Troy MacGillivray: Eleven

On the 17th of August I was invited to attend a concert by Ms. Pamela Wamback, a classmate of mine from way back at Sandy Point Consolidated School in 1981. She has been busy and heads up the Sales and Business Partnerships Divison of the Department of Tourism of Nova Scotia.

http://novascotia.com/now/en/home/concerts/view_venues.aspx

So we arrived in a little community hall in Lakevale, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia to see the live offerings of Troy MacGillivray, a premier fiddle player and gig leader. He was joined by one of his sisters, Sabra, one of his cousins, Andrea Beatton, Brad Davidge, and a little scowling guy on piano. I was impressed at how easily the group players led into one song after another even though there seemed to have been little time for practice. It seemed half of his band was borrowed from Natalie McMaster.

http://www.sabramacgillivray.com/

http://www.andreabeaton.com/

http://www.nataliemacmaster.com/bios/braddavidge.htm

First of all I am no expert on Maritime fiddle music. But as many fiddlers share a similar interest in Scottish style jigs, reels, and polkas, this album "Eleven" provides another facet of the continuing interest this style of music holds in The Maritimes and apparently the world. It salutes practice, precision, craft, and traditional rhythms characteristic of the region and Troy puts his own stamp on tunes written by earlier fiddlers born and resident in his part of Nova Scotia for generations.

So "Eleven" should appeal to anyone who enjoys Scottish-influenced fiddling. It was real treat to attend this concert. I just wonder where and when they will all gather to form a massed fiddle band?

http://www.troymacgillivray.com/