Jamie Laval’s TED Talk - Scottish Fiddle (NMC)

[Caleb]

Love this fellow’s playing and attitude. Enjoy.

https://youtu.be/D5tcAWF2YFQ

[Dave Hanson]

I'm instantly put off by someone who obviously isn't Scottish wearing a kilt.

Dave H

[Dagger Gordon]

I'm instantly put off by someone who obviously isn't Scottish wearing a kilt.

Dave H

Oh I don't know? The mair kilts the better!

Brown shoes though .... Possibly suede even?
Not so sure about that.....

[foldedpath]

He's an interesting musician. Below is a clip I've referred to here before, probably the best explanation I've ever seen for why the "natural tempos" for Irish/Scottish tunes are what they are. It's about the natural rhythm of the dancers, and why it always looks like dancers are moving half as fast as the musicians playing the tune:



At one time, Jamie Laval played with mandolinist Ashley Broder, with a duo album out called "Zephyr in the Confetti Factory." It's one of the best I've heard for sensitive interaction between fiddle and mandolin as a duo. Not much available on YouTube, but here's one performance. Ashley starts on fiddle, but listen to what they do when she shifts to mandolin (video cut at around 1:20). Some really great melody and "backup mandolin" behind fiddle:

[Dagger Gordon]

I must admit he can explain things pretty well. He is right enough about dancing speed, and I found his talk to be very effective.

I have heard people say that Scottish and Irish tunes work well at about the speed of your heartbeat. I suppose that depends how much coffee you've had etc, but I can see that music would resonate (new agey warning!) with you if it was in sync with your basic body pulse, if you like.

I just checked on that. Average dance rate for Scottish jigs/reels seems to be about 112 beats per minute.
When taking a brisk walk, it appears that your heart rate can range from 90 to 135 beats per minute.

So an effective speed for dance tune probably does correlate quite well with your heart beat, not only for dancing but listening as well. It will somehow sound right.

[Caleb]

At one time, Jamie Laval played with mandolinist Ashley Broder, with a duo album out called "Zephyr in the Confetti Factory." It's one of the best I've heard for sensitive interaction between fiddle and mandolin as a duo.

I bought that album shorty after it came out. Lots of haunting and beautiful stuff there, and their weaving together of the mandolin and fiddle is unlike anything I've ever heard. They were a truly great duo: too bad they didn't continue on.

Oddly enough, my iTunes version of this album disappeared from my music library (thanks, Apple Inc. - not only have you wiped out my entire music library TWICE via software upgrades, but now music that I paid for disappears randomly - great service!) and is no longer available. The album can still be found on CD at Amazon, though not digitally. Also, if you've not checked out Ashley Broder's solo record, I recommend it.

Whether this fellow has any business wearing a kilt is out of my pay grade. I'm from Texas and will keep my opinions to cowboy hats. I just think he's a wonderful player with a good attitude and message.

[BJ O'Day]

Jamie Laval and Ashley Broder play together on "Murmurs and Drones" too.
BJ