This was the first album released by Greentrax in 1986 and having just celebrated our 25th Anniversary it seemed appropriate to re-release this excellent and very special album for the first time on CD.

Ian Hardie is an outstanding fiddle player and multi-instrumentalist, who played in many fine folk groups which sprang out of the very vibrant session scene of Sandy Bell’s Bar in Edinburgh. These include Chorda and Jock Tamson’s Bairns. Ian has also played a significant role in Highland Connection, The Ghillies and currently The Occasionals ceilidh band, with whom he has recorded several times.

In addition to this highly acclaimed solo album, Ian recorded a second solo album – A Breath of Fresher Airs – and a duo album with Andy Thorburn – The Spider’s Web. He also released his album Westringing on his own label.

Ian is also a prolific composer and all the tunes on his two solo albums, plus others included on the various group albums, are his own compositions. When living in the Borders of Scotland, Ian named many of his tunes after places and people there, and when he moved to Nairn in the Highlands, many of his tunes took on names specific to that area. Ian has published two music books with the same titles as his two early solo albums.

When June and Ian Green celebrated their Ruby Wedding anniversary, Ian Hardie generously composed a tune to commemorate the occasion – The Green Ruby Waltz. Later, Ian was invited to play session fiddle on Isla St Clair’s Greentrax album Scenes of Scotland, and Ian’s waltz fitted nicely into the Glen Isla track. It has been included on this re-release as a bonus track.

Ian Hardie plays fiddle, viola, double bass, Scottish smallpipes and acoustic bass guitar, with sessions from Jack Evans (guitar), Iain MacFadyen (piano), Patsy Seddon (clarsach) and John Croall (bodhran).