Iain macleod

[Jim MacDaniel]

Anyone hear anything about what Iain Macleod (of The House Band and Shooglenifty fame) is up to musically as of late, or perhaps see him at any recent Edinburgh sessions? His tight, rythmic, and expressive playing style -- especially on the early Shoogle CD's (as well as on one cut from the Afro-Celts first recording) -- inspired me to pick up the mandolin in the first place, and I have been looking forward to his return to the recording studio.

[Dagger Gordon]

I've occasionally heard of him playing with flute player Nuala Kennedy.

Check out Chiff and Fipple Forums - The great and awesome flute youtube thread.
Page 10, 27th Jan 2008 Nuala Kennedy and you'll see them in action in Inverness

[Jim MacDaniel]

Thanks Dagger -- the two vids are great (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oycp3N6TL-c, & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl1rykwrbxs) and I also really enjoyed the Bjork's Chauffer vid I just found as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdlKrDhvrRI

(One more I just found from the 2007 Hartley-Castaña Folk Festival: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g9G843uSws)

[kmmando]

I joined a wee tune in The Royal Oak in Edinburgh just last weekend with Ian and several others - he is in tremendous form, playing wonderfully, and busy on a new cross-music group with fiddler Simon Bradley, a jazz musician and a latin bassist, I think - looked like an interesting line-up, which is kicking off a new groove club in Edinburgh this saturday.

Ian still plays the grand old cedar topped 5 course Sobell mandolin he has had for years, and it still sounds wonderful. Top musician and geezer!

Kevin (no relation) Macleod

[Jim MacDaniel]

Thanks for the post, Kevin. His new project (Vibrona, I think) sounds quite interesting. (I hope he and his new group hit the studio soon.)

[kmmando]

Here's the new club hosted by Iain Macleod and others

http://www.myspace.com/clubgalore


KM

[Jim MacDaniel]

Thanks for the link, Kevin. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

BTW, did you see the movie Driving Lessons? If so, what club hosted the scene with Salsa Celtica --was that truely in Edinburgh, and do they really host a recurring Salsa night with SC? (I'm there if so!)

[Dagger Gordon]

I think I heard that Iain's Sobell was getting pretty knackered. Seemed OK to you, Kevin?

I like the sound of Club Galore. Is Ruari Sutherland Big Jim's son?

[kmmando]

His Sobell has certainly been well played over the years and looks the part accordingly. Iain mentioned that one of the tone bars inside was loose, but that may have been fixed. I'm not sure. It is a powerful, loud, yet mellow instrument still. He's playing really well, a delight to hear. #

Not sure about Ruari Sutherland but it could well be.

I hope club Galore was jumping with cheery Scotland fans, after the recapture of the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield!

cheers #Kevin

[Jim MacDaniel]

Here is a recent vid of Iain and Simon that I just found -- hot stuff!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeZGpRMJb44

[Jock]

Found this gem featuring Iain on mandolin that might be of interest. Also featuring the tremendous Kathryn Nicol Fiddle Angus Grant Jn Fiddle and Russel Hunter piano, great stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7QC88RSoOk

And a couple of newer Nula Kennedy band vids with Iain's playing just perceptible in the mix;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm8IBIYCDdo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaIV8wa7JvE

[whistler]

I always found it a shame, when Iain played in Shooglenifty, that his mandolin was barely audible above the rhythm section. A great player - and very modest, it would seem.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Here are a few older Shoogle vids I just found..

From 1998:










...and they are the second group performing on this episode of Norhtern Lights in 2000:

[Jock]

Jim, great old footage there and thanks for posting it, kind of makes me feel old looking through it though, lol.


A great player - and very modest, it would seem.

Aye whistler I'd agree with that. What never fails to amaze me about Iain's playing is the fact that despite playing with such a strong drive and pulse, which in it's self is truly infectious if your lucky enough to be in about it, the amount of detail he manages to get into a tune is quite remarkable. It's a pity he is so modest as we could do with a few albums from him. I think he could be waiting for the Hearts to win the Cup, in which case we may have to wait a little while longer......................

[Dagger Gordon]

He's gigging fairly regularly with Nuala Kennedy these days, so you might manage to see him somewhere. He was mentioned in a review of a Nuala gig in The Scotsman newspaper quite recently.

[Jim MacDaniel]

...the amount of detail he manages to get into a tune is quite remarkable.

Your comment reminded me of his work on this tune on the Afro Celt's first CD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTTDsD9DDBc (studio track with no video content)

The mandolin is back in the mix, so except for when he is trading licks with their kora player a little after 6:00 in through the end of the tune, it's easier to hear the mandolin with headphones on. (Seems like his mandolin work was primarilly intended to add texture to the tune, which it does nicely.)