At the heart of BAG 0' CATS debut album lies a strong feeling for Scottish traditional music but the Band has woven in a wide range of other influences, which has created a rich and original tapestry of sound. Dick Lee (saxophone, clarinets and recorder) and Fraser Fifield (Border pipes, saxophone and whistle) provide the Band's powerful front line. Those familiar with Dick's imaginative jazz/folk fusion work with Hamish Moore, and Fraser's expressive contribution to Old Blind Dogs and Salsa Celtica, will be prepared for their glorious blending of wind parts. They are skilfully supported by Nigel Richard, on cittern, Border pipes, and manditar (a cross between a sitar and mandola, which he developed for playing Eastern music); Rick Bamford plays a wide variety of percussion instruments and his performances are also much appreciated in the Cauld Blast Orchestra and Mr. McFalls Chamber; Rick Standley brings to Bag o' Cats an unusual combination of skills, playing string bass in a National orchestra and electric bass in a jazz/rock band. Together this Band makes great music. "A veritable wonderworld of flavours, sounds, tunes and time signatures... take my word for it that this reeling, raga-ing, swinging, swaggering hotline from the Himalayas, via the Balkans, to Cairngorm, is the bees knees." Rod Adams, The Glasgow Herald. "Uplifting and inspiring, the entire set was a tribute to how closely aligned world musical heritage is and how fluidly borders can be traversed to create a diverse, dynamic and inventive sound" Kaye McAlpine, Evening News. "Wild inventive and eclectic stuff...this is music into which you can wander and happily lose yourself" Jim Gilchhrist, The Scotsman. This innovative Band is bound to create a real buzz with their incredibly diverse album and we share producer John Wesley Barker's excitement - watch this space! Dick Lee can also be heard with Hamish Moore on CDTRAX 202 The Bees Knees and CDTRAX 063 Farewell to Decorum; Fraser Fifield on various albums including G2CD 7005 Salsa Celtica - The Great Scottish Latin Adventure. |
