Album Notes

One of the premier Celtic violinist/fiddlers on the international music scene today, Jamie Laval consistently creates rapt audiences with his intensely passionate performances that run the gamut from wildly jubilant to tender and melancholy.

Winner of the 2002 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship, Jamie was recently heralded in Scotland as "A new star for the Old world" (FiddleOn Magazine). The Olympian newspaper in Washington State reported, "A fantastic fiddler...Laval captures the essence of Celtic sentiment and yearning"; and a Virginia concert promoter raved, "Unbelievable!..I have never seen a better band on this stage."

In the recording studio Jamie is widely respected for his solos on the soundtracks for the Emmy-nominated T.V. drama Everwood, numerous movies including Wild America and Finding home, and for his participation in Dave Matthews' latest CD Some Devil.

Jamie's CD Shades of Green has received unanimous critical praise and nationwide radio airplay, eliciting reviews such as, "tune after tune evokes an ancient tradition of Ireland, Scotland, and Brittany...Fiona's Waltz is one of the most moving fiddle pieces I've heard in a long time." (Albany Democrat Herald)

The Jamie Laval Trio was the first American band ever invited to perform at the Scots Fiddle Festival, the acclaimed traditional music festival held every year in Edinburgh. Other major performances include The Yachats Celtic Festival in Oregon, The Freight & Salvage in California, the Northwest Folklife Festival's Fiddler Showcase in Washington, and a private appearence for Her Majesty The Queen of England. Jamie has also participated in the touring shows of k.d. Lang, Rod Stewart and Céline Dion.

Jamie's music making is born out of his Scottish and Irish roots. After his student years at the Victoria Conservatory of Music he traveled extensively, immersing himself in a wide variety of musical styles including classical, jazz, and folk. Jamie now resides in Seattle.