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The Outside Track

Traditional music. Songs and tunes with a modern twist!

Touring Canada and the USA in Summer 2011 - Next UK tour planned for late 2011 or 2012

NEW CD for 2010: 'Curious Things Given Wings - Listen Here

Soundclips:Poor Lonesome Hen; MacCallum's Reel;Cailin Rua; Kiss in the Morning

Download stage plan and tech spec
Read a 2010 magazine article

With a line-up that includes the BBC Fame Academy Bursary winner 2007 (Fiona Black) and the BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year finalist 2008 (Ailie Robertson) and 2008 Canadian Folk Music Awards Traditional Singer nominee (Norah Rendell), plus acclaimed Irish guitarist, Cillian O'Dálaigh and the internationally renowned Mairi Rankin from Cape Breton its no wonder that The Outside Track are one of the most talked about young bands on the scene. They did a storming festival tour of Canada (2009) where Steve Edge of the prestigious Rogue Folk in Vancouver said this of their current lineup:
"Mission [festival] was incredible, even more so for the music than for the storm. A full recovery was made on Sunday and all the performers scheduled for a Saturday concert got to play Main Stage. There were many musical highlights, and one of the best-received bands of the whole weekend was The Outside Track."

The Outside Track's debut album, distributed in the UK by Proper, has had worlwide airplay and excellent reviews. They had a great review in Rock 'N' Reel Magazine and you can read it all by clicking on the thumbnail to the left. CD's are selling all over the world, including Canada, America and Japan.

"This eclectic combination buzz and fizz together, producing modern acoustic folk music of the very highest quality. The set-up of flute, fiddle and clarsaich brings to mind early Chieftains and the playing is of as high a quality." - Maverick Magazine,

The Outside Track are quickly earning themselves a reputation as one of the most exciting new bands on the scene. With a truly diverse international line-up, they combine music from all their different cultures to form a distinct and dynamic musical sound. Norah Rendell (Canada) plays flute and sings beautifully; Ailie Robertson (Scotland) plays clarsach (harp) and electroharp; Fiona Black (Scotland) plays accordion and Cillian O'Dálaigh, the only Irish member and the only man in the outfit plays guitar, sings harmonies and takes the lead on the occasional Irish language song. They've just been joined by Mairi Rankin of the famous Nova Scotia folk family. She not only plays fiddle and sings, but stepdances too. Their talents all combine in expressive, energetic arrangements that deliver traditional music with a modern twist.

"Another terrific new young band rooted in tradition but exploring the future with equal enthusiasm." - World Unlimited

Their debut CD, The Outside Track, is gathering great reviews in major national and international press. The Telegraph (UK) said: "as close to being as good as Irish music currently gets" and Maverick magazine said: "This is a superb debut album from a precociously talented group of musicians." Solid praise, indeed. Audience reaction has been great. They've played to full houses in many of their venues. David Kidman's review said they are, "tinged with a spirit of adventure that doesn't rely on mere effect for its impact."

"The Outside Track is a new international ensemble whose CD is the most exciting music, let alone folk music, I've heard in years. Beautifully sang and played, they aren't afraid of boundaries. It's so my kind of music!" - Karen Tweed

Song repertoire encompasses both classic ballads and contemporary songwriting, combining the tradition with fresh new material. Group harmony singing sits alongside sparkling new instrumental sets. With an average age below 25 the members of the band may be young, but between them they have performing credentials that many veteran bands could wish for.

"A wonderful performance that showcased talent and virtuosity" - The Munster Express

The original band formed at university (the Irish Music School in Limerick) and toured Ireland in 2006 and 2007, learning the ropes, but since then they've moved on with lineup changes of guitarist and fiddler, each time emerging stronger and more deeply committed to carving a path for themselves through the international folk scene. Their 2007 debut appearance at Celtic Connections, on the Danny Kyle stage, set the buzz going in the UK and in the summer of 2007 they launched their new CD at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In 2009 they have a second CD in preparation.

Norah Rendell (flute, lead voice)
Founder member Norah Rendell hails from Vancouver, on Canada's west coast. She began her professional music career as a recorder player in Montreal and then Vancouver, where she was a featured soloist with the McGill Baroque Orchestra, the Pacific Baroque Orchestra and the Burney Ensemble. She is a founding member of a cappella world music group, The No Shit Shirleys, five-piece Canadian roots band, Cleia, and celtic trio, the Maenads, all of which have toured in western Canada. She lives in Minnesota where she plays in a duo and a band and also teaches traditional flute.

"They're all excellent musicians who've put tremendous thought and effort into their varied and intricate arrangements of the well-chosen songs and tunes here." - Hot Press, Ireland

Fiona Black (accordion)
From Evanton in the Highlands of Scotland, Fiona Black began playing music through the feisean movement, participating, then doing ceilidh trails then recently tutoring. She plays (mainly) piano accordion and also fiddle and flute. She attended the National Centre of Excellence for two years where she received lessons from Blair Douglass and Iain MacFarlane. She has played throughout Scotland including Celtic Connections, Celtic Chaos, Tartan Heart Festival and Blas. She takes influences from many different bands and musicians including Karen Tweed, Crooked Still, Phil Cunningham, Donald Shaw, Karine Polwart, Blazin Fiddles and Harem Scarem. Though the baby of the group age-wise if not talent-wise, she's been a band member from Day One.

"I'm decidedly impressed, and very much satisfied, by this CD, and would recommend it to all who love Celtic music, not only well-played and creatively-arranged but also tinged with a spirit of adventure that doesn't rely on mere effect for its impact." - David Kidman.

Cillian O'Dálaigh (guitar, voice)
Born In Hamburg, Germany to a German mother and an Irish father, Cillian O'Dálaigh has been surrounded by Irish music from day one.  Cillian's  father played with Irish band, Cromlach and Cillian learned from him - and learned well.  The family moved to Ireland when Cillian was 8 years of age and Irish music quickly became a major part of their family life when they formed the family band, Trazz, including all the O'Dálaigh brothers, one sister and their father.  Performing on stage with Trazz since he was fourteen, Cillian has toured extensively in Ireland, Germany, France and the UK as both a guitarist and flute player.  Cillian has recently graduated with a BA in Irish Music and Dance from the University of Limerick. He replaces Alan Jordan as a full time group member and has bravely taken on the role of being the only man in an all-girl band. Good job he's real live-wire, then.

"The Outside Track combines musical expertise with a colourful eclecticism. The resulting sound is a cosmopolitan one rooted in traditional subtleties and melodic nuances. Talented composers and arrangers, they search beyond the familiar for their repertoire and deliver a rich tapestry of diverse and varied sounds that looks to the future." - John O'Reagan

Ailie Robertson (Harp, voice)
By the age of 22 Edinburgh-girl Ailie Robertson already had some of the most impressive credentials in the Scottish harp world. A 4-time National Mod Gold Medalist, she was also 1st prizewinner at the inaugural London Harp Competition, and best overall musician at the Edinburgh Competition Festival. In 2000 she was selected to represent Commun na Clarsach for Scotland at the Pan Celtic Festival in Ireland. She was awarded a scholarship from the ESU in recognition of her 'virtuosic clarsach playing', and was also a winner of the St Albans New Roots award. She played in the Scottish Harp Orchestra, Na Clarsairean for many years, performing with them at two World Harp Congresses - in Seattle and Prague. She has given recitals at events all over Scotland, including performing for HRH the Queen and performed at the 2007 Edinburgh International Harp Festival by invitation. Her solo harp album received rave reviews in 2008. One of the group's founders, her energy and organisation are the Scottish rock to which The Outside Track is anchored.

Mairi Rankin (Fiddle, voice, step dance)
New to the band at the beginning of the Canadian tour in 2009, and originally depping for Sarah-Jane, Mairi is now a fully committed full-time band-member. One of the hugely influential Rankin Family - legends on the Canadian music scene - she plays fiddle, sings and also step-dances up a storm. Born in Mabou, Nova Scotia, Mairi has been influenced by some of the best Cape Breton traditional musicians and instructors on the island. She has developed her own unique style by being immersed in such a rich musical culture. She has toured nationally and internationally as a solo artist, a sideman and is a member of the Cape Breton Celtic super group Beolach. She has performed with the Rankin Sisters, Unusual Suspects and Bruce Guthro to name a few. She has appeared on the television broadcasts of DRUM!, the East Coast Music Awards, Rita MacNeil’s Christmas special and MNE’s Togaidh Sinn Fonn in Scotland. Her festival credits internationally include Celtic Connections, Chicago Celtic Festival, Milwaukee Irish Festival, BLAS, Tonder Festival. In Canada she has performed at all the major folk and Celtic festivals including Winnipeg Folk Festival, Calgary Folk Festival, Edmonton Folk Festival, Dawson City Folk Festival and the internationally renowned Celtic Colours Festival. She has taught her folk arts at Universities, schools, festivals and workshops. Some of these include Newcastle University, England; Augusta Heritage Festival, West Virginia; Scottish Arts School, Ohio; Buddy MacMaster School of Fiddling, Cape Breton; Montpelier Fiddle Camp, Vermont. Mairi has recorded one solo album, two CDs with Beolach and has been featured on numerous compilations and recordings.

www.theoutsidetrack.com

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