Linsey Aitken & Ken Campbell
One of the best Songbooks in contemporary Scots acoustic music.
Vocals, 'Cello, Guitar, Northumbrian Pipes, Piano, Laud.
From Loch Lomond Scotland
www.linskenscotland.co.uk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Wonderful, your music truly unites people, fantastic ambassadors for Scotland, and very
talented musicians. What wonderful songs and music you've composed." ~ City Days
Festival, Russia
“A simply beautiful sound, each song an absolute gem” ~ Maverick
“Distinctive vocals and original songs, a smattering of trad.arr - distinctive flavours of
'cello." ~ R2 [Rock & Reel magazine]
"Absolutely gorgeous songs, see them live and enjoy an evening of great songs and music."
~ Amazon.co uk review
"A welcome showcase of extraordinary varied talents, strong yet sensitive singing, collected
gems from old sources, and a canny ear for current songs from Scotland." ~ Folk Roots
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Linsey Aitken - A highly regarded cellist and vocalist crossing genres from classical to
folk. Trained on 'cello and piano at the RSAMD, she has performed professionally all over
the UK from the Royal Albert Hall to the sands of Calgary Bay in Mull.
Collaborating regularly with composer Alan Craig, flautist/composer Louise Burnet, member
of classical trio “Trois Femmes” and various quartets. She has taught at Edinburgh
University, teaches Kodaly singing methodology working with young musicians from 3 years
through to RSAMD. Founding member of folk band "The Cross Border Band” she played and
sang her way round Scotland, the Edinburgh Festival and other International festivals before
joining The Ideal Band, and subsequently touring with Ken Campbell as a duo in UK, Europe
and USA.
In 2014 she became the Musical Director of the Loch Lomond “Bb's” community choir and
established the “Loch Lomond Ukulele Orchestra”.
Ken Campbell - Scottish singer/songwriter with a well established pedigree over 30
years, with five albums to date, festivals, concerts, TV and radio throughout Europe, USA
and beyond. Starting with Glasgow band 'Molendinar', then a much commended duo with
Chris Miller ["Pipers Maggott" - Topic Records, London]. He then established the highly
successful "Ideal Band" following in the footsteps of of Glasgow's "Bob Smith's Ideal Band"
of the 1930's.
He subsequently toured with Cauld Wind Piper Hamish Moore, recorded two solo albums
[”Going Solo” - Fellside & ”Hand Pict” - Watercolour] whilst also working with cellist, singer,
Wendy Weatherby, Stevie Lawrence [Rallion/Red Hot Chilli Pipers/Iron Horse] and Blair
Cowan [Lloyd Cole & the Commotions] before reforming "The Ideal Band" in 2009, releasing
a further album on the Fellside label, and subsequently touring with Linsey Aitken as a duo
with a new CD released in 2014.
~~~~~~~~~~
From different musical genre - combining vocal harmony with an unusual
combination of instruments, and pedigrees ranging from Celtic traditional music,
contemporary song writing, to classical, baroque and orchestral.
A unique songbook - self penned and traditional songs and tunes, covering a host of
subjects, contemporary and historic, from Columba and Mid Argyll, Dundee whaling songs,
Scots abroad, to chorus songs and world events, with a Scottish related theme.
Collaborations - In 2010 as the Ideal Band, they toured Russia. Back in Scotland they
organised major concerts at Edinburgh Festival and Arts Centres, playing with their guests
the world famous Rostov Balalaika, combining their music and song with traditional music
and dance from the Cossack region of Russia.
In January 2011 they organised and fronted a series of multi cultural concerts as part of the
St Mungo Festival in Glasgow, being joined by musicians from Ghana, Ireland, Scotland etc.
Other collaborations have included concerts with award winning Gaelic singer Maggie
Macinnes, Piper/Pipemaker Hamish Moore, Nick Keir of the McCalmans, and Scots
singer/songwriter Andy Shanks, with more to follow
Arts centre shows - There success with original material and multi cultural shows is
now growing into touring shows for Arts Centres, theatres and other venues, incorporating
collaboration with contemporary and classical musicians.
~~~~~~~~~~
For booking enquiries or future information on gigs and news
Ken Campbell
music@linskenscotland.co.uk Tel: +44 [0]7808 173 483
Dr John Barrow jb@stoneyport.demon.co.uk
Tel: +44 [0]131 443 4784
Linsey Aitken & Ken Campbell
One of the best Songbooks in contemporary Scots acoustic music.
Vocals, 'Cello, Guitar, Northumbrian Pipes, Piano, Laud.
From Loch Lomond Scotland
www.linskenscotland.co.uk
Their Full story - weaves together many threads from the worlds of Traditional,
Classical, and Contemporary Music, where historically all three genre of music were
interlinked in Scotland’s musical identity
~~~~~~
Linsey Aitken - A highly regarded cellist, pianist and vocalist encompassing many genres
and styles from Classical to Traditional music.
Inspired by leading German ‘cellist May Libersohn of the’ Scottish National Orchestra’, she
studied ‘cello and piano under the personal tuition of leading international musicians –
cellist Anna Shuttleworth, harpsichord maestro Alan Cuckston, and virtuoso pianist Gusztav
Fenyo
At Harrogate Arts School she studied Singing, Music and Performing Arts, and then went on
to complete a degree in cello and piano performance at the Royal Scottish Academy of
Music and Drama [RSAMD] alongside Scotland’s foremost Lute player Rob McKillop, and
Martin Bennet who became a legend in Scottish music before his untimely death. Linsey
was one of eight UK 'cellists invited to play at the London Royal School of Music Centenary
Concert in Royal Albert Hall London.
Working as a freelance cellist and pianist all round Scotland, she then became a champion of
Kodaly Methodology teaching and inspiring people ranging from baby music classes to
youth orchestras, university and all walks of life.
As part of that her musical vocabulary grew and extended to all genres of music and by 2009
she had become
a founder member of Scotland’s Cross Border Band led by the legendary Erne Parkin.
In spring 2010 Linsey Aitken on cello and vocals joined The Ideal Band, taking over from
Seylan Baxter.
Subsequently Linsey and Ken commenced touring as a duo throughout UK, Europe and USA.
In 2014 she created The Loch Lomond Ukulele Orchestra and took over as Musical Director
of the Bb’s community choir.
Ken Campbell - Scottish singer/songwriter with a well established pedigree over 30 years,
with five albums to date, festivals, concerts, TV and radio throughout Europe and beyond.
Starting with Glasgow band 'Molendinar, in 1980 Ken and Chris Miller performed at Lorient
lnterceltic Festival in France.
Arfolk, the same label that the ‘Battlefield Band’ recorded their first album with in similar
circumstances, offered Chris and Ken a contract as a duo.
Immediately offered gigs round the UK, they sent a demo to Topic Records in London and in
1981 ‘The Pipers Maggot’ was released as companion album to Dick Gaughan's classic
album 'Handful of Earth’. Ken and Chris, then joined by Alasdair Robertson, called the new
trio 'The ldeal Band' after Scotland’s famous ‘Bob Smith’s Ideal Band’ of the 1930’s.
"Through the 1980's 'The Ideal Band' along with 'Battlefield Band', 'Ossian', 'Tannahill
Weavers' and others
had a huge impact on the perception of Scottish Music." - Living Tradition
In 1984 'A Measure of Freedom' was released by Lismor Recordings, and a lot more festivals
and touring followed.
He subsequently toured with Cauld Wind Piper Hamish Moore, recorded two solo albums
[“”Going Solo”” - Fellside & ““Hand Pict”” - Watercolour] whilst also working with cellist,
singer, Wendy Weatherby, Stevie Lawrence [Rallion/Red Hot Chilli Pipers/Iron Horse] and
Blair Cowan [Lloyd Cole & the Commotions].
He subsequently performed alongside Hamish Moore and Mairi Campbell in Barga Italy in
2008, and in 2009 got the ‘‘The ldeal Band’’ on the road again with a wealth of new songs,
northumbrian pipes were brought back in, more touring followed, an album was released
on Fellside and Dr John Barrow at Stoneyport Associates, took them under his personal wing
arranging concerts and tours.
In spring 2010 Linsey Aitken on cello and vocals joined The Ideal Band, and a new six track
CD and videos were released in January 2011.
Subsequently Linsey and Ken commenced touring as a duo, with a new CD recorded at
Watercolour Music in Scotland released in 2014.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~