Event

Jamie Laval in Grass Valley

A Scottish Solstice Celebration with Jamie Laval

"One of the hottest fiddlers out there...this act has been turning heads wherever it plays." -Asheville Citizen Times

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 British Isles. Toe-tapping melodies, centuries-old carols, amusing stories, and rhythmic foot percussion will be interspersed with insights into the Celtic history that shaped this beautiful and atmospheric music.

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