DKOS Artists 30th Jan 2024 :- Caitlin Andrew. – Cartwright, Dunsdon & Leesik. – Eleanor Dunsdon & Gregor Black. – Malcolm MacWatt. – The Lynsey Dolan Band………..
Caitlin Andrew
Caitlin Andrew is a singer-songwriter and musician living in Glasgow who released her EP “STOP” in Dec 2022. With a love for gentle acoustic tunes that bring in the eclectic, you can expect a mix of instruments, harmonies and languages in her music. As a Gaelic speaker and fiddle player, traditional Scottish style is a source of inspiration for her writing, as well as twangy guitar fingerstyle passed down through family.
Cartwright, Dunsdon & Leesik
Cartwright, Dunsdon & Leesik is a new vibrant female folk trio consisting of Eleanor Dunsdon (clarsach/vocals), Heather Cartwright (guitar/vocals) and Kristina Leesik (fiddle/vocals). Having met and became good friends whilst all living on the same street in Glasgow three years ago, they also studied Traditional Music together at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where they discovered a shared musical vision. Their distinctive combination of instruments and musical backgrounds, weaved together with their rich blend of vocal harmonies, bring a fresh perspective to the Scottish traditional music scene. The trio combine elements of their own Scandinavian and British roots to bring to life traditional, contemporary and original material, drawing inspiration from a shared passion for storytelling, three-part harmony, and intricate instrumentals.
Eleanor Dunsdon & Gregor Black
Eleanor and Gregor are a Glasgow-based harp and percussion duo, who met during their postgraduate studies in Traditional Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2022. Blending their respective sounds of Scottish clarsach and Irish bodhrán, along with contemporary percussion and vocals, they form a creative new duo. Gregor draws on his background in classical and traditional music to bring interesting and innovative ideas to his playing. Eleanor currently performs with award-winning Irish alt-folk band, Ranagri, who in 2023 toured across Germany, Spain and the UK. The duo are currently writing music for a concept album based on a series of disappearing words from the Irish language, used by older generations of fishermen on the West Coast of Ireland to describe the changeable temperament of the sea.
In 2024 the duo are looking forward to appearin.g at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival and as featured artists at Southport’s Love Folk Festival
Malcolm MacWatt
Scottish songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Malcolm MacWatt is a unique voice in British Folk/Americana with the likes of Gretchen Peters, Laura Cantrell, Jaimee Harris, Eliza Carthy, Nathan Bell, Angeline Morrison, Pat McManus and Kris Drever lending their names and voices to his recent work.
Hailing from Morayshire with the Highlands and North Sea as a constant backdrop, Malcolm was raised listening to the folklore and music of Scotland. His love for the outdoors saw him spending much of his life as a keen hillwalker and surfer; learning first hand that the Highlands are beautiful and uplifting but unforgivingly harsh if taken for granted.
Like many other young men from the area he worked on the offshore oil rigs where the power of the North Sea was a constant reminder to remain humble in the face of nature. Later, as a newspaper journalist he reported on local topics including the criminal courts and social issues. As such there’s sensitivity, compassion and humanity in his songwriting with a rugged simplicity and directness in how they are delivered.
“I’ve had a lifelong love of American music and culture. At the same time as those US influences were coming through the TV and radio I was also being steeped in Scottish folk tales and traditional music. So I’ve always been fascinated by music with Trans-Atlantic connections, or Transatlanticana as I like to say.”
The Lynsey Dolan Band
The Lynsey Dolan Band is a powerful and polished 4 piece. Their music is a heady cocktail of blues and country with a generous dash of ‘Glasgow Soul’.
Lynsey’s unique vocal talents have been in demand to provide backing for some of the biggest names in Scottish music (SAHB, Lulu, The Skids etc).
Fresh from winning the hearts of the Lowlands The Lynsey Dolan Band have very recently been crowned ‘Best Blues Act’ at The Lowlands Music Awards 2023.
Now it’s time to take it to the next level. Although DKOS is primarily folk, good music is good music and we would love the opportunity to play to our original material to a listening audience which could be a springboard to something new.