An exposition of fleet-fingered
flatpicking" - Scotland on Sunday "
Duke Ellington once said there are only two types of music that swing: jazz and Scottish music. A new band - Celtic Django Project - is rehearsing for shows in Summer 2025 and beyond, including 3 nights at Edinburgh Festival. Vibrant Hot Club jazz laced with Celtic spirit from the treasure trove of Scotland’s musical heritage. An exciting new project experimenting with various gypsy jazz and folk influences. Paul Paterson is recognised as one of UK’s leading gypsy jazz guitarists, having played with many top names including David Reinhardt and recently at the Django Reinhardt Festival in France. he leads the Hot Club of Edinburgh sessions. Jim Mackay is an outstanding guitarist in both the gypsy jazz and Celtic styles and leads the Hot Club of Glasgow sessions. Charlotte Paterson is an in demand gypsy jazz double bassist, recently playing at the Django Festival in France. John Carnie is a noted musician playing both styles and is author of The Scottish Guitar Book. A web site www.celticdjangoproject.com is now live. www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/django-reinhardt-s-hot-club-jazz-meets-scottish-folk
I was delighted to be invited to the private viewing session at Bonhams in Oct 2024 of the Rory Gallagher Guitar Collection. Even more thrilled when invited to have my photo taken holding Rory's beloved Fender Stratocaster which sold for £889,000 two days later. I first saw the guitar in action when I was 12 ! I've been playing in regular sessions with The Hot Club of Edinburgh and The Hot Club of Babbity (in Glasgow) and getting together the gypsy guitar style of the genius Django Reinhardt. I bought my first Django LP when I was 16. Rory Gallagher was a big Reinhardt fan and also a huge Dylan fan and I was excited to see Dylan at the Usher hall in Edinburgh in November. That made it it around 20 times I've seen Dylan since Aberdeen in 2000 and around the same number of times I saw Gallagher. www.bonhams.com/auction/30318/the-rory-gallagher-collection/?page=2
A short 30 min set with Celtic harmonica virtuoso Donald Black was a great success recently at an event put on by my great pal Spider Mackenzie. I was practised particularly hard for this as Donald's hitherto main guitarist is non other than Malcolm Jones of Runrig, someone whom I have admired over many decades. Janice Clark, Spider and myself also did a couple of numbers which included our erstwhile great pal and bassist John Crawford. An Off the Tracks reunion!
Some heavier blues tracks have been getting some airings recently:
Jazz Blues Modal Jam from the Blues in the Night album has had over 26,000 plays on Spotify this year.
Leaving Jazz Blues -new single re release on Spotify et al in May 2024.
Mississippi Calling Card Blues - new single re released on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and major streaming platforms on 18 April. Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/4zA97vwb3qgBbSjn4Rth9C Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/album/mississippi-calling-card-blues-single/1739855360
Regular opening spots at Edinburgh Folk Club. I was pleased to play a short set at Stonehaven Folk Festival 2023 on the Market Square Stage. See video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HezXvFOyGUg
Dusty Lights at Aberdeen Folk Club 60th Anniversary Concert www.thebluelampaberdeen.com/event-details/aberdeen-folk-club-60th-anniversary-festival-beth-malcolm-with-support-by-dusty-lights
See video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ambIqGnqp0w
"Tangled up in the Blues - the blues of Bob Dylan". John Carnie & Spider MacKenzie - Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Sat 20 August 2022. 10pm.
tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/tangled-up-in-the-blues-the-blues-of-bob-dylan
See video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BO72ATEDGM
Coming soon in 2022: "Dusty Lights" - a new band featuring Dave Francis, Sandie Wyles, Kenny Kemp & John Carnie. An eclectic mix of traditional Scottish and Irish folk, Americana, jazz and blues! www.dustylights.com
Hope everyone safe and well in these unprecedented times. I have posted a number of lockdown down videos I have done for Aberdeen Folk Club and Stonehaven Folk Festival on my YouTube page. Here is the link: www.youtube.com/user/JCarnie
2 Guitar Workshops at the UK Guitar Show - 21 & 22 September 2019 - London - "An Introduction to Celtic Guitar and Improve your Acoustic Blues Playing". Date: Saturday Sat & Sun 21 &22 Sept. Get 20% off entry to the whole weekend with code CARNIE20
www.ukguitarshow.com/2019-programme/performances/the-artists/john-carnie
Workshop at Musicroom London - Sat 30 March 2019 - "Rory Gallagher's Acoustic Styles and Techniques"
Date: Saturday Sat 30 March - various times through day. Free workshops.
Guitar Workshop at the UK Guitar Show - London Olympia - Sat 29 Sept 2018 - "Rory Gallagher's Acoustic Styles and Techniques" Date: Saturday Sat 29 Sept 11am
Delighted to be giving this workshop at the UK Guitar Show, and more so as 21 of Rory's guitar will be on display in a unique collection at the Olympia, including his iconic and famous 1961 fender Stratocaster. www.ukguitarshow.com/2018-programme/rory-gallaghers-acoustic-styles-and-techniques
Edinburgh Guitar Workshop (Free) 4 Aug 2018 "Introduction to playing Scottish & Irish traditional tunes on guitar" Date: Saturday 4 August 1 pm to 3 pm Venue: Rae Macintosh Musicroom, 41 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh
PLEASE SEE Workshops PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION
Fishguard Festivals Folk &Jazz - John Carnie and Swingology - Saturday 5 May 2018
A joint event with Aberjazz and the Fishguard Folk Festival celebrating folk, jazz,celtic and blues music. Swingology are a gypsy jazz Django Reinhardt group based in Liverpool with a great reputation. Tickets from www.nightout.org.uk/whats-on/show.aspx?id=3223
Stonehaven Folk Festival 30th Anniversary Concert, Fri 23 March 2018
Special guests- Dougie MacLean and Off the Tracks - SOLD OUT
Delighted that Off the Tracks have been chosen to play at this special pre festival concert at Stonehaven Town Hall. We have not played together live in concert for some time, but have been practicing! Both the Festival and the Folk Club mean so much to us.
"Off the Tracks played at the opening night of the first Stonehaven Folk Club and feature John Carnie (Guitar) Janice Clark (vocals) and Spider MacKenzie (Blues Harmonica). Dougie Maclean played at the very first Festival and has been an occasional visitor ever since. Both are very much part of the musical heritage of the club and festival and it will a special night to get them both on the same bill". Tickets priced £18 from www.stonehavenfolkfestival.co.uk/30th-aniversary/view/54
Oxford Guitar Workshop 21 April 2018 "Playing Irish & Scottish traditional tunes on guitar"
Date: Saturday 21 April 10 am to 4.30/5pm. Venue: The Art Studio, Greenhill Farm, Bletchingon, OXFORD
PLEASE SEE Workshops PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION
I was delighted to be invited to the private viewing session at Bonhams in Oct 2024 of the Rory Gallagher Guitar Collection. Even more thrilled when invited to have my photo taken holding Rory's beloved Fender Stratocaster which sold for £889,000 two days later. I first saw the guitar in action when I was 12 ! I've been playing in regular sessions with The Hot Club of Edinburgh and The Hot Club of Babbity (in Glasgow) and getting together the gypsy guitar style of the genius Django Reinhardt. I bought my first Django LP when I was 16. Rory Gallagher was a big Reinhardt fan and also a huge Dylan fan and I was excited to see Dylan at the Usher hall in Edinburgh in November. That made it it around 20 times I've seen Dylan since Aberdeen in 2000 and around the same number of times I saw Gallagher. www.bonhams.com/auction/30318/the-rory-gallagher-collection/?page=2
A short 30 min set with Celtic harmonica virtuoso Donald Black was a great success recently at an event put on by my great pal Spider Mackenzie. I was practised particularly hard for this as Donald's hitherto main guitarist is non other than Malcolm Jones of Runrig, someone whom I have admired over many decades. Janice Clark, Spider and myself also did a couple of numbers which included our erstwhile great pal and bassist John Crawford. An Off the Tracks reunion!
Some heavier blues tracks have been getting some airings recently:
Jazz Blues Modal Jam from the Blues in the Night album has had over 26,000 plays on Spotify this year.
Leaving Jazz Blues -new single re release on Spotify et al in May 2024.
Mississippi Calling Card Blues - new single re released on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and major streaming platforms on 18 April. Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/4zA97vwb3qgBbSjn4Rth9C Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/album/mississippi-calling-card-blues-single/1739855360
Regular opening spots at Edinburgh Folk Club. I was pleased to play a short set at Stonehaven Folk Festival 2023 on the Market Square Stage. See video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HezXvFOyGUg
Dusty Lights at Aberdeen Folk Club 60th Anniversary Concert www.thebluelampaberdeen.com/event-details/aberdeen-folk-club-60th-anniversary-festival-beth-malcolm-with-support-by-dusty-lights
See video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ambIqGnqp0w
"Tangled up in the Blues - the blues of Bob Dylan". John Carnie & Spider MacKenzie - Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Sat 20 August 2022. 10pm.
tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/tangled-up-in-the-blues-the-blues-of-bob-dylan
See video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BO72ATEDGM
Coming soon in 2022: "Dusty Lights" - a new band featuring Dave Francis, Sandie Wyles, Kenny Kemp & John Carnie. An eclectic mix of traditional Scottish and Irish folk, Americana, jazz and blues! www.dustylights.com
Hope everyone safe and well in these unprecedented times. I have posted a number of lockdown down videos I have done for Aberdeen Folk Club and Stonehaven Folk Festival on my YouTube page. Here is the link: www.youtube.com/user/JCarnie
2 Guitar Workshops at the UK Guitar Show - 21 & 22 September 2019 - London - "An Introduction to Celtic Guitar and Improve your Acoustic Blues Playing". Date: Saturday Sat & Sun 21 &22 Sept. Get 20% off entry to the whole weekend with code CARNIE20
www.ukguitarshow.com/2019-programme/performances/the-artists/john-carnie
Workshop at Musicroom London - Sat 30 March 2019 - "Rory Gallagher's Acoustic Styles and Techniques"
Date: Saturday Sat 30 March - various times through day. Free workshops.
Guitar Workshop at the UK Guitar Show - London Olympia - Sat 29 Sept 2018 - "Rory Gallagher's Acoustic Styles and Techniques" Date: Saturday Sat 29 Sept 11am
Delighted to be giving this workshop at the UK Guitar Show, and more so as 21 of Rory's guitar will be on display in a unique collection at the Olympia, including his iconic and famous 1961 fender Stratocaster. www.ukguitarshow.com/2018-programme/rory-gallaghers-acoustic-styles-and-techniques
Edinburgh Guitar Workshop (Free) 4 Aug 2018 "Introduction to playing Scottish & Irish traditional tunes on guitar" Date: Saturday 4 August 1 pm to 3 pm Venue: Rae Macintosh Musicroom, 41 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh
PLEASE SEE Workshops PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION
Fishguard Festivals Folk &Jazz - John Carnie and Swingology - Saturday 5 May 2018
A joint event with Aberjazz and the Fishguard Folk Festival celebrating folk, jazz,celtic and blues music. Swingology are a gypsy jazz Django Reinhardt group based in Liverpool with a great reputation. Tickets from www.nightout.org.uk/whats-on/show.aspx?id=3223
Stonehaven Folk Festival 30th Anniversary Concert, Fri 23 March 2018
Special guests- Dougie MacLean and Off the Tracks - SOLD OUT
Delighted that Off the Tracks have been chosen to play at this special pre festival concert at Stonehaven Town Hall. We have not played together live in concert for some time, but have been practicing! Both the Festival and the Folk Club mean so much to us.
"Off the Tracks played at the opening night of the first Stonehaven Folk Club and feature John Carnie (Guitar) Janice Clark (vocals) and Spider MacKenzie (Blues Harmonica). Dougie Maclean played at the very first Festival and has been an occasional visitor ever since. Both are very much part of the musical heritage of the club and festival and it will a special night to get them both on the same bill". Tickets priced £18 from www.stonehavenfolkfestival.co.uk/30th-aniversary/view/54
Oxford Guitar Workshop 21 April 2018 "Playing Irish & Scottish traditional tunes on guitar"
Date: Saturday 21 April 10 am to 4.30/5pm. Venue: The Art Studio, Greenhill Farm, Bletchingon, OXFORD
PLEASE SEE Workshops PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION
'Bootleg series' new CD 2017 - Blues in the Night - Live Cuts
"Superb" - RTE Radio 1
"Superb" - RTE Radio 1
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John Carnie is a folk guitarist and singer known for his fusion of styles ranging from driving acoustic blues and flatpicking Irish reels to singing folk, Scottish and his own songs. His bluesy acoustic guitar style has been compared to Rory Gallagher's playing (RTE Radio 1) whilst his folk playing to that of Dick Gaughan, Tony McManus and Arty McGlynn (Folk Roots Magazine). His "Far from Home" album was described by Scotland on Sunday as "an exposition of fleet-fingered flatpicking".
He is the author of the Scottish Guitar Tutor Book and has written for various publications on folk and blues. He is experienced in leading guitar masterclasses and workshops in a variety of styles. He is re-defining his blues and folk roots in solo, duo and trio formats. The new line ups deliver a driving mix ranging from delta slide blues and Irish slip jigs to powerful acoustic blues and jazzy interpretations of Richard Thompson and Bob Dylan songs. Recent shows include the sold out Edinburgh Festival show "John Carnie and Spider Mackenzie Still Have the Blues" - and Stonehaven Folk Festival 2017 with the John Carnie Blues Folk Trio. BLUES IN THE NIGHT: LIVE CUTS Track listing 1. MOUNTAIN BLUES 2. OUT ON THE WESTERN PLAIN 3. LETTER FROM MY BABY 4. BREAKING THE WAVES 5. PISTOL SLAPPER BLUES/ KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF HER 6. THE RIVERS AND THE LOUGHS 7. BANKER'S BLUES 8. THE WAITING GAME 9. TOO MUCH ALCOHOL 10. LEAVING BLUES 11. YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME 12. CROSSROADS BLUES 13. JAZZ BLUES MODAL JAM 14. WALKING BLUES John Carnie - vocals, guitars, harmonica Paul Jefferies - double bass on tracks 10, 12, 13 & 14 Charlie Stanford - drums on track 10, 12, 13 & 14 A selection of 14 live tracks including 3 original songs. |
"A driving mix of celtic, jazz, folk and blues from two of Scotland's finest musicians making a rare Edinburgh Festival appearance" - BBC Radio Scotland.
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"This album will please anyone who enjoys the guitar playing of
Dick Gaughan,Tony McManus, Soig Siberil or Arty McGlynn"
- Folk Roots Magazine
"A rather excellent album" - Scots Blues News
"Superb flat-picking jigs and reels on the acoustic guitar with
a slightly jazzy swing" - Music Scotland.Com
"Carnie is an excellent Guitarist" - Living Tradition Magazine
"Album of the week" - Celtic Music Radio
Dick Gaughan,Tony McManus, Soig Siberil or Arty McGlynn"
- Folk Roots Magazine
"A rather excellent album" - Scots Blues News
"Superb flat-picking jigs and reels on the acoustic guitar with
a slightly jazzy swing" - Music Scotland.Com
"Carnie is an excellent Guitarist" - Living Tradition Magazine
"Album of the week" - Celtic Music Radio
