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Mandolin Mondays #276 w/ Special Guest Kevin Macleod

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All the way from Scotland, mandolinist Kevin Macleod joins us this week on Mandolin Mondays for a lovely set of traditional Scottish tunes played on his Stefan Sobell mandolin.



Kevin is a multi-instrumentalist from Edinburgh, Scotland who has a deep history in traditional Celtic music. Over the years, he's made music with some of the biggest names in this music, including Alec Finn & Frankie Gavin of De Danann, Ali ‘Beag’ MacLeod, Luke Plumb of “Shooglenifty”, Kris Drever, Gavin McCabe of Rakish, Dan Beimborn, Alasdair Fraser, and many more.

Kevin has also has a deep catalog of recorded work--check out his CDs here: https://www.kevinmacleod.co.uk/shop-discography

And be sure to connect with Kevin at the following links below for more information about his music:

https://www.kevinmacleod.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/kevinhjmacleod/

And as always, tune in next week for more Mandolin Mondays! Until then...

Happy Picking!
David

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Comments

  1. Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
    Nicely played, Kevin. Good to see you as a part of this series. The Sobell sounds fantastic, but much of that is always the player.
  2. kmmando's Avatar
    Hopefully a little different for the series, variety being the spice of life, and we certainly need that these days! I am amazed at the sound, as that was simply the wee video camera microphone, as basic as it gets. It's a great wee mandolin though, nearly 40 years old!
    Thanks for having me on this great series, most honoured!
  3. Jill McAuley's Avatar
    Wonderful stuff Kevin, definitely brightened up a dreary, drizzly day here in Co. Mayo!
  4. kmmando's Avatar
    Thanks Jill! best wishes, Kevin
  5. kmmando's Avatar
    If anyone is interested, the first tune was written in 1994 to commemorate the opening of this land monument in Lewis, one of 4 that my cousin Will Maclean has designed to remember the struggles that the people of Lewis endured in the effort to obtain land to survive on.

    https://www.virtualheb.co.uk/balalla...land-struggle/



    The second tune, a 6/8 pipe march was written by my great friend Freeland Barbour, leader of our ceilidh band The Occasionals, written for my late father Roddie Macleod, Polbain.

    The last short reel is a 4 part pipe version of Lord MacDonald.
  6. EvanElk's Avatar
    Thanks Kevin - that was fantastic!
  7. Michael Romkey's Avatar
    Very nice indeed! Thank you for these and getting our week of to a good start.
  8. Joe Dodson's Avatar
    Very nice. I'm curious where a National guitar finds its way into traditional Celtic music.
  9. Dagger Gordon's Avatar
    Grand stuff Kevin.
    That Sobell has fairly earned its keep!
  10. kmmando's Avatar
    Thanks, it's kind of you to comment.

    Joe, the first National tenor I saw was one that Alec Finn found in a junk shop in America, and subsequently recorded several tracks on some earlier De Danann LPs. A unique sound. I own two, a 1928 tricone



    and a 1930 single cone one. Great fun to play, and an octave down from the fiddles/flutes/pipes!
  11. kmmando's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Dagger Gordon
    Grand stuff Kevin.
    That Sobell has fairly earned its keep!
    Sure has! Just keeps on sounding sweet!
  12. kmmando's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Dodson
    Very nice. I'm curious where a National guitar finds its way into traditional Celtic music.
    Joe
    Here's the old Nationals together on the West of Ireland.

    https://vimeo.com/26553352
  13. Matt's Avatar
    Big thumbs up from Richmond, Virginia!
  14. kmmando's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Matt
    Big thumbs up from Richmond, Virginia!
    Many thanks Matt, all the best from Scotland!
  15. John Kelly's Avatar
    Well up to your usual standard, Kevin. Amazing sound from the set-up you mention! Thanks to David for inviting Kevin to feature on Mandolin Mondays.
  16. Dagger Gordon's Avatar
    I think you also get some brownie points for standing up to play. I'm not sure I can remember anyone else doing that on Mandolin Mondays, although no doubt I'm talking through a hole in my hat there!
  17. kmmando's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Dagger Gordon
    I think you also get some brownie points for standing up to play. I'm not sure I can remember anyone else doing that on Mandolin Mondays, although no doubt I'm talking through a hole in my hat there!
    Haha! I hardly ever play standing up! Getting too decrepit! Must have had a bit of energy that day!
  18. kt-va's Avatar
    wonderful! another thankyou from RVA
  19. kmmando's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by kt-va
    wonderful! another thankyou from RVA
    thanks, and it's kind of you to comment! Much appreciated!
  20. Tom D's Avatar
    Thanks Kevin! Great tunes and well played. Do you have a link to music for the first tune, Deer Raid Marchers? I couldn't seem to locate that pipe tune.
  21. kmmando's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom D
    Thanks Kevin! Great tunes and well played. Do you have a link to music for the first tune, Deer Raid Marchers? I couldn't seem to locate that pipe tune.
    Tom, I have only recently found it, and have a rough picture of the first two parts. Parts 3 and 4 i added myself, but have not scored them onto it yet - not very good at that! PM me and I can get you the original 2 parts. Cheers Kevin
  22. Alfons's Avatar
    Nice tunes and well played. The sound was pretty good for a video cam! I really enjoyed watching your right hand as well - beautiful economy of motion for all that great music coming out of it.
  23. kmmando's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Alfons
    Nice tunes and well played. The sound was pretty good for a video cam! I really enjoyed watching your right hand as well - beautiful economy of motion for all that great music coming out of it.
    thanks a lot! A self taught right hand but the left was trained from a young age by a quality classical violin teacher! I seem to hold the pick differently from the usual descriptions in tutorial books. Just felt right my way!
  24. Gelsenbury's Avatar
    Fantastic! I enjoyed the tunes and that sound very much.
  25. kmmando's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Gelsenbury
    Fantastic! I enjoyed the tunes and that sound very much.
    Cheers! best wishes Kevin
  26. kmmando's Avatar
  27. kmmando's Avatar