Brìghde Chaimbeul

A project brought together by Guest Curator Aidan O’Rourke, celebrating the grit, calibre and charisma of Edinburgh’s grassroots music-making, featuring Brighde Chaimbeul, Bashir Saade, Graeme Stephen and Rachel Sermanni

In 2020, five musicians gathered in a deserted concert hall. The group involved Skye piper Brìghde Chaimbeul, Lebanese ney player Bashir Saade, jazz guitarist Graeme Stephen, soulful singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni and Aidan on fiddle. Aidan’s idea was to explore the wider areas around each other’s musical worlds. This was lockdown and everyone was crying out to collaborate after months of musical solitude.

It was a fleeting encounter – just a 15-minute film, made with social-distancing – but what occurred that day was magnetic: a rare synergy between players as they sat in a wide circle, eyes closed, passing the music between them with an urgent sense of how music can bring connection on the deepest levels.

Three years later, Aidan is bringing the group back together and the new sounds centre around Bashir’s Arabic music and the beautiful scales and microtones which Aidan has been exploring with Bashir since then.

This is an 18+ event

Kings Place 

Nur: Aidan O’Rourke & friends

Iorram

Aidan O’Rourke - Nobody Could Be One Hundred Percent Sure About the Last Tiger (feat. Kit Downes)

Aidan O'Rourke

Graeme Stephen

Rachel Sermanni

Gigs

London

Kings Place (Hall One)

As we reach the Autumn Equinox on Sunday, Fat Out Fest takes to the serene surroundings of Peel Hall for a powerful celebration of ancient roots, identity, and spiritual balance, co-curated and hosted by renowned broadcaster, writer and DJ, **Zakia Sewell** (NTS, Weird Walk, DJ Mag).

‘Wyrd folk’ multi-instrumentalist **Angeline Morrison** explores traditional songs with a deep love, respect and curiosity, infusing her work with elements of soul music, literature, ‘60s beat pop sounds, folklore, myth and the supernatural.

**Brìghde Chaimbeul** (Breech-huh Campbell) is a leading purveyor of celtic experimentalism and a master of the Scottish smallpipes. A native Gaelic speaker, Brìghde roots her music in her language and culture.

**Calliope** are folk-informed collective exploring diasporic futures and lost pasts as an act of reclamation through multiple instruments, storytelling and enchantment.

Pianist **Hiromi Oishi** is best known as the powerhouse bass/sax player from Qujaku, but brings a totally different side of her creativity to the fore through her delicate solo piano music.

Host **Zakia Sewell** is a broadcaster, writer and DJ from London with a passion for music, arts, mental health and history. Alongside her work in audio storytelling (NTS, BBC Radio 4), she is an enthusiastic collector and sharer of music and will be DJing between the live sets.

Brìghde Chaimbeul

Upcoming events