"Ceilidh Minogue offer the Scottish dance music coinnoisseur a wider selection of flavours than usual to tempt the tastebuds.  On this, their introductory menu, the Minogues present the worthy haggis, neeps and tatties fayre of Burns, Gow and pipe melodies, complemented by less familiar Scottish and Irish traditional dishes, all served up in a fresh style alongside some original recipes. The ingredients?  Master tunesters Gregor Lowrey and Gavin Marwick provide the zing on accordion and fiddle, Bob Turner's piano and the guitar of Duncan Findlay cater for the most refined tastes in accompaniment, and Al Morrow's kit drumming is the uniquely meaty
stock behind the Ceilidh Minogue sound.  Add a sprinkling of jazz horns to season, and the resulting musical mix should appeal to the discerning palate looking for a new variety of ceilidh.  Grouse à l'Orange anyone?" -      Ken Fraser, Music Scotland

Ceilidh Minogue
****
Greentrax CDTRAX304, £12.99

"One of Scotland's most appealingly distinctive and danceable outfits, the group eschews the usual Scots trad dance band sound, exploring looser textures in a much more contemporary 'folk' feel. Fiddler Gavin Marwick and accordionist Gregor Lowrey pump out finger-bending tunes amid the quicksteps, marches or down-tempo numbers, sometimes French Canadian or American hoe-down, but always with toe-tapping style."

Norman Chalmers, The Scotsman

"Ceilidh Minogue is a spirited Scottish ceilidh band that no doubt plays many weddings, parties, celebrations and other events. The experienced band can even call dances, if desired. The band members keep busy with many music-related projects from composing to arranging, and recording to touring. All tracks on their self-titled debut album are well-produced and have the core trio of Gregor Lowrey (accordion), Gavin Marwick (fiddle), and Bob Turner (piano, accordion). All but one track ("Greenhill") also have Al Morrow on drums and/or percussion. Gregor played with Black Eyed Biddy in 1988, toured the world with Davy Arthur, and was the featured box player in the hit Celtic dance show, Sheihallion, and performed with Canadian band, Clan Terra. Ceilidh Minogue's fiddler Gavin Marwick was a founding member of Iron Horse, works with various projects including Cantrip, has recorded extensively with many artists, and appeared with The Unusual Suspects. Pianist Bob Turner started his career on accordion but switched to piano, has worked with fiddler Bruce MacGregor and Neil Gow Ensemble. Drummer Big Al Morrow has played in various jazz, rock and traditional configurations. I like the way that Ceilidh Minogue brings varied music influences and experiences to the table in a collaborative fashion that has shaped their unique, overall sound. Their mission, apparently, is to simply provide alluring and inspiring instrumental dance music.

Guitarist Duncan Finlay plays on more than half of the selections. Other selections have guest musicians like Angus Wares (guitar, mandolin, tipple), an experienced Scot musician from Dundee who is comfortable playing many types of music and who has toured Lithuanian and Latvia with accordionist Lowrey. Wares appears on four tracks, and his tipple evokes a particularly nice tonal sentiment to the album's closer, "Waltzing Matilda." Other guests include Roy Percy (bass-3 tracks), John Burgess (sax-2 tracks), and Steven Hawkes (trumpet-2 tracks). If you are looking for the full ensemble of nine, spin the 6-minute "Para Handy in New York" medley.

Ceilidh Minogue has a healthy respect for tradition, but they are not just restating the past. Throughout this album, they display innovation with regard for the robust, strong tradition. "La Brass-thing" begins with the common "La Bastringue" but the medley evolves into high-flying creative delight. Some of their medleys have common dance tunes (e.g. Petronella, Charlie Hunter), but they then typically segue into novel territory. They also breathe new life into instrumental arrangements of two Robert Burns' songs. Of special note are some original tunes (e.g. New Moon, Blackford Two-Step, Seven Fit Tree, Greenhill, Glendevon, Ben's Frist Birthday, Back in Forth) that were composed by Marwick, Turner or Lowrey. The group is a multi-purpose one with great variety. If Ceilidh Minogue is playing at a party, you're sure that it will be standing room only, and that they will present music to please everyone in attendance".

Joe Ross, Folk 'n Roots