The new album features Savourna’s distinctive harp sound combined with master Iranian percussionists, Djamchid and Bijan Chemirani, with three songs from the beautiful voice of Alyth McCormack.
Savourna Stevenson has developed an utterly distinctive and inventive harp sound, its Scottish roots infused with eclectic elements, resulting in lithe, jazz inflections or richly toned, impressionistic languor ... with two of the superb Marseilles-based Iranian percussionist family, the Chemiranis ... eloquent lyrics, sensitively set and beautifully sung by McCormack THE SCOTSMAN
1. Persian Purple Blues
2. Shores Of Your Souls
3. What Of Time?
4. House Of Tomorrow
5. Ballad Of Grey Weather
6. An Buachaille
7. Bron Agus Aigh
8. Persian Knight Celtic Dawn
9. Chemirani Waltz & Reel
10. Talking Flower Heads
[ Cooking Vinyl COOK
CD375]
CELTIC HARP
An excellent compilation CD with selected instrumental tracks taken from Savourna's previous three Cooking Vinyl recordings: Touch Me Like The Sun, Calman The Dove and Singing The Storm
"Not the collection of traditional Celtic harp music that the title suggests ... but a much more exciting and diverse selection of Stevenson's own 'Celtic inspired' compositions ... excellent" Folk Roots
1. Calman the Dove
2. An Buachaille ( The Herdsman )
3. The White Swan
4. Mesmerising Nessy
5. Fording the Tweed ( harp solo )
6. Dawn
7. Earth, Wind
8. Water
9. Calman the Wolf
10. Emily's Calling
11. Blue Orchid
12. Sith As A Ghaillionn ( Peace From The Storm )
[Cooking Vinyl GUMBO CD018]
TOUCH ME LIKE THE SUN
Speaks eloquently of Stevenson's remarkable ability with the harp. Eddi Reader sings the title track and there is a brilliantly conceived suite in three movements for string quartet ... the lively cascading notes of the harp evoke tonalities normally associated with the lute, banjo or Japanese koto. In a class of its own. TIME OUT
1. Emily's Calling
2. Touch Me Like The Sun
3. Fording The Tweed ( harp solo )
4. Blue Orchid
5. 1st Movement of String Quartet
Come Try Me
6. 2nd Movement of String Quartet
No False Love
7. 3rd Movement of String Quartet
A Thousand Curses
8. Dug's Lugs
9. Tickled Blue
[ Cooking Vinyl COOK CD192]
CALMAN THE DOVE
"Stevenson has delivered a musical gem that features not only her fluent, jazz-tinged harp but also the moody whistle of Davy Spillane and the gipsy-like fiddle of Anne Wood. The thrilling bustle of the opening track, with Spillane pouring out notes, gives way to the slow, mesmeric beauty of The White Swan and then some sparkling solo harp in An Buchaille before the three musicians settle into a sustained exploration of Stevenson's ruminative themes, spattered with spicy, Charlie Parkerish chord changes. Delightful stuff." THE SCOTSMAN
" magical harp playing exquisitely complemented by the talented violinist's
abilities and further enhanced by the melodic tones of Davy Spillane ...
a beautiful, haunting collection of tunes" THE IRISH WORLD
1. Calman the Wolf
2. The White Swan
3. An Buachaille
( The Herdsman )
4. Calman the Dove
5. Where There's Women There's Trouble
6. I Mo Chridh ( Iona My Heart )
7. Mesmerising Nessy
8. The Bell Ringer
9. Sith As A Ghaillionn ( Peace From The Storm )
[Cooking Vinyl COOK CD 137]
SINGING THE STORM
A stunning combination of Savourna's harp with June Tabor's exceptional voice and Danny Thompson on double bass. Seven new songs interspaced with five instrumental numbers.
"an exquisite collaboration ... will move and inspire you. Brilliant,
beautiful new folk music" TIMES ( CANADA )
"A fascinating and unusual album" FOLK ROOTS
1. The Baker
2. Singing The Storm
3. Dawn
4. Earth, Wind
5. Water
6. The Witch of Fauldshope
7. Maybe Then I'll Be A Rose
8. The Gypsy Queen
9. Fleur De Lis
10. Broom of Cowdenknowes
11. Beyond The Ballad
12. Jean Gordon
[Cooking Vinyl COOK CD 102]
TUSITALA, teller of tales
Written for the Robert Louis Stevenson centenary in 1994 - harp with violins (incl. Aly Bain & Anne Wood ), flute, saxophones, double bass & marimba.
"A lovely album, full of delightful, bobbing, swaying tunes that appropriately bridge the Atlantic gap by the skilful melding of jazz and
Scots motifs ... a sparkling album" THE SCOTSMAN
"Again Savourna Stevenson completely re-writes the rule-book and proves the harp is capable of being pushed beyond its usual limits ... and sometimes
doing the seemingly impossible" TAPLAS
1. Tusitala, Teller of Tales
2. Jekyll & Hyde
3. Clyde to Sandy Hook
4. Across the Plains
5. Mexican Monterey
6. Silverado Squatters
7. La Solitude
8. Modestine
9. Treasure Island & Long John Silver
10. Road of the Loving Heart
11. Child's Garden & the Kidnapped Reel
12. Island Seas
13. Molokai
[ Eclectic ECL CD 9412]
CUTTING THE CHORD
" ... finds her harp in the company of Danny Thompson's superb, ruminative bass and Jim Sutherland's highly inventive percussion, plus the additional harp of Aine Ni Dhuill, and the results are sublime ... lovely, lissome
music ... definitely one of the best CDs of the year" THE SCOTSMAN
"Magnificent piece of work ... if you think Scotland's strongest
intoxicant is a good Highland malt, try this. Sip it slowly and savour
every drop" TAPLA
1. Aeolian
2. Basse Breton Rhapsody
3. Cutting The Chord
4. Harplands
5. Blues in 10
[ Eclectic ECL CD 9308]
TWEED JOURNEY
A musical journey down the River Tweed from source to sea ... growing from solo harp to seven piece band by the journey's end.
"Stevenson makes the harp sing and swing ... a more adventurous and more skilful performer with each hearing" THE SCOTSMAN
"The most exciting and original commission to come out of Scotland this
year" THE INDEPENDENT (1990)
1. The Source
2. Fording The Tweed
3. Waulk From The Tweed
4. Lost Bells
Savourna's first and most traditional album of solo harp with fiddler Aly Bain guesting on several tracks. Includes traditional tunes alongside her own compositions Tickled Pink, Jalan and Lament for a Blind Harper.
"Borne on the wings of enviable technical dexterity and outstanding
musicianship ... an ancient instrument thrillingly coaxed towards and
across new musical frontiers" THE SCOTSMAN
1. The Trip We Took Over The Mountains
2. Parthenia
3. Monaghan Jig
4. The Auld Noost
5. Jalan
6. The Hag With The Money / Sleepy Maggie
7. Lament For A Blind Harper
8. Tickled Pink
9. Logan Water
10. South Wind
11. Molly MacAlpin / Planxty Irwin
12. South Uist Set
13. The High Road To Linton / The Chanter's Tune
Speaks eloquently of Stevenson's remarkable ability with the harp. Eddi Reader sings the title track and there is a brilliantly conceived suite in three movements for string quartet ... the lively cascading notes of the harp evoke tonalities normally associated with the lute, banjo or Japanese koto. In a class of its own. TIME OUT
"Stevenson has delivered a musical gem that features not only her fluent, jazz-tinged harp but also the moody whistle of Davy Spillane and the gipsy-like fiddle of Anne Wood. The thrilling bustle of the opening track, with Spillane pouring out notes, gives way to the slow, mesmeric beauty of The White Swan and then some sparkling solo harp in An Buchaille before the three musicians settle into a sustained exploration of Stevenson's ruminative themes, spattered with spicy, Charlie Parkerish chord changes. Delightful stuff." THE SCOTSMAN
A stunning combination of Savourna's harp with June Tabor's exceptional voice and Danny Thompson on double bass. Seven new songs interspaced with five instrumental numbers.
