Album Notes

Rhymes & Reasons
Catherine Fraser & Duncan Smith
CROMARTY RECORDS CRM091

"this duo make a powerful team"
Living Tradition Magazine (UK)

Renowned fiddle and piano duo Catherine Fraser and Duncan Smith are pleased to announce the release of their new CD “Rhymes & Reasons”. Following the success of their 2006 Album “Unity” on Move Records, and featuring a top-tier line up of special guests, Rhymes & Reasons is a masterful blend of traditional, contemporary and original music both from and inspired by the Scottish tradition.

About the music
Rhymes and Reasons brings to the listener performances that are emotionally rich and musically diverse, combining elements that are powerful and lyrical, driving and delicate, exuberant and soothing. Reviewers have commented on the “extraordinary talent and taste” that Fraser and Smith express through their creative blend of traditional, folk, classical, and world music.

For this, their fourth recording, Fraser and Smith have augmented their usual duo sound, bringing in world-renowned guests artists featuring top Scottish guitarist Tony McManus, vibrant American cellist Natalie Haas, charismatic American fiddler Hanneke Cassel and Montreal-based percussionist Eric Breton.

About this CD
Recorded in Montreal, Canada, with well known fiddler, researcher, and musicologist Laura Risk as producer, Rhymes and Reasons combines individual virtuosity and exciting ensemble work with Fraser and Smith’s trademark emotional depth, taking the listener on a memorable journey from the 17th Century to the 21st, all handled with sensitivity and a unique personal touch.

About the musicians
One of the world’s top fiddle and piano duos, Fraser and Smith, who started working together in 2001, have gained an international reputation as outstanding recording artists and concert performers, with appearances throughout Australia and New Zealand as well as multiple tours to North America and the UK.

In 2006 they became the first Australians to be invited to teach and perform at the prestigious Scots Fiddle Festival in Edinburgh. Audiences on three continents use words like “incredible”, “wonderful” and “deeply moving” to describe Catherine and Duncan’s performances. Critics have described them as “a powerful team” (The Living Tradition Magazine, UK), and their music as “hauntingly beautiful (The Canberra Times) and “Superb, clear and elegant…just how Scottish music should sound” (Music in Scotland Magazine). New Zealand Folk Magazine wrote, “Catherine and Duncan played up a storm…showing the technical mastery and emotional depth which has them in demand all around the world.”

Part traditional, part folk, part classical, part world music, Rhymes and Reasons is a “must have” for any serious musician’s CD collection!

Produced by Laura Risk, with Catherine Fraser & Duncan Smith;
Recorded at Studio du Chemin 4, Notre-Dame-des-Prairies, Québec, Canada;
Engineered by André Marchand & Mark Busic;
Mastered by Oscar Gaona, Studios 301, Sydney, Australia;

Catherine and Duncan’s other recordings include include “Unity” (2006), “Presence—Exploring the Art of the Scottish Fiddle (2003), and “Old Favourites and Odd Couples (2004).

To learn more about Catherine Fraser and Duncan Smith: www.catherinefraser.com

Contact:
Catherine Fraser
0419 329 539
info@catherinefraser.com