CD Notes

Rachel Hair - Hubcaps & Potholes
Scottish, Irish and original harp music

1.   Castle Grant
      The Braes of Castle Grant (Duncan MacDonald)
      Hol 'se mo run an-t-oigear (trad)
The Braes of Castle Grant is a 2/4 march popular in piping competitions, and the second tune is a Strathspey I found in the Simon Fraser Collection of ''Airs and Melodies Perculiar to the Highlands of Scotland''.

2.   Da Day Dawn
      Gillian's Waltz (Gordon Ginn, Grian Music)*
Da Day Dawn, a haunting fiddle tune from the Shetland isle is traditionaly only played at the break of dawn on New Year's morn to welcome in the new year.

3.   Hubcaps & Potholes (Rachel Hair, PRS)
      The Noon Lasses (Trad)
A week after my driving test my mother lent me her car. Unfortunately I decided to use it to transport a punk band to a gig in Edinburgh. We managed 100 meters before hitting a pothole and bursting two tyres. Needless to say my mother wasn't amussed. The Noon Lasses, played first as a jig, is a traditional reel from Co. Fermanagh, Ireland.

4.  Marie's Tune (Rachel Hair, PRS)*
      Art O'Keefe's (Trad)*
I composed Marie's tune in memory of my grandmother from Antrim, Ireland who passed away last summer. Art O'Keefe's is a lively Irish polka.

5.   Eilean Aigas
Eilean Aigas is named after a small island on the river Beauly in the Scottish Highlands. In 1838 the 13th Lord Lovat built a grand house upon it for the Sobieski brothers, whose striking resemblance to the Stuart Kings led to their being feted by the society of the day.

6.   Jigs
      Starry-Eyed Lads (Rachel Hair, PRS)
      The Alamo (Grada, IMRO)
      The Rolling Waves (trad)
Starry-Eyed Lads is written in honour of all at Starfish. They're always on hand if something happens to one of my harps.. like when they fall over during album photo shoots! The Alamo was written by flautist Alan Doherty, one fifth of Irish band Gradda, and The Rolling Waves is a popular Irish Jig that I picked up from the playing of another Irish flute player - Kevin Crawford.

7.  Cancro Cru (Anxo Pintos, Boa Cor)*
Irish Harper  Laoise Kelly, from County Mayo, Ireland, taught me this tune during the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow. Written by fiddler Anxo Pintos, from the Asturian group ''Berroguetto''.

8.  Do Làmh, a Chriosda (Ishbel T MacDonald)
This was first written as a tune by Ishbel MacDonald in 1928, and words were later added by Donald John MacDonald, a local band from Peninerine, South Uist. A hymn, the title means ''Your hand, Oh Christ''.

9.   52nd street
Named after an incident in New York, when I dragged my tour to 59th street looking for our hotel. Actually, I'd read the directions wrong - we'd past it seven blocks away... I played dumb but the truth's out now!

10.  Chandni Chowk
       The Lady on the Island (Trad)**
       Chandni Chawk (Rachel Hair, PRS)**
       Custy's (Mary Custy)**
The first reel and last jig in this set I learnt from the playing of Peter Webster, who joins me on flute in this set. Chandni Chowk market, Old Delhi, India. An experience I'll never forget.

11. Charmed (Rachel Hair, PRS)
A cheery tune to finish.

*  by Rachel Hair (PRS) and Douglas Millar
** by Rachel Hair (PRS) and Peter Webster

Credits

Rachel Hair - Harp
Douglas Millar - Piano (Tracks 2,4 and 7)
Peter Webster - Flute (track 10)

All tunes arr by Rachel Hair (PRS) except
*  by Rachel Hair (PRS) and Douglas Millar
** by Rachel Hair (PRS) and Peter Webster

Produced by Rachel Hair
Recorded and Mixed by Iain Huchison at Glo-Warm Studios, Glasgow.
Mastering and additional mixing by Iain Graham at Park Lane Recording Studios, Glasgow.
Photography and design by Sean Purser
Rachel plays Starfish harps.

Thanks:
Mum and Dad, Alastair, Gran, Granpa, Alison, Pamela, Adrienne, John, Callum, all the extended Glasgow clan, all the extended County Antrim Clan; The Arts Trust of Scotland; the Knightswood Trust;Business Gateway; Vic King and all at Vaguely Sunny; Tom Dalzell, Colin Hynd and all at Celtic Connections; Mark and Marion Sheridan; Gerry Rossi and all at the BA Applied Music; University of Strathclyde; Rita Hunter and all at Fels Rois; Dave; Mike; Gay, Davey and Anne at Starfish Harps;Duncan McCrane;Donald Shaw; Alison Smith;Donna MacRae;Val Bryan at Ullapool High School;Corrina Hewat;Laoise Kelly;Jennifer Port; Rachel Newton;Declan Hegarly; Gillian Fleetwood;Anna Currie; Jenn Butterworth; Ali Leith; Andrew Laking;Jamie McClennan; Alyssa Kaszmetskie;all at Holyrood Abbey; and finaly, all the musicians and friends who have inspired, encouraged and taught me so much over the years.

Special Thanks:
Iain H for his time, patience and expertees at Glo-Worm,
Iain G for his skill and advice at Park Lane
Sean for his fantastic photos, design and ideas
Douglas and Pete for being such amazing musicians and a joy to work with.
Contact and booking: info@rachelhair.com +44(0)7769781691
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www.rachelhair.com