James Coutts and his Scottish Dance Band have recorded 16 new dance tracks for Part One of our 2 CD set - Thirty Popular Dances Volume Two.
The band line up pictured above is (left to right) – Graham Berry, Ian Adamson, Iain Cathcart, Alison Smith, James Coutts, Brian Cruickshank.
James Coutts – Lead Accordion
James, our band leader, is originally from Kirkcaldy, but now lives in Dysart where he is a driving instructor.
Taught accordion by Peter Bruce, James won the Scottish Senior Accordion Championship at Perth in 1992. He has had his own band since the late 1980s; apart from a change in fiddler, the band retains the same line-up. They have undertaken numerous broadcasts for BBC Radio Scotland’s Take The Floor including outside broadcasts from Dunfermline and Perth. James and the band have recorded three CDs of Scottish Dance music as well as Book 14 for the RSCDS.
Iain Cathcart – Second Accordion
Iain, originally from West Kilbride, now lives in Lanark. Iain became good friends with James when they were both studying in Dundee. Iain also has his own band and has recorded previously for the RSCDS with the recording for Hugh Foss’s Dances to Song Tunes. Iain is the commercial director for a construction company but still finds the time to be heavily involved in Scottish dance music, running the popular Stanley Ceilidh event for many years with his wife, Shirley.
Alison Smith – Violin
Alison is the newest member of the line-up but has played in numerous Scottish bands and groups. Living in Glasgow, Alison teaches violin, and plays both Scottish dance and folk music. Alison also runs her own business advising on copyright and performing rights matters – a useful person to know in the music business.
Graham Berry – Piano
Graham is originally from Newburgh in Fife, and now lives in Duncrievie, Glenfarg with his wife, fellow SCD musician and teacher, Angela. Graham played piano with his dad’s band from a young age making his first public performance at 9 years of age. A physicist by training, Graham is now a manager in the R&D department of a specialist pigment manufacturing company. Graham continues to accompany Scottish musicians at Festivals, to play with various Scottish dance bands, and to play for Scottish country dance classes.
Ian Adamson – Drums
Ian is a well known drummer from Cupar, in Fife, who has known and played with Graham and James for over 35 years. Ian is the cousin of bandleader David Cunningham, with whom he and Graham started playing for dances when they were still at school.
Brian Cruickshank – Bass
Brian lives in Lumphanan near Banchory, in Aberdeenshire. His first instrument is the fiddle, but he definitely best known as a bass player. Brian has played in many bands including that of his wife, Jennifer – producer of BBC Radio Scotland’s Take The Floor.
