Live from the Union Chapel

Born out of informal Burns Night gigs in London, Band of Burns brings together 12 musicians from Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales and Turkey to celebrate the works and philosophies of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. The participants have wide experience across other ensembles including Afro Celts, the Langan Band and the Bosphorus-straddling turbo folk team the Odd Beats.

Robert Burns’ work is represented through well-known items including a stout ‘Parcel o’ Rogues’, ‘My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose’ (read, rather than sung, here), ‘Now Westlin Winds’ (keeping close to Dick Gaughan's classic arrangement) and a driving ‘John Anderson, My Jo’. The double-CD also features a few non-Burns songs, but they are rendered very much in the poet's spirit, including Richard Fariña's ‘The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood’ and Kris Drever's ‘Ghosts’. As a band they’re possibly best sampled live, but this album gives an honest account of what they deliver in concert. It showcases their often full-on, rugged approach to fiddle and pipes tunes and chorus songs, as well as more tender, reflective moments.