Event

Jamie Laval in Bakersfield

Celtic fiddler/violinist Jamie Laval will present an evening of traditional music from Scotland, Ireland, Brittany, Quebec, and Appalachia, with a special emphasis on seasonal music from the Brittish Isles. Toe-tapping melodies will be interspersed with amusing stories, rhythmic foot percussion, and insights into Celtic history.

Jamie's music-making was born out of his Scottish and Irish heritage and further influenced by his studies in classical music, jazz, and ethnic music from around the world. In 2002, Jamie won the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship and now concertizes throughout the U.S. and Scotland. He has been acclaimed as "One of North America's finest practitioners of traditional Scottish music" (San Jose Mercury News) and "The next Alasdair Fraser" (Scotland Press and Post). After his student years at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, Jamie simultaneously pursued careers as a solo fiddler and a professional symphony violinist. He has been an active contra dance and ceilidh band fiddler in the Pacific Northwest. He currently resides in Asheville, North Carolina where he serves on the faculty of The Swannanoa Gathering, a celebrated summer institute for traditional music. Jamie has performed for Her Majesty The Queen, on NBC's Today Show, numerous Highland Games, and top acoustic venues throughout the U.S. His critically acclaimed debut CD, Shades of Green, airs regularly on NPR radio, while Zephyr In The Confetti Factory, his duo album with Ashley Broder, won Best World Traditional Song in the 2007 Independent Music Awards Vox Populi. This year marks the release of Jamie's long-awaited third album, Murmurs and Drones. www.jamielaval.com