Ulster Scots eXperience

They are a Northern Irish band of musicians who perform music from the Ulster-Scots tradition. They are part of a wider revival of interest in Ulster-Scots language and culture that developed during the 1990s. They draw on long established practices of community music making, including gospel-singing, fiddling, piping, flute and accordion bands, drumming and fifing. Combining these traditions in innovative ways, they produce sounds that are both new and distinctive. Their focus on the local is complemented by the creative use of related traditions in Scotland, Ireland and the Scots-Irish diaspora in North America.

Infobox musical artist
Name = Ulster Scots Experience


Img_capt = The Ulster Scots Experience
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Northern Ireland
Genre = Ulster-Scots
Traditional
Folk
Years_active = 2005 - Present
Label =
Associated_acts =
URL =
Current_members = John Trotter, Valerie Quinn, James R Christie, Kenny Mitchell, Fiona Trotter, Sammy Quinn, Amanda Robinson, Ronnie Barnes, James Christie, Mark Ferguson, Grace O'Neill, Rachel McBride, Nicky Bryson, Neil Badger
Past_members =

History

In July 2005, twelve musicians made the decision to expand and further develop the repertoire of music being presented at a professional level. And so the Ulster Scots Experience was born. Experienced musicians and former members of the 'Ulster Scots Folk Orchestra', they all have the common aim of proving to the sceptics that Ulster-Scots music can be musically correct as well as entertaining and easy on the ear.

Under the guidance of John ‘Scott’ Trotter, and performing musical arrangements by Valerie Quinn, their music is proving extremely popular with audiences throughout Ireland and further afield.

The musical combination of fiddles & accordions accompanied by keyboard, drums, fifes, lambegs, bagpipes, dulcimer, banjo, tin whistle & mandolin, to name but a few, all give that ‘special something’ to their performances. Add to that the un-rivalled vocal talents of Fiona Trotter and Rachel McBride, and they're really taking the Ulster-Scots music scene by storm.

The musicians put the instruments to good use, and in their performances expertly take you on a musical journey through the Appalachian mountains & Tennessee, calling to visit famous Scots such as Rabbie Burns, Will Starr & Jimmy Shand, yet always returning home to the well-known local favourites.

Exploring the Ulster Scots culture through the mediums of song, verse and music, they will set your feet tapping to their catchy rhythms, and leave your sides aching from John’s unique banter.

Instruments

The main instruments of the group are the fiddle and the accordion. Complemented superbly by the vocal talents of Fiona Trotter, Rachel McBride and Nicky Bryson, and the percussion of Sammy Quinn. The USX also included other instruments in their line-up, chief among these being the lambeg drum, guitar and tin whistle.

Experimenting with other sounds is one of the areas that they intend to develop further and they are at the moment working on various arrangements incorporating mandolin, banjo, bodhran and both the dulcimer and mountain dulcimer.

Performances

The Ulster Scots Experience has performed at a variety of venues, ranging from small community halls to outdoor festivals, as well as major venues such as the Ulster Hall and Waterfront Hall. The members have also performed in Scotland, England, Ireland and the United States. Performances cover a wide range of material from Ulster-Scots language recitation and unaccompanied songs to contemporary songs accompanied by guitar and other instruments, drum and fife tunes, the many shared Scottish & Irish traditional tunes, to dance music played on a variety of instruments in both Ulster-Scots and Appalachian styles. The Ulster Scots Experience also work closely with the Ulster Scots Agency to provide musical workshops which they take into schools and community groups.

The Ulster Scots Experience is now very well established within Ulster-Scots communities, playing upwards of 60 gigs a year

Discography

* Time to Experience (2006)
* The Songs my Father Sung (2007)

External links

* [http://www.ulster-scots.co.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=569&sid=a5706a60dc0bb0cf963f80b1c807402f Ulster-Scots eXperience Video clips]
* [http://www.ulsterscotsexperience.co.uk Ulster-Scots experience official site]