In the summer of 2024, Scottish folk group Dàimh traveled to Cape Breton to perform at KitchenFest. Between shows, they recorded the track “Còta Mòr” at Lakewind Studios in Point Aconi, with Mike Shepherd engineering. The session featured guest contributions from Kenneth and Jenny MacKenzie, mixing Gaelic Puirt-à-Beul with traditional Cape Breton step dancing.
The track opens with a melody from the Eliza Ross collection, long associated with waulking songs in Cape Breton tradition. The first port-à-beul was learned from Penny Morrison and recounts a tale involving a dark-haired Donald and a fiddler with torn trousers. The final vocal segment was sourced from a field recording of Donald J. “Montana Dan” Morrison of Rear Little River, Cape Breton, shared with the band through A Timeless Art, a project co-founded by Jenny MacKenzie. Dedicated to preserving Cape Breton step dance, the initiative promotes cultural transmission through storytelling, visual arts, and mentorship.
Author: World Music Central News Room
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