In this track Inverurie Site Pastor Jude McBean starts a brand new series in 1 Thessalonians called "Future Focus."  Jude answers the question "who should we imitate?"

1 Thessalonians 1:4-10

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Who should we imitate?

It's an interesting thing: my parents moved away from everything I knew.  Beginning to form contacts with other musicians, I was moved into the countryside, into a field and we lived in a caravan while my parents built the house.  My parents being too busy to support my attempts to form musical contacts, I was left to my own devices.  Much later my Mum said, "I know what that must have done to you, but we needed that project at that time in our lives".  I said that it was OK as having to play music without the support of other musicians made me develop percusion, bass and chords while singing.  It has made me the musician that I am.

"I seek shelter" explores themes of growing up in rural Scotland, with an entitled population fueled by the energy sector and the methods by which we seek shelter, to relieve the stress.

I Seek Shelter

Finding themselves deep in the heart of Storm Babet, the Aberdeenshire Youth Music Initiative workshop participants harnessed the sounds of the storm and used them as inspiration for a recording that was shaped in real time by the rapidly changing sounds of the natural world. With original music, sung and spoken words and tones created with everything from snapped tree branches to straining metal structures, they created a vivid work that sheds light on Babet from an unexpected perspective.
We know the experience of being surrounded by a storm, but what is it like
being the storm itself – being misunderstood, feared, vulnerable, frightened
by your own strength, facing your own swiftly approaching end?

This project is part of Aberdeenshire’s Youth Music Initiative Programme, funded by The Scottish Government through Creative Scotland, and delivered by Live Life Aberdeenshire.  It took place at the Scottish Sculpture Workshop in Lumsden.

Babet's Fear of the Future (YMI Aberdeenshire)

In memory of Charlie Allan - 'a lad o' pairts' and immortalised now as bothy ballad royalty. Thank you Charlie for giving your unmistakable voice to these incredible bothy ballads  and your ain een, 'The Blue Grey Coo' and for your magnificent writing too. The very special culture of The North East of Scotland; its people, places and stories are packaged by the unique way in which you sung and performed. You are a legend and opened this incredible song genre to so many. You have been an inspiration and influence with your abundant talents (too many to mention but some links below try). We are all blessed to have known, watched and heard you over the decades - may you rest in peace. 

Thoughts are with his family and friends for their loss at this reflective and sad time.

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/obituaries/6294144/charlie-allan-obituary-methlick-farmer-caber-toss-champ-athlete-singer/

https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/charlie-allan/its-lonely-in-the-bothy.p/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixYE9Hc3l5s

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0h3fb5j

Charlie Allan - A Tribute to The Bothy Ballad King

A joke here but the AI produced a nice song even though it sounds more Irish than Scottish. The original lyrics are an old Bothy Ballad from Aberdeenshire sung by an American for a Broadway musical! A Feeing market is where young men sold themselves for a small sum of money to work on a farm for a period of time. They got their board and food.

Ellon Feein Market

Am I Dreaming? was created by youngsters age 12-15 during a series of Youth Music Initiative workshops and recording sessions at Mintlaw Academy in Aberdeenshire, hosted by Tyler Lewis (composer, musician, sound artist) and Neil Cargill (writer, director).

Using sound and music manipulation, field recordings and experimental production techniques, the aim was to create an audio recording shaped by the music, words and imagination of the participants.

The project explored innovative ways to give a voice to the youngsters, developing an original musical and sonic work.

This project is part of Aberdeenshire’s Youth Music Initiative Programme, funded by The Scottish Government through Creative Scotland, and delivered by Live Life Aberdeenshire.

Am I Dreaming? (YMI Aberdeenshire)

Parts of an edition of the eclectic Tom Morton morning magazine programme, broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland.
Topics: Networking; Folk Singer/Songwriter Sally Barker
Producer: Anton Jarvis
Remastered from a cassette recording.
Part of this playlist: https://soundcloud.com/anton-jarvis-206182017/sets/bbc-radio-scotland

Tom Morton (BBC Radio Scotland) 12.03.1997

The grand hunting lodge at Mar, on Deeside in the Cairngorms, has a long history and had many owners over the years. While owned by an American millionaire, it burnt down catrastrophically but was restored and is now in the hands of National Trust for Sctland. This set of tunes for chamber orchestra tells this story. They are: The Braes o' Mar (traditional), the Earl of Fife's Welcome to Deeside (traditional), Mar Lodge and The Burning o' the Big Hoose (both my own).

An unused theme for a script featuring legends of 'Selkie's' from Scottish folklore. Seal-like creatures that come from the sea, have the ability to shed their seal skin and come onto dry land in human form. 

Viola's Theme

Tyler Lewis is a sound artist and PhD student in Sonic Art based in Glasgow, pursuing his research through the University of Aberdeen. He earned a BFA with great distinction in Electroacoustic Studies in 2016 from Concordia University in Canada. While in Montreal he became interested in the possibilities of musical experience stemming from field-recording in various soundscapes explored during his travels throughout the globe. As a composer Tyler uses urban, desert, marine, remote, agricultural, and imaginary (among others) soundscapes for his materials. His current research explores the overlaps between geophony, biophony, and anthrophony – Scotland serving as an ideal location to carry out this work. Tyler Lewis was born 1983 and grew up in a quiet forested area called Olalla near Seattle, Washington, United States. He loves to get lost on Hebridean islands and enjoy fresh Japanese sencha.

I'm still beavering away composing more than ever now my 40-year career as a countryside ranger is over. The places I have lived are the greatest sources of inspiration, and I'm very grateful for the support I've received from a wide range of listeners. In 2017 I moved from the Cairngorms to near Kyle of Lochalsh where I operate as a mountain guide in Skye.

We are a multi-site church based in the North East of Scotland, with 10 services happening across 8 locations, including online. We are on a mission to share the good news of Jesus to the whole of the North East Scotland, as well as planting churches across the nation. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we take God very seriously - you'd be more than welcome to join one of our services sometime!

Ex-BBC Broadcaster readings of poetry & stories + archive radio/audio features. PLEASE SHARE LINKS with others. 
I’m a self-confessed sound, speech and language nerd.

Enjoy listening and just occasionally singing (to myself) 'Bothy Ballads' from The North East of Scotland. Influenced in my teens by legendary folk singer Marc Floyd Ellington and Charlie Allan. 

'Written' a few very simple lockdown ballads in the 12 months since the global pandemic struck and tried to learn the guitar...it helps!

New tracks tagged #Aberdeenshire