FAR FLUNG CORNERS
A musical collaboration inspired by the connections and differences, past and present, of landscape, culture and language within the British Isles. Far Flung Corners was first conceived as a Soundstorm music education project led by Dorset musicians, songwriter Alex Roberts, multi-instrumentalist Dan Somogyi, and fiddlers/composers Simon Bradley and Anna-Wendy Stevenson from Scotland.
They are joined by fantastic young musicians from the renowned traditional music course at Lews Castle College University of the Highlands and Islands based in the Outer Hebrides.
​
"As is often the case when musicians work together, these collaborations rapidly evolved into a full artistic collaboration, providing beautiful focus for learning and for exchange captured here on this CD. What resulted is a true exchange of ideas, inspired by and celebrating our respective places, our connections and our differences, our past and present. As Alex puts it, in the opening track, 'I arrive a stranger, hope to leave as a friend. And I'll carry your song in my heart." Anna Wendy Stevenson, Dan Somogyi.
BLACK BAY
2020
Now comes 'Black Bay', Far Flung Collective’s second album, arranged and recorded over the space of a weekend at Black Bay Studio, on Great Bernera, off the west coast of Lewis. The core quintet was this time joined by fantastic young players, Lewis-based accordion player Stephen Drummond and fiddle player Selina Clare Ross. Black Bay contains eight originals, plus a gospel-tinged cover of May Erlewine’s Afraid and a new version of the traditional English Spencer the Rover (made famous by John Martyn). 'Black Bay' is a more diverse, spontaneous affair to its predecessor, but with the Far Flung "sound" very much intact.
An official launch concert planned for spring 2020, cancelled because of Covid19 pandemic, is now tentatively pencilled for October 2021.
FAR FLUNG COLLECTIVE
2017
Far Flung Collective brings together musicians and traditions from distant corners of the British Isles, with a particular focus on the Scottish Outer Hebrides and South West England. Featuring a core quintet of acclaimed Uist-based musician/composers Anna-Wendy Stevenson (fiddle) and Simon Bradley (viola), young Scottish vocalist Mabel Duncan, and Dorset-based musicians Alex Roberts (voice/guitar) and Dan Somogyi (piano, guitar) – alongside a changing cast of talented young Scottish players – the Collective first emerged in 2016 as the artistic manifestation of a longstanding music education collaboration. Debut album Far Flung Corners launched at a sold out Celtic Connections concert in Glasgow Royal Concert Hall in 2017, and was described in Songlines as a ‘beautiful, engaging… gorgeous and delightful release’. The recording was notable for Stevenson’s Suite Uist, a majestic tribute to the Scottish islands which she has made her home. It soon became a BBC Radio nan Gà idheal CD of the week.
