Produced by Mike Vass and Dave Wood;
Recorded by Stuart Hamilton and Gary Boyle at Castlesound Studios, Pencaitland;
Mixed by Stuart Hamilton, Mike Vass and Dave Wood;
Mastered at Euphonic Masters, Arlington, Tennessee;
Sleeve concept and design by Lillias Kinsman-Blake

Musicians

Mike Vass: fiddle;
Dave Wood: guitar, bouzouki

with
Damien O’Kane: vocals, tenorbanjo, tenor guitar, guitar;
James Lindsay: double bass;
Steve Fyvie: drums, cajon, percussion

Tracks

1. Wee Billy’s: Stravaiger / Ledger’s Lines / St Kilda’s Wedding / Billy’s Jig (6.58)
2. Covering Ground: Covering Ground / Elizabeth’s Plymsoles (6.26)
3. 42 Beech Avenue (5.09)
4. 3 Steps: Mr Baillie of Mellerston / Three Steps to the Rusty Squash Horn / The Countess of Sutherland / Michael Rankins (5.09)
5. Hills of Donegal (Roud 10685; Henry H196) (4.22)
6. Gion’s: Gion’s / Some Boy John / Sporting Nell / The Famous Ballymote (5.57)
7. The Sutherland Set: Strathfleet March / Captain James Menzies / The Colonel (4.59)
8. Waking Life (6.29)
9. March, Strathspey and Reel: 24^th Guards Brigade at Anzio / Forbes Morrison / The Bungalow (5.01)

Tracks 1ab, 2b, 3, 4b, 6a, 8 Mike Vass;
Track 1c, 3a, 3c, 6cd, 9a trad.;
Track 1d John McCusker;
Track 2a Moynihan;
Track 3d John Morris Rankin;
Track 5 words trad., music Damien O’Kane;
Track 6b Calum MacCrimmon;
Tracks 7abc Pipe Major William MacDonald;
Tracks 9bc James Scott Skinner

String Theory was originally conceived for Celtic Connections’ “New Voices” commissioning strand.

Produced by Mike Vass;
Recorded by Angus Lyon and Keith Byrd at Gran’s House Studio;
Mixed by Iain Hutchison at GloWorm Studios, Glasgow;
Mastered by Brad Blackwood at Euphonic Masters;
Sleeve concept and design by Louise Bichan

Musicians

Mike Vass: fiddle [1-2, 4-9], vocals [5, 10];

with
Steve Fivey: drums, percussion [1-3, 5-7, 9];
Megan Henderson: fiddle [3], vocals [5];
James Lindsay: double bass [1-7, 9];
Angus Lyon: accordion [1-2, 6-7, 9], Rhodes [4];
Calum MacCrimmon, whistle [1-2, 5-7, 9], bagpipes [3];
Anna Massie: guitar [1-7, 9], tenor guitar [5, 9], banjo [5], vocals [5];
Ali Vass: piano [1-3, 5-7, 9-10]

Tracks

1. Cavers of Kirkcudbright (5.57)
2. Continents Apart (3.47)
3. Man’s Search (9.15)
4. Fairholm Road (4.36)
5. It’s a Bar (4.45)
6. The 35 Year Waltz (4.05)
7. Waking Life (4.37)
8. The Showmaker (3.48)
9. Calum James MacCrimmon (5.36)
10. Three Trumpeter’s Waltz (4.50)

All tracks written by Mike Vass

Produced by Mike and Ali Vass;
Recorded and mixed by Iain Hutchison at GloWorm Studios, Glasgow;
Mastered by Brad Blackwood at Euphonic Masters;
Artwork and design by Lizzy Doe

Musicians

Mike Vass: fiddle, guitar;
Ali Vass: piano, vocals

Tracks

1. Bad Timing / Miss Gordon’s / Jenny Dang the Weaver (4.08)
2. Adam and Ali’s Waltz (5.40)
3. Young Emily (Roud 182; Laws M34; G/D 2:189; Henry H113) / Sophie’s Jig (4.31)
4. Boules et Guirlandes (3.07)
5. The Elfin Knight (Roud 12; Child 2; G/D 2:329) (5.23)
6. Kelo House / The Hatchlings / Billy’s Jig / Prince of Wales (5.49)
7. Nairn’s Bonnie River Banks (Roud 3780; G/D 1:92) (5.41)
8. Rait Castle / The Duke of Gordon’s Reel / Rudd’s Reel / Miss Drummond of Logiealmond (4.17)
9. Tardy Wooer (Roud 582; Laws P3; G/D 4:895) (4.30)
10. Mrs McGhie’s Reel / The Kitten / Pippa’s Ruddy Jig (5.11)
11. Waiting to Fly (4.33)

Tracks 1a, 2, 10c, 11 Mike Vass;
Tracks 1b, 8bd Niel Gow;
Tracks 1c, 6ad, 10b trad.;
Tracks 3a, 5, 9 words trad., music Mike Vass;
Tracks 3b, 8c Ali Vass;
Track 4 Gilles LeBigot;
Track 6b Liz Carroll;
Track 6c John McCusker;
Track 5 words trad., music Ali Vass;
Track 8a Ian Hardie;
Track 10a John Riddell

Produced by Mike Vass;
Recorded by Mike Vass at Rusty Squash Horn Studios, Beaton Road, Glasgow;
Mixed and mastered by Iain Hutchison at GloWorm Studios, Glasgow;
Artwork and design by Lizzy Doe

Musicians

Mike Vass: fiddle, acoustic guitar, tenor guitar, cittern, piano, melodica, glockenspiel, percussion, vocals

Tracks

1. Wintro (2.41)
2. Looking Through (2.41)
3. Snowfall (2.02)
4. Slide (4.01)
5. Lights (3.31)
6. Maxwell Park (1,07)
7. Melter (2.14)
8. Pane (2.48)
9. Cycles (3.28)
10. North (4.22)
11. Hallan (5.19)
12. Light Out (6.13)

All tracks written by Mike Vass

The Archive Project began in summer 2012, giving seven young musicians from the Edinburgh Youth Gaitherin the chance to explore the sound and photographic archives of the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh. The aim was to find inspiration among the thousands of field recordings housed in the Archives: Scots songs, Gaelic songs, stories, recollections, poetry, fiddle tunes, piobaireachd, canntaireachd, and much more, creating inventive new music.

Produced by Mike Vass;
Recorded at Sound Cafe, Penicuik, and B&B Studios, Edinburgh;
Mixed by Mike Vass and Euan Burton (additional material from Matheu Watson and Charlotte Murray);
Mastered by Iain Hutchison at GloWorm Studios, Glasgow;
Design by Jo Myerscough;
Artwork by Conrad Molleson;
Photographs courtesy of the School of Scottish Studies Archives

Album notes and lyrics

Musicians

Kirsty Law: vocals [1, 9];
Charlie Stewart: fiddle [2-3, 5, 7], double bass [1, 3-5, 7-9, 12];
Pàdruig Morrison: piano [1, 4-5, 8-9], accordion [1-2, 5, 7-9, 12];
Elinor Evans: clarsach [3, 5, 10, 12];
Hazel Turnbull: piano [3, 12-13];
Robbie Greig: fiddle [5, 8, 12], guitar [5], tenor guitar [8], vocals [2, 4], bodhrán [2];
Alastair Mackie: vocals [11], guitar [11]

with
Edinburgh Youth Gaitherin Big Band: Maggie Ashmole, Euan Brownlie, Ellen Francis, Joe Hathway, Eilidh Hunter, Kim Hunter, Holly MacLeod, Laura McLeod, Samuel McLeod, Angus Phillips, Eleanor Schyma, Kirsten Simpson, Iona Steadman, Jamie Steele, Maggie Wilson [6];
Mike Vass: guitar [7];
Matheu Watson: viola, harmonium, whistle [11];
Pàdruig Morrison Sr.: vocals [13];
Euan Burton: additional piano [13];
Charlotte Murray: original samples [13]

Tracks

1. The Barefit Lasses (3.22)
2. Cas Na Caora: Cas Na Caora Hiortaich O / Whistle the Commandment / Bodach Ròcabarraigh / The Boys of Glendale (5.22)
3. Samhainn (3.12)
4. Nam Bithinn Mar Eun Air Sgiathaibh (2.49)
5. The Mirror Monkey: Gura Mis’ Tha Fo Mhìghean / St Kilda Cliffs / The Mirror Monkey / The Corn Devil / The Daliburgh Reel (8.05)
6. Oysters and Herring (4.03)
7. The Devil’s Gramophone: An Doctair Leòdach ‘s Biodag Air / The Devil’s Gramophone (4.51)
8. Saddle the Pony / Roaring Jelly (2.24)
9. Weathered Hands (4.27)
10. Journeys in Time (3.44)
11. Pillars of Sand (3.09)
12. Herding the Sheep (1.42)
13. The Bodach: The Bar-Room Mountaineers / Sgeul Bodach Ròcabarraigh (10.08)

Tracks 1, 9 Kirsty Law;
Track 2a trad., Pàdruig Morrison;
Tracks 2bc, 5bcd Pàdruig Morrison;
Track 2d Iain MacLachlan;
Tracks 3, 13a Hazel Turnbull;
Track 4 words Dòmhnall Ruadh Chorùna, music Robbie Greig;
Track 5a Rachel MacDonald;
Track 5e Iain MacLachlan;
Track 6 trad. arr. Kirsty Law, Mike Vass;
Track 7a Archibald MacDonald;
Track 7b Charlie Stewart;
Track 8 trad. arr. Robbie Greig, Pàdruig Morrison;
Tracks 10, 12 Elinor Evans;
Track 11 Alastair Mackie;
Track 13a Hazel Turnbull;
Tracks 13b Pàdruig Morrison Sr.

A mirror voyage of writer Neil Gunn’s 1937 adventure round the West Coast of Scotland featuring stories, music and local history.

Produced by Mike Vass and Iain Hutchison;
Recorded and mixed by Iain Hutchison at GloWorm Studios;
Additional recording by Mike Vass at Rusty Squash Horn Studios, Glasgow;
Mastered by Matthew Gray mastering;
Design by Lizzy Doe

Musicians

Mike Vass: tenor guitar, fiddle, mandolin, dulcitone, melodica, percussion

with
Iain Hutchison: piano;
Jennifer Port: oboe, clarsach;
Hamish Napier: flute, whistle;
Euan Burton: electric and double bass;
The Cairn String Quartet: Katie Rush, Catherine Robertson: violins; Annemarie McGahon: viola; Susan Appelbe: cello

Tracks

1. Settled in Clay (4.24)
2. Sphere Music (5.06)
3. Fused Dark (4.41)
4. The Very Thing (4.26)
5. Cold Iron (2.59)
6. Quiet Voices (3.49)
7. Heave and Roll (4.01)
8. The Blue Fields of Paradise (5.48)
9. The Lock Keeper (1.28)
10. One Common Bond (4.18)

All tracks written by Mike Vass

Produced by Mike Vass

Musicians

Mike Vass: tenor guitar, fiddle, mandolin;
Yoann Mylonakis: piano;
Mairi Campbell: viola, violin;
Euan Burton: double bass, electric bass;
Scott Mackay: drums

Tracks

1. Dead Stations Overture (1.59)
2. All Tickets (2.03)
3. Some Train to Be Stuck On (3.16)
4. Sleeper Cell (1.51)
5. Cabless (2.08)
6. Thoughts Underground (5.26)
7. End of the Line (3.02)

All tracks written by Mike Vass

Recorded by Mike Vass in a small croft house in Mairearad’s home village of Achnahaird and also on Mike’s boat;
Mixed and mastered by Iain Hutchison at GloWorm Recording;
Photography by Sheila Green;
Cover design by Mairearad Green

Musicians

Mairearad Green, piano accordion;
Mike Vass, fiddle, tenor guitar

Tracks

1. Puirt: ’Ille Bhig / Ruidhlidh Na Coiich Dhubha (3.26)
2. Jigs: Sgiandudh / Mrs Grant’s of Bught / The Deserts of Tulloch (4.10)
3. Dhomhnuil (4.02)
4. Buntàta: Tha’m Buntàta Mòr (5.29)
5. Catch: Catch and Kiss the Romp / Rise Ye Lazy Fellow (2.14)
6. Megs: Whisky Welcome Back Again / Cawdor Fair / Meg Mhór Na Lurachan (3.26)
7. Reels: Miss Isabella Reid’s Reel / The Earl of Seafield’s Reel / Sheep Shanks (3.12)
8. Hyndford: Earl of Hyndford / Peggie’s Wedding (2.59)
9. Miss Muir: Miss Muir MacKenzie (2.19)
10. Hail: Failte Do’n Mhisg (5.37)

All melodies trad.

Produced by Mike Vass;
Recorded and mixed by Mike Vass aboard ‘Sweet Harmony’ at Inverkip on the Clyde;
Mastered by Iain Hutchison at GloWorm Studios;
Artwork and design by Kim Richards

Musicians

Mike Vass: tenor guitar, fiddle, mandolin, dulcitone, melodica, percussion

with
Gillian Frame: fiddle, vocals [1];
Innes White: mandolin, guitar, tenor guitar [2];
Anna Massie: guitar, fiddle [3];
Ali Vass: melodica, vocals [4];
Mairearad Green: accordion [5];
Tomás Callister: fiddle [6];
Corrina Hewat: harp [7];
Conal McDonagh: whistle [8];
Duncan Chisholm: fiddle [9];
Innes Watson: fiddle, guitar [10]

Tracks

1. Last Day featuring Gillian Frame (4.13)
2. Ewing featuring Innes White (2.23)
3. Wed featuring Anna Massie (5.28)
4. Bright Kirk featuring Ali Vass (4.27)
5. Teen featuring Mairearad Green (3.18)
6. Inver featuring Tomás Callister (4.02)
7. Voices featuring Corrina Hewat (3.17)
8. Home featuring Conal McDonagh (4.05)
9. Speeches featuring Duncan Chisholm (3.52)
10. Art featuring Innes Watson (3.18)

All tracks written by Mike Vass except
excerpt from The Trumpet Hornpipe (track 4), trad.

Newly Commissioned by the Scots Fiddle Festival and supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund, The Four Pillars is a multi-media experience and musical suite from Scottish musician Mike Vass. Based on the four major tune types of the Scottish fiddle tradition—the slow air, the march, the strathspey and the reel—Mike’s piece captures the grandeur of Scottish fiddle.

Produced by Errollyn Wallen;
Recorded by Stuart Hamilton at Castlesound Studios on 21 October 2018;
Mixed by Stuart Hamilton at Castlesound Studios;
Mastered by Peter Beckmann at TechnologyWorks Mastering;
Artwork and design by Kim Richards

FolkNotes album review

Musicians

Lauren MacColl: fiddle [1-2];
Mike Vass: fiddle [3-4];
Patsy Reid: fiddle [5-7];
Jenna Reid: fiddle [8-9];
Tom Gibbs: piano [1, 4-9];
Iain Sandilands: vibraphone [1, 4-9], percussion [7];
String Quartet: Feargus Hetherington, Colin McKee: violins; Asher Zaccardelli: viola; Laura Sergeant: cello [2, 7-9]

Tracks

Air – featuring Lauren MacColl

1. After Years (5.52)
2. The Ancient Day (5.27)

March – featuring Mike Vass

3. A Handful of Dust (2.55)
4. From Regions Far Apart (4.35)

Strathspey – featuring Patsy Reid

5. Martial Tunes (3.30)
6. Thrown Away (1.48)
7. Torrent of a Thing (4.14)

Reel – featuring Jenna Reid

8. Frenzy in the Coda (3.45)
9. Under These Notes (4.29)

All tracks written by Mike Vass

Produced by Mike Vass and Iain Hutchison;
Recorded and mixed by Iain Hutchison at GloWorm Recording;
Mastered by Guy Davie at Electric Mastering;
Design by Anna Colliton

Musicians

Mike Vass: vocals, tenor guitar;
Louis Abbott: drums, vocals;
Euan Burton: double bass, electric bass;
Philip Cardwell: trumpet;
Tom Gibbs: piano, clarinet;
Su-a Lee: cello;
Fi Vass: vocals

Tracks

1. They Never Found Me (3.48)
2. Done With Calling You (3.51)
3. The Rainbow of Your Last Days (4.13)
4. Just Enough to Let the Light In (4.29)
5. Gates of Saints (4.12)
6. Clutching at Straws (4.31)
7. Fly (3.39)
8. As I’ve Grown Older (2.52)
9. Walk With Me and Meet My Children (5.22)

All tracks written by Mike Vass

Musicians

Mike Vass: fiddle, tenor guitar, dulcitone, toy piano, electronics

Tracks

1. Farewell Sweet Harmony (3.02)

Written by Mike Vass

Recorded and mixed by Mike Vass

Musicians

Mike Vass: fiddle [1], bariton ukulele [2]

Tracks

1. The Meeting (2.44)
2. Feather-Cut (1.48)
3. Hector (5.21)

All tracks written by Mike Vass

Recorded and mixed by Mike Vass at home in May 2020;
Mastered by Peter Beckmann at Technologyworks;
Artwork by Anna Colliton

Musicians

Mike Vass: fiddle, tenor guitar, mandolin, tenor banjo, dulcitone, melodica, toy piano, handpan, monotron, low E^♭ whistle

Tracks

1. In the Stream (3.15)
2. Shadow in the Flame (5.05)
3. Solitary People (4.57)
4. The Day’s Length (5.24)

All tracks written by Mike Vass

Musicians

Mike Vass: vocals, fiddle, tenor guitar, mandolin, tenor banjo;
Mairi Campbell, Fi Vass: vocals;
Anna Massie: guitar, tenor guitar;
Innes White: mandolin, guitar;
Dave Wood: guitar;
Euan Burton, James Lindsay: bass;
Angus Lyon: accordion;
Tom Gibbs, Iain Hutchison, Yoann Mylonakis, Ali Vass: piano;
Jennifer Port: oboe;
Megan Henderson, Feargus Hetherington, Lauren MacColl, Colin McKee, Cat Robertson, Katie Rush: violin;
Anne-Marie McGahon, Asher Zaccardelli: viola;
Suz Appelbe, Su-a Lee, Laura Sergeant: cello;
Conal McDonagh, Calum MacCrimmon, Hamish Napier: whistle;
Philip Cardwell: trumpet;
Louis Abbott, Steve Fivey, Scott Mackay: drums;
Iain Sandilands: percussion

Tracks

1. Cold Iron (2.58)
2. Home (4.06)
3. Solitary People (4.57)
4. Settled in Clay (4.25)
5. Melter (2.14)
6. Eyes Fixed (3.33)
7. Ewing (2.23)
8. Looking Through (3.06)
9. From Regions Far Apart (4.35)
10. Quiet Voices (3.48)
11. They Never Found Me (3.48)
12. After Years (5.52)
13. The Rainbow of Your Last Days (4.12)
14. Cavers of Kirkcudbright (5.59)
15. Farewell Sweet Harmony (3.02)
16. The Shoemaker (3.48)
17. Gates of Saints (4.11)
18. Sea Moss - The Ninth Chord (4.26)
19. Thoughts Underground (5.26)
20. The Day’s Length (5.24)
21. Man’s Search (9.48)

Track 20 live at Celtic Connections 2010;
Tracks 14, 16 from String Theory (2011);
Tracks 5, 8 from December Well (2012);
Tracks 1, 4, 10 from In the Wake of Neil Gunn (2014);
Tracks 6, 19 from The Dead Stations (2016);
Tracks 2, 7 from Notes From the Boat (2018);
Tracks 9, 12 from The Four Pillars (2018);
Tracks 11, 13, 17 from Save His Calm (2019);
Tracks 3, 20 from Man Alone With Himself (2020);
Tracks 15, 18 singles;

Recorded in Ullapool on 5 August 2020;
Mixed by Mike Vass;
Mastered by Peter Beckmann at Technology Works;
Artwork by Mairearad Green

Musicians

Mairearad Green: piano accordion;
Mike Vass: fiddle, wine glass

Tracks

1. Mairi Laghach (3.33)

All melodies trad.

This download album was released in 2020 but the video is from September 2014 so the concert must have been taken place then or earlier.

Musicians

Innes Watson: guitar;
Mike Vass: fiddle, guitar

Tracks

1. The Hunter’s Set (7.02)
2. Fèis Inbhir Narainn Set (5.32)
3. Pau and Emma’s (4.20)
4. Iona Abbey Improvisation (3.18)
5. The Marches set (6.51)

No track details given

Produced by Mike Vass;
Recorded by Mike Vass at GloWorm Studios, December 2021;
Drums recorded by Euan Burton at GloWorm Studios, January 2022;
Mixed by Iain Hutchison at GloWorm Studios, January and February 2022;
Mastered by Peter Beckmann at TechnologyWorks, February 2022;
Artwork and design by Anna Colliton

Folk Radio UK review by Johnny Whalley

Musicians

Louis Abbott: drums;
Philip Cardwell: trumpet;
David Foley: flute;
Donald Grant: violin;
Signy Jakobsdottir: percussion;
Kathleen MacInnes: Gaelic song [10];
Sorren MacLean: guitars;
Mairi MacLennan: Gaelic song [5];
Joseph Peach: piano, accordion;
Emma Smith: double bass

Tracks

1. Two Decker (3.58)
2. Prisms on the Dark Sea (3.47)
3. Getting Colder (3.00)
4. Suspension in the Air (3.38)
5. Siud mar chuir mi ’n Geamhradh tharam (That’s How I Spent the Winter) (3.08)
6. Levity (4.02)
7. Still Below the Hills (3.24)
8. The Great Well (4.36)
9. Even the Stars Sleep (3.51)
10. Ciuin an oidhch’ (Silent Night) (3.16)

All tracks written and arranged by Mike Vass except
Track 5 trad. arr. Joseph Peach, Mairi MacLennan, Mike Vass;
Track 10 trad. arr. Kathleen MacInnes, Mike Vass

Recorded and mixed by Iain Hutchison;
Mastered by Peter Beckmann at Technology Works;
Artwork by Mairearad Green

Notes

Musicians

Mairearad Green: bagpipes, piano, vocals ;
Mike Vass: fiddle, synthesiser, samples, programming / sound design

Tracks

1. IOM (Iomairibh Eutrom Hò Hò) (4.02)
2. MAR (Mary Morrison) (5.19)
3. OGA (Òganaich Uir a Rinn M’ Fhàgail - O Noble Youth Who Has Left Me) (4.59)
4. CAD (Cadal cha dean mi - I Can’t Get Any Sleep) (8.04)
5. ’S_ (’S Mise a Chunnaic An-diugh an t-Iongnadh) (5.20)
6. LAT (Latha fiadhaic ann an Rònaigh - A Storm Blew Up Over Rona) (5.31)
7. DHE (Dheannain Sugradh) (5.25)
8. AN_ (An T-iorram Niseach - Ness Rowing Song) (5.53)
9. UAM (Uamh an oir - The Cave of Gold) (7.28)

All tracks based on trad. melodies