It’s time to start looking forward to this year’s spectacular Islay Sessions. Friday 8th, Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th will be a weekend full of outstanding music from across Scotland (and Ireland). Here is a sneak peak at some of the line up.

Ross Couper & Tom Oakes

Ross Couper and Tom Oakes

Fiddle and guitar duo, Ross and Tom have recently performed to great acclaim across Europe with sell-out tours of Norway and Denmark.  They’ve taken to the stage at world famous festivals such as Shetland Folk Festival and Tønder Festival in Denmark where they played to a 5000 strong outdoor crowd.

In 2011 they were nominated for ‘Best up and Coming Act’ in the Scottish Traditional Music Awards and were awarded a coveted 5 Star review for their performance at the Edinburgh Fringe. Ross is also the current fiddle player with Peatbog Fairies and Tom is the principle traditional flute and DADGAD guitar tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland - not a lot to boast about.  http://www.rossandtom.com

Jarlath Henderson Band

Jarlath Henderson Band

When only 19, Jarlath had already been a three time All-Ireland Champion Uilleann Piper and in December 2003 he became the first Irish musician to win the prestigious BBC Young Folk Musician Of The Year. Jarlath, now a familiar face in Scotland playing both Scottish and Irish music, often joining forces with the Scottish piping and whistle force that is Ross Ainslie, Jarlath will be entertaining Islay Sessions audience with his own band.

Hannah Beaton & Innes Watson
The beautiful voice of Hannah Beaton will be melting away those icing November nights with her range of gaelic songs accompanied on guitar by a familiar face Innes Watson. Innes, previous MG Alba Scots Trad Music Instrumentalist of the Year winner and a member of what may seem like almost every Traditional band in Scotland - that has to be a sign.

More details to follow soon!