Over the years they have produced 26 albums (285 songs), countless radio and T.V series plus world tours in every direction. They have headed the bill at London's Albert Hall and the smallest of folk clubs. They have sung in deserts, jungles, arctic wastes and remote islands, taking their music to anyone who will listen.

Nick Keir sings, writes memorable songs and is the main instrumentalist. Stephen Quigg has a remarkable tone to his voice and plays guitar, bodhran and banjo (a unique and terrifying combination, see the latest album). Ian McCalman does most of the driving, sings harmonies, "talks" and writes the occasional song. He arranges most of the material, but his main job is to tell the others how well they are doing.

More at www.mccalmans.com

Already something of a legend and revered virtuoso in the time honoured tradition of Scottish fiddle music, Paul began his training at school on a fiddle found under his grandparents spare bed.

He can trace his teaching lineage directly to Neil Gow, "The Father of Scottish Fiddle Music", through his tutor Douglas Lawrence, the most acclaimed pupil of Hector MacAndrew. Hector was taught by his grandfather who was taught by the last pupil of Gow.

Paul's experience includes leading the acclaimed Banchory Strathspey and Reel Society and playing fiddle with Shetland folk rock band, Rock, Salt and Nails, however his main interest is performance and composition of traditional Scottish fiddle music. Having won most of the fiddle championships in Scotland, his crowning glory was winning the Glenfiddich Scottish Fiddle Championship at Blair Castle in 1993. A regular on Scottish television and radio, Paul has toured extensively and has recorded seven solo albums.

Although only in his early thirty's, Paul is already something of an icon in Scotland, a fact duly recognised by two specially commissioned portraits of him, a life size one in Aberdeen Art Gallery and a study that hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh. In the tradition of many of Scotland's great fiddlers, Paul is also a composer of some repute, having written some 200 pieces in the traditional style, 100 of which are already published in "The Cromar Collection". These stand comparison with the best works in the fiddle canon.

Past performances include, The Globe Theatre (London), Celtic Connections (Glasgow), the Interceltic Festival (Lorient, Brittany), Edinburgh International Festival (Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh 1996), The Fiddler's Spectacular (HM Theatre, Aberdeen), N.A.T.O's first and only Burn's Supper (Brussels), Orkney Folk Festival, Shetland Folk Festival, Edinburgh International Festival 2003 (Festival Theatre), New Hampshire Highland Games (U.S.A) and is 2003/2004 was Huntly's fiddler in residence, the first time a fiddler has held such a post anywhere in the U.K.
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As a key part of the twinning between the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival and the Skude Festival, we are delighted to welcome the Norwegian shanty group Slogmaakane from the island of Karmoy on the west coast of Norway (where many a fishing boat from the east coast of Scotland has visited over the years).

These superb singers will bring their magical mix of traditional Norwegian and English language shanties to the great musical programme over the weekend at Portsoy. The group is two years old and their appearance at our Festival will be just the second time they have performed outside Norway (they were in Dublin last year).

You can hear them at the Friday Night Showcase Concert and by the harbour on Saturday and Sunday.