Jenna Reid
Item Posted: Wednesday 28th March , 2007
JENNA REID TRIO OPENS LOCHGOIL SEASON
Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop opens its 2007 concert programme with a bang on Saturday 17th February with award-winning Jenna Reid and her trio, who promise an exciting night of vocals, fiddle, accordion, piano and guitar. This young Shetland fiddler won the ‘Best Up and Coming Artist ‘in the 2005 Scots Trad Awards. On leaving school, Jenna studied a BA in Traditional Scottish Music at the Royal Academy of Music & Drama in Glasgow, where she also played piano, accordion, and developed her singing.
Despite her comparative youth, Jenna has been involved in playing with some influential traditional groups. As the fiddler with Filska she toured the world and represented Scotland at the Millennium Celebrations in Disney's Epcot Centre.
Following this Filska performed live as part of the Scottish Millennium Celebrations along with Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham in a show that was broadcast to over 60 countries.
Jenna also completes the line up of all girl group, 'Ḍchas'. After releasing their debut album in 2002, this 5 piece band from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland have gone from strength to strength, appearing in Ireland, Scotland, Europe and the US as part of traditional music festivals. Moreover, Ḍchas were nominated as 'best newcomers' in the Scottish Traditional Music Awards.
‘Ḍchas is one of the great feel-good sounds of contemporary traditional music. The girls have combined undoubted talent and great attitude to create one of the most promising bands of recent years. Highland Music is blossoming now as never before - and Ḍchas has to be one of its sweetest blooms.’(Mary Ann Kennedy, BBC Scotland)
Now based in Glasgow, Jenna enjoys work as both a performer and teacher, having tutored alongside legendary fiddler, Liz Carroll. Jenna is in great demand from other bands and has also played with Scottish acts, Deaf Shepherd and Fiddlers Bid. Her first solo album ‘With Silver and All’ was widely acclaimed as a showcase of her fiddle playing and compositional skills.
Her trio includes sister Bethany. Bethany has been playing both piano and fiddle from a very early age. Throughout school she received tuition from Shetland fiddlers Willie Hunter and Margaret Scollay and, at the tender age of 12, Bethany went on to win Shetlands Young Fiddler of the Year competition, and won prizes for her compositions. Bethany is currently studying Music at Strathclyde University.
The third member of the trio is the highly respected guitarist Kevin Mackenzie Much sought after within the jazz and traditional Scottish music scenes, he has worked alongside many great musicians over the years including from the jazz world, and has played an essential role in the success of projects such as the Scottish Guitar Quartet and fronts his own band, Swirler. He also works and tours constantly with some of the world's leading traditional Celtic musicians such as Fiddler's Bid, Finlay MacDonald Band, and John McCusker.
In 2001, Kevin Mackenzie was the recipient of the highly acclaimed Creative Scotland Award, a scheme run by the Scottish Arts Council to support the nation's leading artists in experimenting and realising imaginative ideas in a major project.
Jenna will be holding a fiddle workshop from 2.00 – 4.00 on Saturday 17th February at Strachur Memorial Hall, Argyll followed by the concert from the trio at 8.00 - Lochgoilhead Village Hall. Tickets and further details 01301 703504 or www.fiddleworkshop.co.uk