Following on from the success of their debut album ‘Symbiosis’ Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton will release their second album ‘Symbiosis II’ this spring. Winners of the best duo category at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2017 and nominees for the same award in 2018, Ross and Ali have been busy in the studio creating an album full of new and original material. Packed full of their own compositions, partly commissioned by some of their fans, Ross and Ali have welcomed lots of their fellow friends and musicians to record on this album. Revolving around skilfully played guitar, cittern, whistles and bagpipes, which are the bedrock of the award winning duo, the arrangements also include a full string section, the extensive use of synthesisers, drum kit and bodhran. The result is a much bigger sound with more adventurous and epic arrangements.

Ross and Ali met in the Vale of Atholl Pipe Band when they were 12 years old. The boys were guided by one of the most influential pipers in the last 30 years Gordon Duncan. Gordon instilled a great passion in them for playing pipes with other instruments and they have gone on to play in many leading Scottish bands including Treacherous Orchestra, Old Blind Dogs, Salsa Celtica, Dougie Maclean, Shooglenifty, Capercaillie.

Ross Ainslie is one of Scotland’s finest traditional musicians and composers, playing pipes, whistles and cittern. He is renowned for his highly acclaimed solo material, and as a skilled performer and prolific collaborator who performs regularly with bands Treacherous Orchestra (of which he is a founding member), Salsa Celtica, Dougie Maclean, Ali Hutton, Jarlath Henderson, Charlie Mckerron, India Alba and has performed with Kate Rusby, Blue Rose Code, Zakir Hussain, Trilok Gurtu, Capercaillie, Shooglenifty, Carl Barat, Papon, Karsh Kale, Flook, Breabach, Soumik Datta, Tim Edey, Patsy Reid, Hamish Napier.

Ali Hutton, from Methven in Perthshire, was inspired at the age of 7 to take up the bagpipes and rose through the ranks of the world-famous Vale of Atholl Pipe Band. It was there that he was taught, alongside Ross Ainslie, by the late, great Gordon Duncan. He has since gone on to become a successful multi-instrumentalist on the Scottish music scene. Ali has performed, and worked alongside some of the most respected musicians, and bands on the scene, such as Capercaillie, Dougie Maclean, Carlos Nunez, Deaf Shepherd, Clueless, Steve Forman, Salsa Celtica, and Shooglenifty to name but a few. During his apprentice years as a professional musician he was fortunate enough to become a member of the multi award winning bands Brolum and Back of the Moon. He toured with them for several years across Europe and North America. Ali has also found himself producing some of the most well received Scottish Folk albums in recent years. Ali is currently a member of Treacherous Orchestra, Old Blind Dogs, Ross Ainslie and Jarlath Henderson band, and the new duo, cleverly named, Ross and Ali.

SYMBIOSIS II FEATURES

Ross Ainslie – Highland Pipes, Whistles, Cittern and Banjo

Ali Hutton – Highland Pipes, Whistles, Acoustic and Tenor Guitar

Duncan Lyall – Moog and Synth

Martin O’Neill – Bodhran and Drums

Steven Byrnes – Drums

Patsy Reid – All Strings

Gus Sicard – Snare Drum

Produced by Andrea Gobbi, Ali Hutton and Ross Ainslie Engineered by Andrea Gobbi at GloWorm Recordings and Carrier Waves Mixed by Andrea Gobbi at GloWorm Recordings and Carrier Waves Additional Engineering by Barry Reid and Keir Long String Arrangements by Patsy Reid String Recordings by Jamie Pryke Mastered by Stuart Hamilton at Castlesound Studios Design and Photos by Somhairle Macdonald

Ross and Ali are on tour on these dates

6 April – The Atkinson,Southport

7 April – Gulbenkian, Kent

12 April – Kings Place, London

13 April – Old King’s Head, Belper

14 April – Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal

20 April – An Lantair, Stornoway

21 April – Glenbuchat Hall

22 April – Cyclefest, Isle of Man

23 April – Perth Concert Hall

27 April – Sabhal Mor Ostaig

28 April – Drygate, Glasgow (Full band and string section)

It is available for pre-order on 28th March from https://rossandali.bandcamp.com/