Quarterdays

Characterised by contemporary tunes delivered with a traditional vibe, fiddler and composer Gavin Marwick’s exciting new project is a swaggering and thoroughly nourishing listen. Marking a celebration of the old Scots Quarter Days, four six-track EPs featuring a special guest were released over 2023. Now the four discs are being released as a special box set just in time for Christmas and a live concert at Celtic Connections in February.

Candlemas opens with the tail end of winter and thoughts of spring to come. Aaron Jones’ cittern proves a perfect accompaniment to the fiddle in a series of jigs and reels to mark the closing of the winter. Whitsun welcomes the beginning of summer, and the relaxing promise of warm days to come is perfectly captured in the duet between fiddle and Wendy Stewart’s harp, while Lammas focuses on the harvest, a time of bounty and festivity, and the joy in the duet of Marwick’s fiddle and his partner Ruth Morris’ nyckelharpa is palpable and infectious.

Martinmas marks the end of the year, and Marwick, along with Phil Alexander on accordion and piano, conjures up a fiery European mix with Hungarian and French influence, making it a perfect accompaniment to a mulled wine or two. Accordion and fiddle are a natural duo, and the pair’s close relationship in Firelight Trio ensures a dancing, collegial, soundscape. The Quarterdays series is an absolute delight with a splendid selection of reels, jigs, and strathspeys to whirl us through the traditional year. 12 months of joy.