Natalie MacMaster
High-energy Cape Breton fiddle music that feels like a kitchen party in full swing. Percussive, joyful, and deeply rooted in Nova Scotian tradition.
High-energy Cape Breton fiddle music that feels like a kitchen party in full swing. Percussive, joyful, and deeply rooted in Nova Scotian tradition.
Natalie MacMaster captures the lightning-in-a-bottle energy of a Cape Breton ceilidh. Her music is defined by a 'driving' fiddle style that is as much about rhythm as it is about melody, often accompanied by the percussive sound of her own step-dancing while she plays. It is bright, communal, and relentlessly optimistic, sounding like a room full of people who have known each other their entire lives.
What sets her apart is the sheer athleticism of her performance and her ability to bridge the gap between traditionalist purism and contemporary folk-pop. While her roots are firmly in the Scottish-influenced traditions of Nova Scotia, she incorporates elements of bluegrass, jazz, and even classical crossover. The interplay between her fiddle and the 'pumping' style of piano accompaniment creates a unique, chugging momentum that is impossible to sit still to.
Start with 'In My Hands' to hear her most successful blend of tradition and modern production, or dive into 'My Roots Are Showing' for a more raw, traditional experience. Her Christmas albums are also essential for anyone looking to capture a specific, warm, maritime holiday atmosphere.
Natalie MacMaster (born June 13, 1972) is a Canadian fiddler from Troy, Inverness County, Nova Scotia, who plays Cape Breton fiddle music. She has toured with the Chieftains, Faith Hill, Carlos Santana and Alison Krauss, and has recorded with Yo-Yo Ma. She has appeared at the Celtic Colours festival in Cape Breton, Celtic Connections in Scotland and MerleFest in the United States.
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