Celtic Fiddle Champion at Bohemia Cafe
Jamie Laval performs in West Jefferson on October 24

One of the premier Celtic violinists on the International music scene today, Jamie Laval creates rapt audiences with his intensely passionate performances of traditional music of Scotland, Ireland, Brittany and Quebec, rendered with hints of classical refinement and ethnic music from around the world.

A classically trained symphony musician in his earlier years, Laval redirected his energy into a greater passion – the haunting sounds of rural Irish and Scottish folk music. Winning the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship in 2002, Laval embarked on a packed touring career which includes over 120 engagements per year throughout the U.S. and Scotland.

Today Laval is heralded as “One of North America’s finest practitioners of traditional Scottish music” (San Jose Mercury News) and “The next Alasdair Fraser” (Press and Post).

Major performances include the Bijou Theatre (Knoxville), Wintergrass Festival (Tacoma), the Freight & Salvage (Berkeley), Swallow Hill Productions (Denver), Club Passim (Boston), The Fringe Festival (Edinburgh), the NBC Today Show, The West Coast Live radio show, and a private appearance for Her Majesty the Queen.

What sets Laval’s music apart from that of other Celtic performers is his nuanced craftsmanship of an ancient art form. He sculpts diminutive old melodies into elaborate larger works using compelling harmonies, surprising rhythmic variation, and bold changes of intensity. He takes his audience on an emotional journey from quiet melancholy to wild jubilation, appealing to a wide range of listeners.

Laval now lives in Asheville, North Carolina where he pursues his interest in the musical and cultural ties between his Appalachian home and the rest of the Celtic Diaspora (ie: Scotland, Ireland, Brittany, Galicia, Québec, and Cape Breton). He serves on the faculty of the Swannanoa Gathering.

Laval’s two CD recordings include the critically admired, Shades of Green, which airs regularly on many NPR programs nationwide, and the duo album with mandolinist Ashley Broder, Zephyr In The Confetti Factory, which won Best World Traditional Song in the 2007 Independent Music Awards Vox Populi.