Simon Thoumire ("Two-meer") plays the concertina with the chops of Astor Piazzolla, the jazz sensibility of Joshua Redman, and the soul-driven lift that can come only from the Highlands. His original compositions and innovative arrangements of traditional tunes defy categorization - identifiably Celtic yet successfully crossing the threshold into non-traditional territory. On his Green Linnet debut, March, Strathspey, and Surreal, Thoumire and bandmates Kevin McKenzie (guitar) and Simon Thorpe (bass) break new musical ground, brilliantly representing a myriad of styles. Whether hot-swinging a la Grappelli & Thielemans, or flying through a set of jigs and reels with the explosive power of De Dannan, the group’s versatility is not to be imagined. This is a recording with extraordinary breadth of expression. Just 26 years old, Simon has already established himself as one of the world’s finest performers of traditional music, winning the coveted BBC Radio 2 Young Tradition Award when he was 19. Since then, he has performed with such luminaries as Aly Bain, Phil Cunningham, and Donal Lunny. He formed the Simon Thoumire Three in 1993 and released the critically acclaimed album Waltzes For Playboys the following year.
