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The Cast came into being when David Francis and Mairi Campbell joined forces after meeting each other in the burgeoning traditional music and dance scene in Edinburgh. Since their initial collaborations The Cast have recorded two widely acclaimed albums on Culburnie Records -- The Winnowing (CUL104) and Colours of Lichen (CUL109) -- and have performed extensively throughout the UK and Ireland, in Norway, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Italy and in North America. The duo is at home, and will make audiences feel at home, in large concert halls, festival marquees, or in the tiniest Highland village hall.
The Cast are regular broadcasters on BBC Radio Scotland, performing live and in recorded sessions, and have performed on radio and TV in Scotland, England, Spain, Germany and in the USA. A recent edition (December 1999) of the USA's PBS's Thistle and Shamrock was given over to The Cast and their music, while their biggest TV exposure to date was on the Kennedy Center Honors, aired on CBS, where they appeared in the portion of the show given over to a tribute to Sean Connery. Joining in on the choruses were a number of well known figures, including Sir Sean himself, the President and the First Lady!
The Cast have a deep love of traditional music of all kinds, but reserve a particular place for the work of Robert Burns, the fiddle music of Scotland, and Scotland's rich ballad heritage. They are polished, relaxed and engaging performers, with a deep knowledge of their material and its sources.
The duo is available for workshops and can also play for Scottish dancing (which they can also teach) as a duo or as part of Bella MacNab's Dance Band (which also features members of Salsa Celtica, Jock Tamson's Bairns and Anam).
One of the high points of the evening ...
Washington Post
(review of Kennedy Center Honors show)
The Cast have proven that subtlety and restraint are weapons that, when used correctly, are a lethal combination. A regal grace pervades their work and an eye for creating moods and melodic textures remains their ace card.
Rock 'n' Reel
(review of Colours of Lichen)
MAIRI CAMPBELL was born in Edinburgh and after studying at the Guildhall School of Music in London her interest in Celtic music brought her back to Scotland. She and Dave formed a duo in 1991, and in this context she performs her own songs alongside traditional material. Mairi has played viola with the innovative Kreisler String Orchestra in London and has spent some time in Cape Breton studying the music and dance of the island.
DAVE FRANCIS learned his music playing for dancing in the village halls of North East Scotland. After completing a tour of the United States, he relocated to Edinburgh and teamed up with Mairi. In April 1996 he became Director of the Edinburgh Folk Festival and in September 1997 was appointed by the Scottish Arts Council as Traditional Music Coordinator. Dave has long had an interest in traditional dance and theatre and his play, The Lang Reel, was well received in 1987. The other main strand of The Cast's work has been in teaching and encouraging Scottish traditional dance styles.
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For further information contact ...
e: Dave Francis
t/f: (+44)-131-557 1050 (office) ... (+44)-131-554 3092 (h)