Silly Wizard

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Silly Wizard was a Scottish folk band, formed in about 1971 in Edinburgh by Johnny Cunningham (fiddle, viola, mandola, vocals), Bob Thomas (guitar, mandolin, mandola, banjo, concertina) and Gordon Jones (guitar, bodhran, vocals, bouzouki, mandola). They performed at the Triangle Folk Club for a time, then went on a tour of France in 1972. Soon after, they signed to Transatlantic Records to record an album with Maddy Taylor, who had sung with them on the tour. The album was recorded but has never been released.

The band then added Phil Cunningham (accordion, tin whistle, harmonium, synthesizer, guitar, vocals), Alastair Donaldson, Martin Hadden (bass, guitar, piano) and Andy M. Stewart (vocals, whistle,banjo). Their first LP to be released was Silly Wizard, and they began touring throughout Europe. There were some line-up changes prior to recording their second LP, Caledonia’s Hardy Sons (Highway Records).

Silly Wizard played a variety of Scottish folk music, both instrumental and not, from fast jigs and reels to slow airs. While the majority of the music they played were traditional songs, the band did write many of their own. Phil Cunningham wrote generally instrumental music centered on the accordion, and Stewart wrote several songs in a style often distinctly traditional. The group’s overall sound changed little until their final album, A Glint of Silver, which introduced the synthesizer as a prominent part of the band, giving them a slightly New Age sound.

They continued recording until the late 1980s, when the band decided to dissolve after performing for seventeen years and releasing nine albums.
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Top Albums

  • The Best of Silly Wizard
    Silly Wizard Play
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  • So Many Partings
    Silly Wizard Play
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  • Caledonia's Hardy Sons
    Silly Wizard Play
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  • Kiss the Tears Away
    Silly Wizard Play
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Top Tracks

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  • maskedmoon

    Tends to put me in good mood. Love the voice too and the accent.

    last month
  • timmotjo17

    Listening to this makes me feel very peaceful and tranquil. I love it.

    last month
  • shruikan966

    Great band. The voice of the vocalist is so nice.

    January 2012
  • ThugcoreXcowboY

    So fuckin' good. :D

    December 2011
  • Bush-Doctor

    The Twa Brothers makes me cry everytime

    November 2011
  • SwordOfPerun

    RAVIOLLI!MARIOLLI!MACORONNI!PRETITTO!MUSHKONTO! PRESTO!

    October 2011
  • majo334

    excellent band, So Many Partings and Caledonias Hardy Sons are my favorites.

    August 2011
  • herkyjerky

    perfect balance and integrity in timbre, harmony, melody, vocals... such a treasure!

    April 2011
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