel - range in mood and content from the Saturdayirical to the philosophical, all composed in the venerable bardic metres used by village poets in South Uist. They'll be interwoven with a selection of Griogair's instrumental compositions, in new ensemble arrangements featuring clarsach, uilleann pipes, fiddle and flute alongside his own pipes and guitar.

The line-up for this afternoon's concert includes Colla Domhnallach (fiddle), Eanna O Croinin (uilleann pipes), Ailig Domhnallach (accordion), Sineag Nic an t-Saor (vocals) and Sile Denvir (clarsach).

Sponsored by the Evening Times

Homecoming Scotland Suite featuring The Royal Scottish National Orchestra with

Branford Marsalis & guests
Sunday 25 January, 7:30pm
£22, £20
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium

Scottish traditional and classical music once enjoyed a kinship far removed from today's often rigid demarcations, fruitfully absorbing and reflecting each other's strengths. One of Celtic Connections' centrepiece contributions to the 2009 festivities, the Homecoming Scotland Suite seeks to reinvigorate this relationship in specially-commissioned works from eight leading composers and musicians, performed by the RSNO, conducted by Garry Walker and starring a glittering line-up of soloists.

Sally Beamish's newly-rewritten Under the Wing of the Rock, inspired by a haunting Gaelic lullaby, features the legendary US saxophonist Branford Marsalis, whose gloriously fluent, impassioned playing strongly influenced its original composition. The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra's Greg Lawson will showcase his new arrangement of Martyn Bennett's Liberation for full orchestra.

The night will also feature new works by Arizona-born composer/percussionist Steve Forman, (currently a research fellow at the RSAMD), fiddlers Aidan O'Rourke (orchestrated by Stephen Deazley), Patsy Reid and Chris Stout, Scotland's own legendary saxophonist Tommy Smith, and Irish composer/pianist Brian Byrne.

Supported by Homecoming Scotland

Dougie MacLean

Sunday 25 January, 7:30pm
£16
City Halls, Grand Hall

In 2009, it'll be 30 years since the release of Dougie MacLean's album Caledonia, which launched him as a solo artist after his early career as a member of the pioneering Scottish bands Silly Wizard and the Tannahill Weavers. And it was that album's title song, of course, which made his music known to literally millions, when Frankie Miller's version topped the Scottish charts in 1992, prompting its widespread adoption as Scotland's unofficial national anthem.

During those first three decades, MacLean's resonant voice, melodic craft and timelessly soulful songwriting have been heard in formats ranging from full-scale orchestra to one man and his guitar, and in covers by Kathy Mattea, Mary Black and Dolores Keane, aMondayg many others. His own most recent studio album, 2005's Inside the Thursdaynder, was praised by Dirty Linen as "a delectable palette of colours and moods... sometimes wistful and melancholic, and at other times blissfully uplifting and rejuvenating."

Cerys Matthews and Harem Scarem

Sunday 25 January, 7:30pm
£15 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult)
ABC

From appearing in I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, to duetting on the side with Joneses Tom and Aled, ex-Catatonia vocalist Cerys Matthews certainly likes to keep her fans guessing. Following her country-accented solo debut with Cockahoop in 2003, and the richly textured roots-pop of its 2006 successor, Never Say Goodbye, Matthews' radiantly beautiful, thrillingly verSaturdayile voice has most recently graced her first Welsh-language recording, the mini-album, Awyren = Aeroplane, released in 2007.

Showcasing their new album Storm in a Teacup, folk-pop quartet Harem Scarem - Eilidh Shaw, Sarah McFadyen, Inge Thomson and Ross Martin - expand to a seven-piece for the occasion, including trombonist Rick Taylor and percussionist Donald Hay.

Dervish and Suzanne Houston & Neil Ewart

Sunday 25 January, 8pm
£12.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite

Long ranked aMondayg Ireland's foremost folk acts, the Sligo six-piece Dervish combine awesomely tight, accomplished instrumental playing with the ineffably lovely voice of Cathy Jordan, in a distinctive repertoire of songs old and new, alongside traditional and original tunes. Completing the line-up are Liam Kelly (flute/whistles), Tom Morrow (fiddle), Shane Mitchell (accordion), Brian McDonagh (mandola) and Michael Holmes (bouzouki).

Support comes from 2008 Danny Kyle Award winners Suzanne Houston (piano) and Neil Ewart (fiddle), an impressive duo who met at The National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music in Plockton.

The Tailor of Inverness

Sunday 25 January, 8pm
£12.50
The Tron Theatre

Written and performed by Scottish actor Matthew Zajac, this multi-award-winning one-man show, exploring his Polish father's experiences during World War II and subsequent life in Scotland, was a sell-out hit at the 2008 Edinburgh Fridaynge. Directed by Ben Harrison, of Grid Iron theatre company, and incorporating live fiddle music from Gavin Marwick (Saturday 24th) and Jonny Hardie (Sunday 25th), it was praised by The Observer as "a triumph of evocative staging and storytelling", and by Fest magazine as "a stunning realiSaturdayion of the one-man form."

Uist House Ceilidh with Gillebride MacMillan

Sunday 25 January, 8pm
£12.50
St Andrew's in the Square

Join some of Uist's finest singers and instrumentalists - including Gillebride MacMillan, Catriona Garbutt, Margaret Callan, Mairi MacInnes, Linda MacLeod, Paul McCallum, Alaig MacDonald, John Angus MacInnes and the Soladale Ceilidh Band - and share the unique atmosphere of a traditional Gaelic ceilidh.

Songs of Scotland

Songs of Homecoming
Sunday 25 January, 8pm
£10
Universal

Tonight will be hosted by Doris Rougvie and features Steve Byrne, Gordeanna McCulloch and Calum Alex MacMillan.

The Deighton Family Reunion

Sunday 25 January, 8pm
£12.50
The Tall Ship

Once dubbed "the Carter Family of the global village", seven-piece Barnsley clan The Deighton Family enjoyed major success on the UK and US folk scene during the 1980s and 90s, with their happy-go-lucky blend of bluegrass, Cajun, blues, trad and rockabilly influences. Celtic Connections is delighted to host their first reunion gig for ten years.

Jamaican Burns Night with Sly & Robbie, Edward II and Orange Juice Dub Arkestra

Sunday 25 January, 8:30pm
£22
Old Fruitmarket

Robert Burns never went to Jamaica, but he would have done if the 1786 Kilmarnock Edition of his poems - published to pay for his one-way passage - hadn't become a bestseller. In tribute to this turning-point in his career, and the many themes his work shares with Jamaican music, we celebrate this 250th Burns Night with a unique mini-carnival of Scottish and reggae sounds, sights and tastes.

Arriving direct from Kingston are Sly & Robbie, the legendary rhythm/production team who've presided over Jamaican music since 1975, and their Taxi Gang band. Alongside lovers-rock artist Bitty McLean the Riddim Twins' guests include Sharon Shannon, Edwyn Collins and Karine Polwart, performing specially-created versions of classic Burns songs. The night's musical curator, Sushil K Dade, will host with his all-star Future Pilot Dub Arkestra and will perform 'dub' versions of music by Edwyn Collins' iconic Glasgow group Orange Juice. Newly-reformed folk/reggae pioneers Edward II and the Calypso Steel Band complete the bill, with Jamaican food also included.

Supported by Homecoming Scotland

Celtic Connections Festival Club hosted by Gibb Todd

Sunday 25 January, 10:30pm
£5
Quality Hotel

Get ready for some late-night music!

With food and drink in plentiful supply you can happily keep going into the early hours of the morning whilst witnessing some of the best musical collaborations of the festival.

Master of ceremonies, Gibb Todd returns to present each act on stage and Doris Rougvie hosts The House of Song in a peaceful oasis away from the main stage.

The Twa Robs: Burns & Tannahill

Sunday 25 January, 10:30pm
£10
City Halls, Recital Room

An informal performance of the songs of Robert Burns and Robert Tannahill, from the light galloping instrumental tunes to the lyrical songs of love and social protest. With John Morran, Wendy Weatherby, Marc Duff, Angus Lyon and Dr. Fred Freeman.

Monday 26th January

Iain Anderson in Conversation

Lisa Vickers and Richard Holloway
Monday 26 January, 12:30pm
£3.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Lisa Vickers, Consul General at the American Consulate, Edinburgh and Richard Holloway, Scottish Arts Council Chair discuss Americana in the first Mondayths of the new presidency.

Celtic Music Radio 1530AM Live

Gordon Hotchkiss Hotchpotch Afternoon Session
Monday 26 January, 2pm
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Gordon Hotchkiss presents his show live from the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, featuring all the latest festival news, as well as concert previews and interviews with festival artists.

Danny Kyle's Open Stage

Monday 26 January, 5pm
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall

Sponsored by the Evening Times

Brendan Power

Monday 26 January, 6pm
£10
City Halls, Recital Room

Acknowledged as one of the most creative harMondayica players around, Brendan Power is equally at ease on the earthy blues harp as well as the sophisticated chromatic harMondayica, he tunes them to his own scales to create a highly original style.

Michael Nyman and James Ross

Monday 26 January, 7:30pm
£22, £20
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium

Prolific, critically-lauded and highly popular are three descriptions that few contemporary composers succeed in combining: Michael Nyman is a rare exception. While best known for his film music, he has composed across a vast panoply of contexts and formats, including orchestral, chamber and choral works, dance and theatre scores, opera, multimedia 'happenings' and a computer game soundtrack. Featuring Nyman on piano leading his 12-piece band, tonight's programme focuses on his celebrated collaborations with maverick director Peter Greenaway, from 1982's The Draughtsman's Contract to 1991's Prospero's Books, along with his famously haunting score for Jane Campion's The Piano (1992), based on traditional Scottish song melodies.

Originally commissioned by the 2008 Blas Festival, Chasing the Sunday features its composer, pianist James Ross, with string quartet Mr McFall's Chamber and multi-instrumentalist Fraser Fifield. Evoking a journey along Scotland's north coast from Caithness to Sutherland, the six-part suite is performed against a backdrop of stunning photographic images by Catriona Murray.

"Dhachaigh" - A Celebration of Murdo Macfarlane

Monday 26 January, 8pm
£12.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite

Originally commissioned to commemorate the quarter-centenary of the great Lewis bard Murdo MacFarlane (1901 - 1982), and staged as the sellout opening concert of 2007's Hebridean Celtic Festival, Dhachaigh (Home) features new original compositions alongside stunning treatments of his classic songs, linked by themes of emigration and homecoming. A line-up of today's finest Lewis musicians - singers Ishbel MacAskill, Christine Primrose, Fiona Mackenzie and Calum Alex MacMillan, plus fiddler Alasdair White - are joined by Aidan O'Rourke, Fraser Fifield and Brian O hEadhra, in arrangements that range from solo and unaccompanied to lush full-ensemble numbers.

Songs of Scotland

Bawdy Songs
Monday 26 January, 8pm
£10
Universal

Tonight will be hosted by Doris Rougvie and features Suzie Kelly, Amy Lord and Wendy Weatherby.

Celtic Connections Festival Club hosted by Gibb Todd

Monday 26 January, 10:30pm £3.50 Quality Hotel

Get ready for some late-night music!

With food and drink in plentiful supply you can happily keep going into the early hours of the morning whilst witnessing some of the best musical collaborations of the festival.

Master of ceremonies, Gibb Todd returns to present each act on stage and Doris Rougvie hosts The House of Song in a peaceful oasis away from the main stage.

Celtic Connections 2009 tickets can be booked:

Online : www.celticconnections.com By phone:0141 353 8000
In person: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3NY
City Halls and Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, Merchant City, Glasgow.