Rachel Hair Trio, Trì (March Hair)

Rachel Hair is one of the Scottish folk scene's busiest harp players and teachers and this, her fourth album, is the second to feature her trio, a working band that tours widely. Trì means "three" in Gaelic and whereas the trio's previous album, No More Wings, added several guests to the line-up, which at the time included bassist Euan Burton, here Hair has decided to focus on the current personnel - herself plus Jenn Butterworth (guitar and vocals) and Cameron Maxwell (double bass). The result is a recording that gives a true picture of the group's capabilities as they play newly composed and traditional tunes and present three songs, one by Butterworth, the traditional My Darling Fair One and Allan Taylor's venerable Roll on the Day. Hair's tunes range from the cheery opening set, Jigs for Mann, which incorporates a slip jig from the Isle of Man, to her tender tribute to Esme McIntyre, the young harp player from Kinross who died from cancer in 2013.

Rob Adams