Taliska – Home … Where the Music Is

Taliska’s second album, Home…where the music is, has been eagerly anticipated. The song and tune choices reflects the band members’ sense of home being a place where music is brought to the table, and shared, from places distant either in time or geography – but always near and dear to one’s heart.

You may recognise some familiar faces among this crew! Faces that have joined forces to form Taliska, who bring you much loved music of the Scotland. These musical forces combine the stunning fiddle playing of Colin MacLeod, along with his hilarious stage banter, the refined and inspiring sounds from Geoff Jones on pipes, the sincere vocals & guitar playing of Marc de Rijk, the mellifluous vocals of Claire Patti, accompanied by the beautiful harp & piano accordion, and the melodiously mellow sounds of the cello from Natasha Trinkle.

Each member brings something unique and special that will uplift, captivate and entertain. Taliska have had audiences so transfixed, one could hear a pin drop as they weave musical magic through songs and airs with soaring harmonies, then roaring enthusiastically to life with their sprightly, foot-tapping jigs and reels.

“The melding of all the instruments and personalities makes for a musical experience you would not want to miss” (Suzanne Laslett, Artistic director, Celtica Festival).

“Taliska is a delightful group which captivated the audiences at the 2010 Celtica Festival in Port Adelaide in 2010. The melding of all the instruments and personalities makes for a musical experience you would not want to miss. The off-beat humour of Scottish fiddler, Colin MacLeod, combined with his excellent musicianship and on-stage antics, the beautiful vocals of Celtic harpist, Claire Patti and guitarist, Marc de Rijk, singing the songs of Robert Burns, and the distinctive sound of the small pipes, played by Geoff Jones, is a combination which has the audience listening quietly and intently and then roaring to life to the exuberance of a set of Scottish jigs and reels. Taliska is definitely a crowd-pleaser for any event.”

CD Review by Chris Spencer

Taliska is a Scottish band from Melbourne.

Why they call themselves a Scottish band is not much of a mystery – they sing songs originating from Scotland (although several of the tunes or songs on this album were written by people not of Scottish origin) and the men in the group wear their kilts.

This is Taliska’s 2nd album and is a much more laid back collection of songs than those presented on the first album.

Also, leader Colin MacLeod, seems to have stepped back, allowing other band members to come to the fore.

Thus there’s less violin – not necessarily a good thing – and a range of duets between the other members on their various instruments.

The band has constructed the album well, with a variety of time signatures, fast and slow tempos, contrasting male and female vocals, interesting arrangements, instrumentals and vocals and some unusual combinations of instruments – such as the Scottish pipes and French horn on Donald Ross & the Jigs.

The album begins with a set of 3 reels.

On the second track Geoff Jones’ Scottish smallpipes feature on two covers the first of The Easy Club and the second a tune written by Neil Dickie.

(It’s a bit eerie when watching Geoff play the smallpipes – he’s smiling all the time pumping air into his pipes using his arm to inflate the bag – with such a distinctive sound, although not as harsh as the bagpipes, I’m expecting the pipes to be blown via the mouth!) Claire Patti sings unaccompanied during the introduction of Ca’ the Yowes tae the Knowes before her harp joins her for the second verse.

This leads into a delightful tune My Home Town written by John MacLellan.

Heroes of Longhope is a slow, mournful tune featuring the cello playing of Natasha Trinkle and the fiddle.

One of the stronger songs on the album.

Track 5, Lassie Lie near Me adapting the lyrics of Robert Burns, the verses sung alternatively by Claire and Marcus de Rijk, has a beautiful melody.

My favourite song on the album is the waltz, The Garden, sung in unison or alternatively, by Claire and Marcus.

Colin’s fiddle playing on this is sublime.

Another highlight is Jock o’Hazeldeana delicate traditional tune sung by Marcus.

However the fulcrum of the album is the 8 minute trilogy Thou Bonnie Wood o’Craigielea Waltzing Matilda Craigielee march.

Claire, accompanied by her harp playing, sings the first part, Marcus the Matilda section while the third is instruments only.

The band has slowed the tempo right down for this number, it’s certainly not a rousing version that has become popular with bush bands.

There’s also a set of reels, a cover of Roy Abbott’s And When They Dance, a set of 3 jigs and a version of Robert Burns’ The Plooman.

This is a most enjoyable album, one that will bear repeated listenings and is highly recommended.