Fèis Rois is excited to present a double bill of Rachel Walker & Aaron Jones and Laura Wilkie: Vent as part of Fèis Rois nan Inbheach, our annual three-day festival for adults.
Rachel Walker and Aaron Jones are celebrated names within the traditional music scene in Scotland, having both worked as singers and instrumentalists for many years. Rachel previouslyrecorded four of her own soloalbums, with her recent album Gaol showcasing hersongwriting talent. She has played with much-loved Gaelic song band Cruinn and is a regularguest with Skipinnish. Aaron has recorded on multiple projects, including with his own band,Old Blind Dogs. He isrecognised as one of the foremost accompanists on the trad musicscene, working with singers such as Emily Smith, Siobhan Miller and Kate Rusby, and hascontributed to many mainstream television soundtracks, including Jane Austin period dramaSanditon andNBC’s Law and Order.
Following the release of 2022’s debut EP entitled A Happy Place, the duo launched their firstfull album Despite The Wind And Rain to a standing ovation at2023’s Celtic Connections.The critically acclaimed album featured ten new self-penned songs which celebratedinspirational Scottish women and the resulting tours-which included trips to Canada,Ireland, and extensive touring in Scotland-saw the duo nominated in the‘Folk Band of theYear’category at the 2023 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards. They were included in The ListMagazine’s‘Hot100’for 2023, Rachel was listed as one of The Scotsman’s‘Women inCulture2024’and was added to the Scottish Poetry Library’s list of poets in recognition ofher songwriting.Their latest album 'Amongst the Wild Rowans’, is a collection of intimate, and deeplypersonal arrangements, which feature the interplay and musical bonds that Rachel andAaron have nurtured on the road.
Laura Wilkie’s Vent explores waulking songs—traditional work songs sung by women in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland while beating tweed. These songs allowed women to keep rhythm while venting frustrations, sharing stories, and building community.
Laura adapted these songs for the fiddle, collaborating with tradition bearer and one-women-ceilidh Rona Lightfoot and drawing on the rich history found in Scottish archives. Through Vent, Laura delves into themes of safety, power, love, humour, and freedom—individually and collectively.
