Tune Up Podcasts
Tune Up are delighted to present our first ever podcast series. Each of the ten tours are featured (2006-2007 season). These are available to you for FREE; all you have to do is follow the instructions below. Each episode is short and has been recorded and presented by the artists themselves. Find out how the artists enjoyed the shows, hear excerpts of music recorded live by BBC Radio Scotland and see photographs taken on the tour.
The Tune Up podcast series is available in two versions. The first version is an enhanced podcast. This is split into chapters, includes images and links to relevant websites and is an AAC file, which means superior quality and smaller file sizes. AAC files can be played in iTunes, Winamp and many other media players. The second is an MP3 file, which means slightly larger file sizes and no extra features but compatibility with just about every media player. We recommend the enhanced podcast but the choice is yours.
Subscribe
To subscribe to the Tune Up podcast right/control click on one of the links below and paste it into the Subscribe To Podcast option of your favourite podcast aggregator, such as iTunes, Juice, etc.
Enhanced Podcast (AAC) feed
MP3 feed
Once you have subscribed you will receive every episode automatically. If you've missed any episodes you can download them at any time in iTunes, Juice or whatever aggregator you are using.
If you don't have a podcast aggregator, you will find a list of recommended ones here.
Episodes
 | Tune Up Podcast: Episode 8, Paul Towndrow Sextet |
 | Tune Up Podcast: Episode 7, Tinariwen Featuring spiritually uplifting melodies, beguiling guitar patterns and insinuating rhythms, Tinariwen's desert blues is at once bang up to date and timeless. Forged in the heat of the Southern Sahara, this nomadic people's songs reflect the daily lives of the Touaregs, a landless tribe scattered across the Sahara and into Libya by political change and conflict during the 1980s. Tinariwen formed ten years later, creating a new music based on their own traditions and incorporating western and Arabic sounds heard in their wanderings. They co-founded the now annual and internationally prestigious Festival in the Desert, scored a worldwide success with their second album, Amassakoul, and since winning the African section of the BBC 3 World Music Awards 2005, have continued to charm audiences with their music's trance-like beauty. |
 | Tune Up Podcast: Episode 6, Burnsong What would happen if you put 8 songwriters into a house for five days? Well, there was only one way to find out... In November 2005, Burnsong invited 8 writers from the worlds of jazz, pop, rock, folk and traditional music to write together in a Georgian Mansion deep in the heart of the Dumfries and Galloway Countryside. Boo Hewerdine, David Scott, Niki King, Emily Smith, Geoff Martyn, Marc Pilley, Riley Briggs and Sophie Bancroft picked up the gauntlet but with some trepidation – Who were these other people? Will I be able to write with a total stranger? Will there be prima donnas, divas and tantrums? If I get writers block will they cast me out? Where on earth is this place anyway? It took less then a few hours for these fears to dispel and to be replaced by a magical mix of music, writing, creativity and laughter. Just 5 days later the Burnsong 8 took the stage for the first time to perform the astonishing 24 songs they had written in those few days. And what songs they were – moving, haunting, beautiful, soulful, sad, laugh out loud funny and even, at times, a little disco. Their performances during Burnsong –Live! proved what amazing things can be done when you give people the space and the freedom to experiment and create. It seemed that our experiment had worked, these 8 writers had come together and in such a short time created something truly special and unique, a true reflection of the real talent, imagination and passion for great music that exists in our country today. But it was not to end there, and with the support of Tune-Up the Burnsong Song House writers are going out on the road, bringing their songs and their stories to audiences around Scotland. Who are the Burnsong Song House 8? Sophie Bancroft Sophie is a renowned Jazz Singer and Songwriter and experienced educator. Based in Edinburgh she is currently performing and promoting her recent album Hot and Cold www.sophiebancroft.co.uk Riley Briggs Riley is the singer/songwriter for Edinburgh based band Aberfeldy. Their new critically acclaimed album Do Whatever Turns You On was released in July 2006 and they have just completed a UK wide tour. www.aberfeldys.com Boo Hewerdine Former member of band The Bible, Boo is now a successful solo artist and also pens songs for numerous other writers including Eddi Reader. He has recently recorded an album of songs written for and with other artists – Harmonograph. www.boohewerdine.net Niki King In 2001 Niki won the prestigious Perrier Jazz Vocalist Award. Since then she has released 4 critically acclaimed albums. She is currently preparing to record an album of new material. www.nikiking.co.uk Geoff Martyn Geoff is a singer songwriter first and foremost and has written with Chris Difford along with many others. He is also a producer, engineer and has performed with other artists including Roddy Hart. www.myspace.com/geoffmartyn Marc Pilley Marc is the driving force and songwriter with Mercury Award nominated band Hobotalk. Hobotalk have been touring throughout the UK and Europe and are currently working on new album of material. www.hobotalk.com David Scott Founding member of The Pearlfishers, David is also a member of BMX bandits and performs solo. He is an experienced music educationalist and has recently become a lecturer at Paisley University. www.pearlfishers.co.uk Emily Smith Winner of BBC Radio Scotland's Young Scottish Traditional Musician of the Year Award in 2002, Emily has appeared as part of the Unusual Suspects as well as toured with her band around the world and is currently working on a new album www.emilysmith.org What is Burnsong? Burnsong is a national project dedicated to promoting, encouraging and nurturing songwriting in Scotland. Burnsong events include songwriting workshops for schools, professional development courses for writers as well as live music events in Dumfries and across Scotland and a national songwriting competition. In January 2007, Burnsong will launch its second ever Songwriting Competition, the Burnsong Gathering. Discover the Song Inside. For more information go to www.burnsong.com or e-mail info@burnsong.com |
 | Tune Up Podcast: Episode 5, Aberfeldy Aberfeldy are an indie pop band formed in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2002. The band are named after the Scottish town of the same name, Aberfeldy. Band Members: a.. Riley Briggs - songwriting, vocals, guitar, organ b.. Murray Briggs - drums c.. Ruth Barrie - keyboard, vocals, glockenspiel d.. Sarah McFadyen - fiddle, vocals, mandolin, banjo, glockenspiel e.. Ken McIntosh - bass In 2004 Aberfeldy signed to Rough Trade Records before releasing their first album and several singles. As well as touring throughout the UK, Aberfeldy have supported R.E.M. at their Loch Lomond gig, and Blondie and the Scissor Sisters at Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations (2004), and played at T in the Park (2005). Aberfeldy received funding from the Scottish Arts Council to travel to Austin, Texas to play at the 2005 and 2006 South by South West Festival. Several Aberfeldy songs were used in the soundtrack of Gamerz, a Scottish comedy film, while the song "Summer's Gone" was used in Argentina to advertise Quilmes beer. Original drummer Ian Stoddart (one time member of Win) departed in late 2005 and was replaced by Murray Briggs. Aberfeldy toured the UK in May/June 2006. For part of that tour Aberfeldy supported The Beautiful South, picking up many new fans on the way. A well received new album "Do Whatever Turns You On" was released by Rough Trade on July 3, 2006. |
 | Tune Up Podcast: Episode 4, Jenna Reid and Julie Foulis Hailing from Shetland, Jenna grew up immersed in the islands rich fiddle tradition. At the age of nine, she began to learn the fiddle, and was taught by the late Dr Tom Anderson. When fiddle tuition became available in schools, Jenna studied with the late Willie Hunter and was under his direction until the age of 13; during that time she was a prominent prize-winner in the 'Shetlands Young Fiddler of the Year Competition' and by the age of 14 had won both the intermediate and open sections of this annual competition. Through this success she was subsequently invited to compete in the Glennfiddich Fiddle Competition. Whilst still at school Jenna also took lessons from Trevor Hunter and Margaret Scollay. In addition to playing the fiddle, Jenna also studied classical piano. On leaving school, Jenna went on to study a BA in Traditional Scottish Music at the Royal Academy of Music & Drama in Glasgow. Whilst studying fiddle, she also played piano and piano accordion, as well as being introduced to singing. Julie Fowlis is from North Uist, a small island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, now based in the mainland Highlands of Scotland. She sings in Scottish Gaelic and spends her time touring around the world performing Gaelic music and song. She is an accomplished musician as well - playing Highland bagpipes, whistles and even oboe & cor anglais. She was recently awarded the BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award 2006 for Best Emerging Artist and was also voted Gaelic Singer of the Year 2005 at the Scots Trad Music Awards. She is very chuffed about this and her Mam and Dad have the awards up in the living room. |
 | Tune Up Podcast: Episode 3, The Hebrides Ensemble and Scottish Dance Theatre Hebrides Ensemble has built a reputation as Scotland's foremost chamber group, touring frequently throughout Scotland, appearing at international music festivals and broadcasting regularly on BBC Radio 3. Its concerts are acclaimed for their imaginative and innovative programming and for the outstanding quality of performance. For its work in 2005 Hebrides Ensemble was nominated for a Royal Philharmonic Society award. The Ensemble has commissioned and premiered new works by more than forty composers including Gordon Mcpherson, Nigel Osborne, Lyell Cresswell and Haflidi Hallgrimsson and performs a celebrated series of concerts each year at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Festival appearances include a residency at the St. Magnus Festival, Orkney and a performances, to outstanding critical acclaim, at the 2005 and 2006 Edinburgh International Festivals. In November 2006, the Ensemble will perform a prestigious Scottish Arts Council Tune Up tour. |
 | Tune Up Podcast: Episode 2, Dom Trio The Dom Trio, aka Omar Sosa, Dhafer Youssef and Marque Gilmore, enlighten us as to some of the things that drive them while on their Tune Up tour, with extracts of live performances (recorded by BBC Scotland) and photos (by Stuart Thomas). |
 | Tune Up Podcast: Episode 1, Twisted Folk King Creosote and Jeremy Warmsley share some moments from their Twisted Folk Tune Up tour, with extracts of live performances (recorded by BBC Scotland) and photos (by Sean Purser). |