fiddle player and composer

Quarterdays - Candlemas EP (2023)

Gavin Marwick & Aaron Jones

Price inc P&P

 

1: The Midpoint Of Winter/ The Candlelight Reel

2: The Fair Maids Of February/ Jig For Winter

3: The King’s Chair

4: If The Day Dawns Bright And Clear/ Dry And Fair And Wet And Foul/ Sheep’s Milk/ The Burnt Candlemas 

5: The February Jig/ Half His Corn And Half His Hay/ The Birch Wand/ Jig St Bride

6: A Flame Of Gold/ Prayer For Protection 

All tracks composed by Gavin Marwick.

 

CANDLEMAS: Gavin Marwick & Aaron Jones

'This one’s a little cracker! Fiddler and composer Gavin Marwick (Firelight Trio/ Bellevue Rendezvous/ Iron Horse) and cittern player Aaron Jones (Old Blind Dogs/ Litha/ Claire Mann) have recorded a six-track EP called Quarterdays: Candlemas (Journeyman Records JYMCD001) where the aspects of Candlemas are illustrated through fabulous jigs, reels and beautiful airs. These two can make their instruments sit up and beg; they soaringly fly by wire, with no session musicians to speak of. No voices, just breathtaking melodies – absolutely fabulous.' - Folk Wales

 

‘Quarter Days is a project by much-travelled Edinburgh fiddler Gavin Marwick to celebrate, in four seasonally-released EPs,  the old Scots quarter days of Candlemas, Whitsun, Lammas and Martinmas, all of them beloved of folk-balladeers and researchers past and present. Gavin is joined for the first of the quarters by Aaron Jones on cittern. All the tunes are newly penned by Gavin to illustrate the history and lore of the season, and all are firmly anchored in the traditional styles of jigs, reels and airs with clever variations by both musicians.
‘If The Day Dawns Bright & Clear’ leads into an expressive set that celebrates being outdoors however wintry the weather, but Candlemas comes to us in early February when the cold can freeze easy movement to slow motion. Nothing describes this as well as the ‘February Jig’ set, where the eponymous opening tune is slow to gather pace in the paralyzing cold.
It is ‘A Flame of Gold’ that beckons you indoors where Gavin’s bewitching air, Aaron’s thoughtful and gentle accompaniment, the warmth of flames and embers and the shimmering of sparks and candles offer shelter from the bony hand of midwinter.
A short, warming album for a long, cold season.’ - Spiral Earth