Band on the road to big things

Travel broadens the mind, they say. Or, in Session A9's case, the sound.

The band, named after Scotland's main north to south road, has spent the past decade traversing the globe.

And on the way, the seven-strong folk collective have picked up influences ranging from bluegrass to World Music.

Founded by fiddle-player Charlie McKerron, Session A9 has been touring since 2001.

So it's perhaps unsurprising that the Mail catches up with them on route to their latest gigs – in Cambridge, then Manchester – before they head across to Pocklington tomorrow.

"Most of us were geographically somewhere along the A9," said multi-instrumentalist Brian McAlpine.

"The idea was to get us all together to play.

"Charlie was probably thinking about traditional sounds, but it's amazing how things change."

Described as a "Scottish super group", the band released their first album in 2003 – fittingly titled What Road?

In 2008, there was the release of the band's second album Bottlenecks and Arm Breakers, with a nomination for best folk band in that year's Scottish Traditional Music Awards.

Despite this nomination, the band see themselves as part of a larger musical scene.

One recent gig was Celtic Connections – the world's largest winter festival – where they appeared alongside artists including Annie Lennox.

"Folk is a living tradition, so it's constantly reinventing itself," said Charlie.

"It's wider than the Scottish tradition. We play Irish music, but there's also World Music and the whole Celtic thing.

"Some of us are into that American vibe, a couple of us are really into bluegrass."

For the gig at Pocklington Arts Centre, the band will be playing the mix of music which they've toured to festivals, including Ortiguera, Spain, and concerts in Switzerland, Italy and the USA.

"There will be music from our previous two albums, alongside Bob Dylan and a Jackson Browne songs," said Charlie.

And, 26 years after he first began touring, Charlie says the folk scene is still healthy, despite the gloom-mongers proclaiming its death.

"There have always been peaks and troughs," he said.

"I think that one of the biggest factors for us, like anyone else, has been the recession. You've just got to bite the bullet and get on with it."

If anything, he says that the band's influence is starting to be felt further afield.

"We've been approached to do gigs in South America and Japan this year," said Charlie.

"The World Music market is developing and it's brilliant to be involved with it."

*Session A9 is on tomorrow, 8pm, at Pocklington Arts Centre, Market Place, Pocklington.

Tickets are £13, call (01759) 301547.