The Simon Thoumire Orchestra - Celtic Connections Suite

(1998) 6 tracks: The Celtic Connections Club * Fiesta In The Highlands * The World Bagpipe Championships * The Gravy Waltz * John Thoumire's Castle * Reels.

Simon Thoumire was specially commissioned by the Celtic Connections Festival to write a piece to mark the opening of their late night club (a gathering place for musicians attending the festival from all over the world). The piece was written for an elite ensemble of 9 folk and jazz musicians and was performed two years running at the festival.

Simon Thoumire (concertina, lowland pipes, whistle), John McCusker (fiddle, whistle), Mike Katz (lowland pipes, whistle), Dick Lee (clarinet, bass clarinet), Phil Bancroft (alto and tenor saxophones), Kevin Mackenzie (guitar), Simon Thorpe (double bass), Iain Copeland (percussion, drums) and Tom Bancroft (percussion, drums). Produced and arranged by Simon Thoumire.

"By far the best example of Celtic-Jazz togetherness that has come my way ... exhilarating, adventurous, witty and at times very moving ... great themes, great interplay, great performances all round ... Thoumire can walk tall in the premier league of contemporary Scottish composers." (The Scotsman)