Mike Vass and Dave Wood - Wait What?

(June 2010) 9 tracks (51 mins): Wee Billy's * Covering Ground * 42 Beech Avenue * 3 Steps * Hills of Donegal * Gion's * The Sutherland Set * Waking Life * March, Strathspey and Reel.

Mike Vass and Dave Wood are members of Malinky, one of Scotland's top touring folk bands.

Mike Vass, who plays fiddle, is one of a family of musicians from Morayshire - for many years The Vass Family appeared at traditional music festivals around Scotland. Dave Wood also has a great deal of musical experience and is an outstanding instrumentalist - here he plays guitar and bouzouki.

They are both masters of their respective instruments - Mike is regarded as one of Scotland’s finest young fiddlers, while Dave is one of the leading guitarists on the folk scene, due to his innovative, rhythmical accompaniment style. Both have wide experience of playing with other artists.

Mike, who hails from Nairn in the Highlands, performed in a duo for ten years with his twin sister Ali - they were nominated for Best Up And Coming Act in the Scots Trad Music Awards 2007. Mike was also a runner-up that year in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Of The Year award. He has won two gold medals at the Royal National (Gaelic) Mod and was voted the Most Promising Musician at the Oban Music Festival. He premiered his New Voices commission at Celtic Connections with some of his favourite musicians.

Dave is from Grindleford in Derbyshire and is a graduate from the Folk Music Degree course at Newcastle University. Dave played for several years in the acclaimed young band CrossCurrent before joining Malinky. In 2001 he was invited to play bouzouki at the film premiere of Lord Of The Rings. He has performed alongside Shetland fiddle star Catriona MacDonald and toured with the celebrated Northumbrian musician Tom McConville, having recorded on a number of his albums.

With guests Damien O'Kane (vocals, banjo, guitar), James Lindsay (double bass) and Stevie Fyvie (drums, cajon, percussion).