Malinky
Encyclopedia
Malinky is a Scottish folk band specialising in Scots
song.
Formed in autumn 1998, the original members were Karine Polwart
from Banknock
, Stirlingshire (vocals, guitar, bouzouki), Steve Byrne from Arbroath
(vocals, guitar, bouzouki
, mandolin), Mark Dunlop from Garryduff, Co. Antrim
(bodhrán, whistles, vocals) and English fiddler Kit Patterson.
First meeting to rehearse in early October that year, the band was largely formed to help Polwart fulfil a support slot at Edinburgh Folk Club
some ten days later, supporting harpist and storyteller Robin Williamson
, formerly of the Incredible String Band
. The members had previously encountered each other around the lively pub session scene in Edinburgh in venues such as Sandy Bell's and the Royal Oak bars. Polwart was a social worker, Byrne a student of Scottish Studies, Dunlop a town planner with the city council, and Patterson a computer programmer from Plymouth.
Amidst the plethora of good young instrumental bands on the scene, Malinky stood out owing to their almost exclusive concentration on Scots traditional song, as well as Polwart's burgeoning songwriting talent. Within six months the band had won a 'Danny Award' for new talent at Glasgow's Celtic Connections festival and were signed to the leading Scottish independent folk imprint Greentrax Recordings, as well as kicking off their international career with a trip to the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany.
The band's first album 'Last Leaves' was recorded in 1999 and released at Celtic Connections 2000, with the late Davy Steele as producer. The album was recorded at Pier House Studios in Granton, Edinburgh.
In 2000, the band were invited to perform at Denmark's prestigious Tønder Festival and the UK's Cambridge Folk Festival.
In early 2001, Edinburgh-born Jon Bews, formerly of Bùrach, replaced Patterson on fiddle, and later that year Tyrone button box and whistle player Leo McCann was asked to join to expand the band's largely string-driven sound. McCann toured with the band for the first time on the Scottish Folk Festival tour of Germany in January 2002, where the band honed the material for their second album on Greentrax, 3 Ravens. Launched on their return visit to Cambridge Folk Festival in August 2002, the band's recording of the traditional song 'Billy Taylor' set to Polwart's tune attracted the attention of BBC Radio 2's Mike Harding and significant airplay boosted the band's profile considerably. Polwart's song 'Thaney', about the Scottish Saint Thenew, (more commonly known as Enoch), earned a nomination in the 2003 Radio 2 Folk Awards. 3 Ravens also showcased Byrne's own growing songwriting talents for the first time, with his Angus Scots lament 'The Lang Road Doon'. 3 Ravens was recorded at Castlesound Studios in Pencaitland, East Lothian.
Following continued touring in Europe, especially in Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia, in September 2004 the band announced a major change of personnel. Polwart left to pursue a solo career and McCann's imminent fatherhood prompted him to return to his previous career in social work. Polwart and McCann worked their notice until February 2005, coincidentally the same month as Polwart swept the boards at the Radio 2 Folk Awards, catapulting her re-released 2003 solo album 'Faultlines' to greater heights.
Byrne, Dunlop and Bews continued the band with new members Fiona Hunter from Glasgow (vocals, cello) and Liverpool-born Ewan MacPherson (guitar, mandolin, mandola, tenor banjo, jaw harp, vocals), and a series of crossover concerts in January and February 2005 took place, featuring both old and new lineups, including a sellout show at Celtic Connections in Glasgow.
In June 2005 the band recorded their third album 'The Unseen Hours' at Watercolour Studios in Ardgour, Lochaber in the Scottish Highlands, and the album was released in November 2005, surprising many critics with its continuity from the band's previous work, and earning rave reviews with its strong commitment to traditional Scots ballads.
The Unseen Hours lineup toured Germany and the Netherlands in 2006 to great acclaim and in 2007 performed with Swedish ballad band Ranarim
at the Celtic Connections festival as well as making their first sojourn to the USA and Canada.
In December 2007 MacPherson left the band to pursue other projects to be replaced by guitar and bouzouki player David Wood from Grindleford
in Derbyshire
, formerly of CrossCurrent
.
Fiddler
Mike Vass joined the band in 2008, previously best known for performing in a duo with his sister Ali Vass, replacing Jon Bews.
The band's 2008 album 'Flower & Iron' was released simultaneously in the USA on Mad River Records and in the UK and elsewhere on Greentrax Recordings, leading the UK's Guardian
newspaper to label the band 'one of the folk bands of 2009', whilst the Boston Globe suggested Malinky "may be the finest young Scottish band since Silly Wizard
", in a nod to the legendary Scottish group which brought Phil Cunningham
, his brother Johnny, and Andy M. Stewart
to prominence.
In April 2010, founder member Mark Dunlop left to start a family, and the band reverted to a four-piece. Mike Vass subsequently left the band in October 2010 to pursue a fiddle teaching job in Argyllshire. The 2010 BBC Radio Scotland Young Musician of the Year, Daniel Thorpe, currently occupies the fiddle seat on a guest basis.
In December 2010, the band won the 'Scottish Folk Band of the Year' award at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, led by concertina maestro Simon Thoumire
's Hands up for Trad organisation.
In June 2011, the band announced a hiatus after three years of intensive touring.
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
song.
Formed in autumn 1998, the original members were Karine Polwart
Karine Polwart
Karine Polwart is a Scottish singer-songwriter. She writes and performs music with a strong folk and roots feel, her songs dealing with a variety of issues from alcoholism to genocide...
from Banknock
Banknock
Banknock is a village within the Falkirk council area in Central Scotland. The village is west-southwest of Falkirk, east-northeast of Kilsyth and north-northeast of Cumbernauld....
, Stirlingshire (vocals, guitar, bouzouki), Steve Byrne from Arbroath
Arbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
(vocals, guitar, bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
, mandolin), Mark Dunlop from Garryduff, Co. Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
(bodhrán, whistles, vocals) and English fiddler Kit Patterson.
First meeting to rehearse in early October that year, the band was largely formed to help Polwart fulfil a support slot at Edinburgh Folk Club
Edinburgh Folk Club
Edinburgh Folk Club is the principle folk club within the Scottish capital city, Edinburgh. The club's roots date back to the early seventies where it grew from the British folk revival into one of the most respected and long running clubs in Scotland....
some ten days later, supporting harpist and storyteller Robin Williamson
Robin Williamson
Robin Williamson is a Scottish multi-instrumentalist musician, singer, songwriter and storyteller, who first made his name as a founder member of The Incredible String Band.-Career:...
, formerly of the Incredible String Band
Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band were a psychedelic folk band formed in Scotland in 1966. The band built a considerable following, especially within British counterculture, before splitting up in 1974...
. The members had previously encountered each other around the lively pub session scene in Edinburgh in venues such as Sandy Bell's and the Royal Oak bars. Polwart was a social worker, Byrne a student of Scottish Studies, Dunlop a town planner with the city council, and Patterson a computer programmer from Plymouth.
Amidst the plethora of good young instrumental bands on the scene, Malinky stood out owing to their almost exclusive concentration on Scots traditional song, as well as Polwart's burgeoning songwriting talent. Within six months the band had won a 'Danny Award' for new talent at Glasgow's Celtic Connections festival and were signed to the leading Scottish independent folk imprint Greentrax Recordings, as well as kicking off their international career with a trip to the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany.
The band's first album 'Last Leaves' was recorded in 1999 and released at Celtic Connections 2000, with the late Davy Steele as producer. The album was recorded at Pier House Studios in Granton, Edinburgh.
In 2000, the band were invited to perform at Denmark's prestigious Tønder Festival and the UK's Cambridge Folk Festival.
In early 2001, Edinburgh-born Jon Bews, formerly of Bùrach, replaced Patterson on fiddle, and later that year Tyrone button box and whistle player Leo McCann was asked to join to expand the band's largely string-driven sound. McCann toured with the band for the first time on the Scottish Folk Festival tour of Germany in January 2002, where the band honed the material for their second album on Greentrax, 3 Ravens. Launched on their return visit to Cambridge Folk Festival in August 2002, the band's recording of the traditional song 'Billy Taylor' set to Polwart's tune attracted the attention of BBC Radio 2's Mike Harding and significant airplay boosted the band's profile considerably. Polwart's song 'Thaney', about the Scottish Saint Thenew, (more commonly known as Enoch), earned a nomination in the 2003 Radio 2 Folk Awards. 3 Ravens also showcased Byrne's own growing songwriting talents for the first time, with his Angus Scots lament 'The Lang Road Doon'. 3 Ravens was recorded at Castlesound Studios in Pencaitland, East Lothian.
Following continued touring in Europe, especially in Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia, in September 2004 the band announced a major change of personnel. Polwart left to pursue a solo career and McCann's imminent fatherhood prompted him to return to his previous career in social work. Polwart and McCann worked their notice until February 2005, coincidentally the same month as Polwart swept the boards at the Radio 2 Folk Awards, catapulting her re-released 2003 solo album 'Faultlines' to greater heights.
Byrne, Dunlop and Bews continued the band with new members Fiona Hunter from Glasgow (vocals, cello) and Liverpool-born Ewan MacPherson (guitar, mandolin, mandola, tenor banjo, jaw harp, vocals), and a series of crossover concerts in January and February 2005 took place, featuring both old and new lineups, including a sellout show at Celtic Connections in Glasgow.
In June 2005 the band recorded their third album 'The Unseen Hours' at Watercolour Studios in Ardgour, Lochaber in the Scottish Highlands, and the album was released in November 2005, surprising many critics with its continuity from the band's previous work, and earning rave reviews with its strong commitment to traditional Scots ballads.
The Unseen Hours lineup toured Germany and the Netherlands in 2006 to great acclaim and in 2007 performed with Swedish ballad band Ranarim
Ranarim
Ranarim are a folk band from Sweden. Their current line up consists of Sofia Sandén and Ulrika Bodén on vocals, Niklas Roswall on nyckelharp, Jens Engelbrecht on guitar and mandola, Anders Johnsson on double bass, and Olle Linder on percussion...
at the Celtic Connections festival as well as making their first sojourn to the USA and Canada.
In December 2007 MacPherson left the band to pursue other projects to be replaced by guitar and bouzouki player David Wood from Grindleford
Grindleford
Grindleford is a village and parish in the county of Derbyshire, in the East Midlands of England. It lies at an altitude of in the valley of the River Derwent in the Peak District National Park. On the west side of the valley is the high Sir William Hill, and to the south-east lies the gritstone...
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, formerly of CrossCurrent
Crosscurrent
Crosscurrent is Jake Shimabukuro's second solo album. It was released in August 2003.-Track listing:# "Crosscurrent"# "Toastman's Dilemma"# "Fragile"# "I've Been Thinking"# "Wish On My Star"# "Spain"# "Mrs. Robinson"# "Skyline"# "Orange World"...
.
Fiddler
Fiddler
A fiddler is a person who plays a fiddle or violin.Fiddler may also refer to:*Fabrangen Fiddlers, an American musical group founded in 1971*Tupolev Tu-28 "Fiddler", a fighter aircraft*Fiddler , a DC Comics villain...
Mike Vass joined the band in 2008, previously best known for performing in a duo with his sister Ali Vass, replacing Jon Bews.
The band's 2008 album 'Flower & Iron' was released simultaneously in the USA on Mad River Records and in the UK and elsewhere on Greentrax Recordings, leading the UK's Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
newspaper to label the band 'one of the folk bands of 2009', whilst the Boston Globe suggested Malinky "may be the finest young Scottish band since Silly Wizard
Silly Wizard
Silly Wizard was a Scottish folk band that began forming in Edinburgh in 1970. The founder members were two like-minded university students—Gordon Jones and Bob Thomas...
", in a nod to the legendary Scottish group which brought Phil Cunningham
Phil Cunningham
Phil Cunningham may refer to:*Phil Cunningham , Scottish accordionist with the folk group Silly Wizard*Phil Cunningham , English guitarist, member of New Order, Bad Lieutenant and Marion...
, his brother Johnny, and Andy M. Stewart
Andy M. Stewart
Andy M. Stewart is a Scottish singer and songwriter, formerly the frontman for Silly Wizard.Stewart toured with Silly Wizard until the band broke up in 1988. Since then, he has recorded four solo albums, as well as three with Manus Lunny...
to prominence.
In April 2010, founder member Mark Dunlop left to start a family, and the band reverted to a four-piece. Mike Vass subsequently left the band in October 2010 to pursue a fiddle teaching job in Argyllshire. The 2010 BBC Radio Scotland Young Musician of the Year, Daniel Thorpe, currently occupies the fiddle seat on a guest basis.
In December 2010, the band won the 'Scottish Folk Band of the Year' award at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, led by concertina maestro Simon Thoumire
Simon Thoumire
Simon Thoumire is a Scottish musician and a concertina virtuoso.Thoumire has played all over the world. A winner of the BBC Radio 2 Young Tradition Award in 1989, Thoumire has always been keen to explore different genres of music, releasing many records over the years delving into folk, jazz,...
's Hands up for Trad organisation.
In June 2011, the band announced a hiatus after three years of intensive touring.
Malinky
- Last Leaves (2000)
- 3 Ravens (2002)
- The Unseen Hours (2005)
- Flower & Iron (2008)