Dàimh, who recently released their album "Crossing Point" (CDTRAX 316) on the Greentrax label, will be appearing at two fringe events in the 2007 MOD:- Glenuig on Thursday, 18th October; Killmallie Hall, Corpach, Friday 19th October. The Band will also be appearing in Phipps Hall, Beauly, on Wednesday, 17th October but this is not an official MOD gig.
The Glenuig gig is of particular interest because that is where banjo/mandola Irishman Colm O'Rua, Californian fiddler Gabe McVarish and guitarist Ross Martin, from Arisaig (literally across the water), gravitated to - all living there by chance at the same time and forming Dàimh almost ten years ago. It is very much a spiritual home for the Band.
The other members of the Band are Highland and Border piper Angus MacKenzie, from Cape Breton, bodhran player James Bremner and the most recent member to join the band - Gaelic singer Calum Alex MacMillan, who was only 14 years when the band formed!
Calum Alex MacMillan, who is from Point, Isle of Lewis, won the MOD Gold Medal in Largs in 2002, at the age of 18 years, making him the youngest ever Gold Medalist. He then completed a remarkable double by winning the Traditional in Perth in 2004, at the age of 20. Calum Alex comes from great stock, descended from a 'who's who' of famous Gaelic bards and singers from Lewis, and his father Seonaidh was a member of the ground-breaking Gaelic band The Lochies. Dàimh's debut at the MOD fringe is due in no small way to Calum Alex.
Calum Alex said, "I was delighted to join Dàimh and sing on their most recent album - "Crossing Point." It was also a really great honour for myself and the Band to be invited as guests to the 2007 MOD, thus completing a full circle for me."
Dàimh (pronounced da-eve) is the Gaelic word for affinity or kinship. The six-piece Band effortlessly blend music and song from their native traditions. Their music is a very high energy, fast-flowing mixture of tunes and songs from these traditions, fusing together to produce a breathtakingly fluid and arousing sound which has been setting audiences alight from North America to Eastern Europe.
GREENTRAX RECORDINGS LIMITED, COCKENZIE BUSINESS CENTRE, EDINBURGH ROAD, COCKENZIE, EAST LOTHIAN, EH32 0XL, SCOTLAND. Tel. 01875 815888/Fax 01875 813545 E-mail greentrax@aol.com www.greentrax.com Ian D. Green.
