Artists
who's who and who's doing what?Salsa Celtica
- country:United Kingdom
- style(s):Celtic Latin
- label:Discos Leon
- type:Band
- gender:male
- instrumentation:instrumental, vocal
- artist submitted by:
Edinburgh-based eleven-piece band Salsa Celtica are an increasingly important name in the UK's World Music scene, having stolen the show at gigs and festivals throughout the world with their unprecedented high-energy fusion of Latin and Celtic sounds and rhythms. Apparently against the odds, one style flows naturally into another, creating a magical instrumental mix that blends pipes, with congas, brass with fiddles. The result has been an exuberant fan-base and a growing reputation for this broad collective of musicians that includes artists from Cuba, Ireland, Scotland and Venezuela among its number.
In the wake of three highly acclaimed albums Monstruos Y Demonios (1995); The Great Scottish Latin Adventure (2000) and El Agua De La Vida (2003) El Camino sees Salsa Celtica breaking new ground. In a departure from previous recordings, Calum Malcolm (of Blue Nile fame) took the producer's chair, setting out to capture the energy and clarity of their new direction into song and occasional soulful pieces that shine a spotlight on the Celtic influences in their music. Eliza Carthy makes a guest appearance on 'Grey Gallito', a beautiful, Latin version of an English traditional song. The finished album is a landmark in the band's career.
The release of El Camino coincides with Salsa Celtica's first appearance on the big screen. In late summer of 2004 the band travelled to London to film two scenes for the Jeremy Brock directorial debut, 'Driving Lessons', starring Julie Walters and Rupert Grint. The film is scheduled for general release in cinemas in summer 2006 and, among other appearances and tracks in the movie, features Salsa Celtica's rousing and typically unique version of Auld Lang Syne over the end credits.
This is all a far cry from Salsa Celtica's humble beginnings in 1995 growing out of jamming sessions in the bars and clubs of Edinburgh and Glasgow. After recording their debut album ('Monstros y Demonios), they took their music to the village halls of Scotland and then travelled to Cuba to study with some of the country's master musicians. On their return they signed to Greentrax for the release of second and third albums reaching number 5 in the World Music Chart of Europe with 2003's El Agua De La Vida.
Invitations from festivals and concert halls throughout the world followed as did their first English tour in 2004 which included a sold out date at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. In September that same year, they played to their largest audience yet, 40,000 people in London's Hyde Park as part of the BBC Proms in the Park. Live success was matched by radio play with highlights including a Maida Vale session recorded for Radio 3's Andy Kershaw Show, reaching the top 10 in LA's Salsa radio chart with the infectious 'Yo Mi Voy' and an appearance on Radio 3's January 1st World Music Day in 2004.
In 2006 Salsa Celtica crown their growing reputation with the arrival of a career-defining album in El Camino.
Salsa Celtica tour the UK each spring and each year play festivals all over the world with a growing reputation as one of the best festival bands around.
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