Ossian (band)
Encyclopedia
Ossian are a Scottish
traditional music
group, formed in 1976
.
The initial line-up brought together Billy Ross and former members of the group Contraband, Billy Jackson, John Martin, and George Jackson. One of their earliest gigs was at the 1976 Kinross
Folk Festival.
Each of the members was a multi-instrumentalist and singer. Their arrangements of songs, slow airs and dance tunes were meticulous, almost a chamber music approach to Scottish Music. They sang in English
, Scots
, and Gaelic.
Billy Jackson's wire-strung harp, the clarsach, featured in most pieces but he also played Uilleann (Irish) pipes and whistles. John Martin, who played fiddle and cello went on to become a member of The Tannahill Weavers
. George Jackson (brother of Billy) played guitar, cittern, mandolin, fiddle, whistle and flute. Billy Ross was the main singer who played guitar, dulcimer and whistle.
Their first two LPs were remarkably popular and influential; Ossian (1977) and St Kilda Wedding (1978). Billy Ross left the band and was replaced by Tony Cuffe as lead vocalist also playing guitar and whistle. Iain MacDonald joined playing highland pipes, flute, and whistles. They broke up in 1989 when Tony Cuffe and William Jackson moved to the U.S. In 1997, William Jackson reformed the band with the original singer, Billy Ross, and the group made a CD and performed some gigs for a time.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
traditional music
Traditional music
Traditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...
group, formed in 1976
1976 in music
-January–February:*January 5 – Former Beatles road manager Mal Evans is shot dead by Los Angeles police after refusing to drop what police only later determine is an air rifle....
.
The initial line-up brought together Billy Ross and former members of the group Contraband, Billy Jackson, John Martin, and George Jackson. One of their earliest gigs was at the 1976 Kinross
Kinross
Kinross is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It was formerly the county town of Kinross-shire.Kinross is a fairly small town, with some attractive buildings...
Folk Festival.
Each of the members was a multi-instrumentalist and singer. Their arrangements of songs, slow airs and dance tunes were meticulous, almost a chamber music approach to Scottish Music. They sang in English
Scottish English
Scottish English refers to the varieties of English spoken in Scotland. It may or may not be considered distinct from the Scots language. It is always considered distinct from Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic language....
, Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
, and Gaelic.
Billy Jackson's wire-strung harp, the clarsach, featured in most pieces but he also played Uilleann (Irish) pipes and whistles. John Martin, who played fiddle and cello went on to become a member of The Tannahill Weavers
The Tannahill Weavers
The Tannahill Weavers are a popular band who performs traditional Scottish music. Releasing their first album in 1976 they became notable for being one of the first popular bands to incorporate the sound of the Great Highland Bagpipe in an ensemble setting, and in doing so helped to change the...
. George Jackson (brother of Billy) played guitar, cittern, mandolin, fiddle, whistle and flute. Billy Ross was the main singer who played guitar, dulcimer and whistle.
Their first two LPs were remarkably popular and influential; Ossian (1977) and St Kilda Wedding (1978). Billy Ross left the band and was replaced by Tony Cuffe as lead vocalist also playing guitar and whistle. Iain MacDonald joined playing highland pipes, flute, and whistles. They broke up in 1989 when Tony Cuffe and William Jackson moved to the U.S. In 1997, William Jackson reformed the band with the original singer, Billy Ross, and the group made a CD and performed some gigs for a time.
Discography
- Ossian - Springthyme Records SPR 1004 (1977)
- St Kilda Wedding - Iona Records IR001 (1978)
- Seal Song - Iona Records IR002 (1981)
- Dove Across the WaterDove Across The WaterDove Across The Water is a folk album by Ossian recorded and released in 1982. The original LP release was on Iona Records , with at least one rerelease on CD currently unavailable....
- Iona Records IR004 (1982) - Borders - Iona Records IR007 (1984)
- Light On a Distant Shore - Iona Records IR009 (1986)
- The Carrying Stream - GreentraxGreentrax RecordingsGreentrax Recordings are a Scottish record label for Celtic and celtic fusion bands.- History :Greentrax Recordings is an Edinburgh-based record label specialising in Scottish traditional music. They were founded in 1986 by former police inspector Ian Green. In 2001 he acquired the license to...
CDTRAX 127 (1997)