Alasdair White
Encyclopedia
Alasdair White is a Scottish
folk musician who played with the Battlefield Band
as a fiddler since 2001, when he was 18 years old.
White is a Scottish Gaelic speaker, and originates from Tong on the Island of Lewis (in Gaelic Eilean Leodhais) one of Scotland's Outer Hebrides
islands, a geographical area where the Gaelic language and culture are of great importance to some of its native inhabitants; it is this, combined with general Scottish culture that influences White's playing style.
White's chief instrument is the fiddle
, of which he generally plays in a West-Highland and North-West styles; these styles being heavily derived from a culture with a rich piping tradition. He also plays the whistle
, banjo
, bazouki, mandolin
, Highland and Small pipes, 'and probably anything else he can lay his hands on!'
White joined Battlefield Band in September 2001, and as of March 2008, he appears on four albums: Time & Tide (2002), Out For The Night (2004), The Road of Tears (2006) and their latest album Dookin' (2007).
Aside from Battlefield Band, White released a solo album in 2006 entitled An Clàr Geal (The White Album). This album features thirteen tracks, traditional Scottish arrangements as well as White's own work. On this album White worked with musicians Ewen McPherson (Banjo/Guitar/Mandolin/Tromb), Aaron Jones (10-string bouzouki/Bass), Iain Copeland (Percussion), Russel Hunter (Piano), Alison Kinnard (Scottish Harp) and fellow Battlefield Band member Mike Katz (musician) (Highland Pipes/Scottish Small Pipes in keys C and A). In early 2008, An Clàr Geal won in The 7th Annual Independent Music Awards
for Best Traditional World Album.
White's musical career started while still at school playing with the Face the West, releasing their first CD Edge of Reason while still at school. The band continued on when White left to join Battlefield Band and have just released their second album. White will be appearing with Face the West at the Hebridean Celtic Festival in July 2009 for a Face the West and Friends gig on the main stage.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
folk musician who played with the Battlefield Band
Battlefield Band
Battlefield Band is a Scottish traditional music group. Founded in Glasgow in 1969, they have released over 30 albums and undergone many changes of lineup. As of 2010, there are no founder members in the band....
as a fiddler since 2001, when he was 18 years old.
White is a Scottish Gaelic speaker, and originates from Tong on the Island of Lewis (in Gaelic Eilean Leodhais) one of Scotland's Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
islands, a geographical area where the Gaelic language and culture are of great importance to some of its native inhabitants; it is this, combined with general Scottish culture that influences White's playing style.
White's chief instrument is the fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, of which he generally plays in a West-Highland and North-West styles; these styles being heavily derived from a culture with a rich piping tradition. He also plays the whistle
Whistle
A whistle or call is a simple aerophone, an instrument which produces sound from a stream of forced air. It may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means...
, banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, bazouki, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, Highland and Small pipes, 'and probably anything else he can lay his hands on!'
White joined Battlefield Band in September 2001, and as of March 2008, he appears on four albums: Time & Tide (2002), Out For The Night (2004), The Road of Tears (2006) and their latest album Dookin' (2007).
Aside from Battlefield Band, White released a solo album in 2006 entitled An Clàr Geal (The White Album). This album features thirteen tracks, traditional Scottish arrangements as well as White's own work. On this album White worked with musicians Ewen McPherson (Banjo/Guitar/Mandolin/Tromb), Aaron Jones (10-string bouzouki/Bass), Iain Copeland (Percussion), Russel Hunter (Piano), Alison Kinnard (Scottish Harp) and fellow Battlefield Band member Mike Katz (musician) (Highland Pipes/Scottish Small Pipes in keys C and A). In early 2008, An Clàr Geal won in The 7th Annual Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards is an international program that honors top-ranked independent artists and releases in more than 50 Album, Song, Music Video and Design categories....
for Best Traditional World Album.
White's musical career started while still at school playing with the Face the West, releasing their first CD Edge of Reason while still at school. The band continued on when White left to join Battlefield Band and have just released their second album. White will be appearing with Face the West at the Hebridean Celtic Festival in July 2009 for a Face the West and Friends gig on the main stage.
Discography
- FTW001 Edge of Reason - Face the West
- COMD2086 Christine Primrose - Gun Sireadh, Gun Iarraidh
- COMD2089 Pat Kilbride - Nightingale Lane
- COMD2093 Various Artists - The Portraits And The Music
- COMD2090 Battlefield Band - Time & Tide
- COMD2094 Battlefield Band - Out For The Night
- COMD2095 Mike Katz - A Month Of Sundays
- COMD2096 Alison Kinnaird - The Silver String
- COMD2098 Battlefield Band - The Road Of Tears
- COMD2099 Alasdair White - An Clàr Geal
- COMD2100 Battlefield Band - Dookin'
- COMD2101 Mike Whellans ' Fired-Up & Ready'
- FTW002 Face The West - The Wishing Stone [CD]
- Niall Kirkpatrick Ceilidh Band - The Iona Connection (2005)
- Niall Kirkpatrick Ceilidh Band - West Coast Swing (2007)
External links
- "Alasdair White Interview". Celtic folk podcast. Accessed March 9, 2008.