Strathspey Queens by Alice Allen and Patsy Reid

It’s 100 years since James Scott Skinner recorded ‘The Strathspey King’ and Alice Allen (cello) and Patsy Reid (fiddle) are celebrating this milestone by releasing their own take on his last, iconic recording from London, 1922.

Each holding a first-class honours degree, Patsy and Alice are two of Scotland’s most in-demand ‘bi-lingual’ Scottish musicians. They both grew up steeped in the North East fiddle tradition, becoming effortlessly fluent in their native strathspeys, reels and airs, whilst simultaneously pursuing a hybrid musical education, achieving much sought after string technique (that Skinner himself flaunted) whist remaining true to their respective roots.

It is little known that Skinner started off his playing career accompanying tunes on the cello for dances. From Banchory herself, Alice pays homage to his published bass lines, blending and contrasting them with her own vibrant and percussive, modern accompaniment style. As the youngest ever winner of the prestigious Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship, Patsy, born in Dundee, is in her element here, returning to her fiddling origins.

Together, Alice and Patsy breathe new life into these wonderful tunes and let us hope this recording may be enjoyed by Scottish music lovers for another century.

patsyreid.com