John Carnie - Scottish Acoustic Guitarist - Flatpicking, Blues, Irish & Celtic Music and Songs

Traditional Scottish Music, Jigs and Reels on Acoustic Guitar. New CD "Far From Home" released 2008

Welcome to the Scottish acoustic guitar website. John Carnie's new album of Scottish traditional tunes played in the flatpicking style was released in 2008 and available on line from:

MusicInScotland.com                                    Footstompin.com                                       MusicScotland.com                                                CelticChords.co.uk                                                                                                                                                                   

The CD "Far From Home" - features  12 tracks and 29 individual tunes that come from the treasure trove of reels, jigs, pipe and harp tunes that form the backbone of the Scottish musical heritage. 

“The CD is a box of delights…very fine playing" - BBC Radio Scotland

“An exposition of fleetfingered flatpicking” - Scotland on Sunday

“Swings like a cat” - The Scotsman

“Far from Home is a delight” - BBC Radio Nan Gael

"Wonderful clean flatpicking... An excellent player” - BBC Radio Wales

Check out the video flatpicking clip "Music for a Found Harmonium" on youtube  and also a couple of blues songs: Rory Gallagher's 20:20 Vision:  youtube and an old Muddy Waters slide guitar tune: youtube

The album features the jazzy double bass playing of Brian Shiels and some bluesy twists of long time cohorts, Dave Moir & Spider Mackenzie. It is the first album of its type ever to feature an entirely Scottish selection of tunes flatpicked on the acoustic guitar. Recorded at Castlesound Studios near Edinburgh, it covers the entire spectrum of Scottish  traditional tunes from Shetland reels through to Borders jigs and from West Highland harp tunes to swingy East Coast hornpipes. There are new tunes such as Rory Gallagher's Jig and also tunes that are hundreds of years old. It is a treat for all fans of the acoustic guitar and also fans of Irish, traditional, blues and bluegrass music. The album has been getting some great reviews and has had around a dozen plays on the BBC Scotland Iain Anderson Show alone.

John has been involved in the 'People and Songs of the Sea' CD released on the Greentrax lable in June 2009. One of his tracks 'The Shaalds of Foulla" has been included on the album. The CD reflects the rich cultural heritage of Scotland's fishing, with recordings from a fine list of artists including:  Archie Fisher, Isla St Clair, Cathy-Ann MacPhee, The Corries, Cilla Fisher, Davy Steele, Gerry OConner, The Cast, The McCalmans and Shona McMillan.  www.musicscotland.com/cd/people-and-songs-of-the-sea.html