Take five of the hottest young contemporary fiddle players from the various regions of the highlands and islands of Scotland, and you’ve got Blazin’ Fiddles on your hands. Having grown from a showcase tour of individual fiddlers highlighting the distinctive flavors of Highlands and Islands fiddle music, the Blazers have gone on to become a fully fledged band with a world-wide following.
With the original fiddlers in the band hailing from Mallaig (Allan Henderson), Shetland (Catriona Macdonald), Glenfinnan (Iain MacFarlane), Inverness (Bruce MacGregor) and Oban (Aidan O’Rourke), it’s fair to say that Blazin’ Fiddles embodies the spirit of today’s Highland fiddle music. Add to the mix, inventive guitar and piano (Marc Clement and Andy Thorburn) accompaniment, underpinning the fiddle melodies with exhilarating drive and vigor. Since their inception in 1998, the band has thrilled audiences from Canada and the US, through Europe, to the Middle East.
Aidan O’Rourke and Marc Clement left the band in 2009 and Catriona Macdonald exited the band in the fall of 2010. They were replaced by the Shetland fiddler Jenna Reid from Shetland; guitarist Anna Massie from Fortrose on guitar and fiddle; and Young Trad winner Kirsten Harvey.
The 2014 album Six was the last recording that featured Iain MacFarlane and Allan Henderson, who were both founder members of Blazin’ Fiddles
The lineup in 2025 included: Jenna Reid on fiddle; Angus Lyon on piano; Kristan Harvey (Orkney Islands) on fiddle; Rua Macmillan (Nairn) on fiddle; Anna Massie on guitar.
Discography
Fire On! (2002)
The Old Style (2004)
Magnificent Seven (2005)
Blazin’ Fiddles Live (Blazin’ Records, 2007)
Thursday Night in the Caley (2011)
Six (Blazin’ Records, 2014)
North (2015)
The Key (Blazin’ Records, 2017)
XXV (Blazin’ Records, 2023)
Incendo (Blazin’ Records, 2026)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.