FOOGY (2009)
Catriona & Olov met for the first time in Stockholm 2002 at a concert they shared with their bands, Väsen from Sweden and Shetland based Fiddlers’ Bid. Backstage before the concert Catriona asked Olov “Do you know this one?” and played Eric Sahlström’s Spelmansglädje, the most played Nyckelharpa tune ever!
They both really enjoyed the sound and the music they made together that afternoon and that created a desire to further develop the collaboration. The next opportunity to play was at the Celtic Connections 2007 concert Fiddlers’ Bid International and since then they have met regularly. After a very fun tour of Sweden in the summer of 2008 they decided to make a cd.
‘FOOGY’ is a recording of traditional and new music from Scotland and Sweden by Catriona McKay and Olov Johansson. It presents their way of making music and explores the stunning sound of Scottish Harp and Swedish Nyckelharpa.
"...their instruments seem to liberate themselves from their original traditions and improvise a fine threaded, personal web of sound – a giving and taking where also the old melodies are given totally new dimensions. It might be a Scottish harp piece from the 18th century , or a polska after Gabriel Höök. Several of the tracks are composed by themselves. Johansson and McKay are both masterful instrumentalists, but it’s the way they listen to each other and play together that is the big reward, the ability to exchange solo-space and to vary the playing from the most ethereal and lyrical to the driving dance rhythms in the Foogy Set”. Ulf Gustavsson, Upsala Nya Tidningen.
more audio clips on the INSTRUMENTS page
painting by Helen Ersbracken