Elan is the second album by Rachel Hair (clarsach) and guitarist Ron Jappy. Their material and, indeed, their inspirations come from far and wide: Cape Breton to the Isle of Man and New Zealand to Brittany. The opening set comprises two Rachel Hair originals, both slip jigs that bound along joyfully. They are followed by ‘Daybrak’, another Hair original paired …

Scotland-based must-hear musicians Rachel Hair and Ron Jappy have created this absolutely wonderful 10-track album of sparkling reels, jigs, polkas and beautiful  melodies from Scotland, Ireland, The Isle of Man and Cape Breton, Canada, called Élan(March Hair Records, MHRCD007). This stunning harper composes a goodly amount of her material, and inspiring guitarist Ron accompanies her ascloseasthis. Ímar bodhran player Adam …

Harpist Rachel Hair and guitarist Ron Jappy renew sparky musical acquaintanceship with a second duo album. It opens at a brisk skelp with the Transatlantic Proposal jig set, one of several exuberantly paced excursions such as Tom Toi’s Polkas, Hair’s harp skipping brightly over Jappy’s tightly syncopated guitar and guest Adam Brown’s bodhrán. Another jig set, this time from the …

Both highly sought-after musicians on the Scottish traditional scene, harpist, Rachel Hair,and guitarist, Ron Jappy, first came together to record as a duo back in 2019 with the album Sparks. Élan is the pair’s long-awaited follow-up comprising Hair’s original compositions alongside a number of traditional tunes and a handful by other contemporary writers. Rachel Hair: “Élan is more closely related …

Celtic harpist Rachel Hair and guitarist Ron Jappy met during a European tour and decided that they clicked, musically.  The result of that meeting was the instrumental album Sparks in 2019 and has now been followed by Élanwhich, to my mind, does exactly what an album like this should.  It takes a combination of traditional and new tunes, from various …

I believe “élan” is French for spirit, zest, joy; it’s one of those words that defy an exact translation. But, luckily, music needs to translating, human or machine, as it itself can open the essence of the word. When harpist Rachel Hair and Ron Jappy with his guitar get together – and they have done it before, with Sparks, in …

Reuniting for their second album, Rachel Hair’s vivacious clarsach and Ron Jappy’s vivid acoustic guitar make an attractive pairing in an album that plays with tradition but never loses respect for the old tunes. Recorded at Glasgow’s Oak Ridge Studios, Élan is a delicate and utterly gratifying treat. Taking inspiration from the French word for “energy, style and enthusiasm”, ensuring …