family band & more--professional & lively... performances/lessons/workshops/schools
About videos: On left, Laura dances to Ed on fiddle and Mark Murray on guitar at Buddy MacMaster's 80th birthday celebration at Boston College. On right, Highland Soles in concert in Portland in March 2005.
Join our email list (be sure to let us know where you're located). Seasonal emails include info about shows, special announcements such as when our new CD is coming out, and about our summer camps.See YouTube videos below, of Laura dancing, Ed playing, and the family band.
The fresh & exciting dance and music of Highland Soles are rooted in the traditions of Scotland and Cape Breton, with a good dose of innovation. Dancer Laura Scott ("a showstopper"--Boston Globe) and fiddler Ed Pearlman (one of America's top fiddlers in the Scottish style) are joined by virtuoso family members on mandolin, piano, fiddle, and dance. Laura & Ed have worked with many of today's top Celtic artists over the past 25 years.
Based in Maine, the band presents high-flying Highland dance, hard-hitting Cape Breton stepdance, feisty Scottish Highland folk dances and new choreographies with compelling music, both traditional and original.
Available for concerts, functions, festivals, dances, demonstrations, schools.
Questions about performances or workshops? Email us--we look forward to hearing from you!
July 6-10 - Highland Soles at English-Scottish Session at Pinewoods dance camp, near Plymouth MA - Ed is music director, Laura teaches dance, and Neil plays piano.
July 12-18 - Ed teaches advanced Scottish fiddle at Swannanoa Gathering, Warren Wilson College, Asheville NC.
July 12-21 - Neil tours in California, visit Neil's myspace for his itinerary.
Aug 3-7 - Laura Scott's Highland dance camp, South Portland Community Center, 9am-1pm daily. Aug 9-16 - Ed & Neil teach at Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp, Dexter, Denver, CO. See site for list of great faculty. Aug 16-21 - Ed teaches at Maine Fiddle Camp See site for list of great faculty.
"I was blown away by the Highland Soles. They were terrific. Their
program was varied and i marveled at the way their members could assume so
many different roles with skill and aplomb! ...That kind of sound and rhythm grips one's senses in
a unique way." --audience member, 11/30/08
"I continue to
get comments about how magical you all were!" --B. Woodman, director SRSNH
12/9/08
"On The Edge by Ed Pearlman and Neil Pearlman is a cracking album of tunes on
mainly fiddle and piano. It demonstrates clearly the love that Ed and Neil have
for the music of Scotland, Cape Breton and elsewhere, with Neil's jazz
influences shining through. A real gem." --Ian Green, president of Greentrax Records, Scotland
"What a great album! Great playing and wonderful ideas from both of you. Congratulations!" --Natalie Haas, cellist with Alasdair Fraser, about our new CD, On the Edge.
"We've actually had your CD in
our dinner-time CD rotation since it arrived and we've been enjoying
it a lot. It's a good way to transition from work to relaxation
mode... -- it's a
keeper, for sure!" --Neill Ray, publisher, Scottish Life magazine about On the Edge
"Good luck with the release of the new CD...Boston Hospitality is one of most beautiful Scottish music recordings I have
(and that is saying something as I have a *lot*). --D.Walden 3/18/08
"That alone was worth the price of admission." Audience member after Highland Soles show, Maine Highland Games, 8/18/07.
"It was magic." Louise Dunphy, Celtic radio DJ, Northampton Mass. after Ed & Neil's show at Iron Horse basement 8/9/07
"I just returned from fiddle camp in Tennessee. I was struck by how much more I knew about the fiddle and about music in general than the other campers who had been playing for a similar period of time. I attribute much of that to your teaching. Practice rules, but it helps to have good tutelage." Jack McG.
"Highland Soles participated in our physical activity day...their presence was a huge hit! Laura wore traditional dress and her accomplished skills were wonderful for everyone to observe. Adding to the beauty of the experience was the music provided by Ed on his fiddle. The music got the kids in the true spirit of the dance and they were exercising without even realizing it!" Bernadette Papi, Kaler elementary school, 4/07.
"Spectacular!" "That was a real class act." "Best show I've seen for a long time." "Laura is a true dancer in every sense of the word." --some comments from 11/18/06 show.
"Everyone was very impressed with Ed - both his teaching and his playing - and he certainly taught me more about how to use a bow in 20 minutes than I was able to teach myself in 5 years." student at Blazin in Beauly, Scotland 10/05
"There's one word for what you & your family do: spectacular." 5/21/05 concert
"You blew us away, on so many levels." 3/17/05 concert
"You are all a joy to hear and watch! Such a variety & combination of talents is amazing. We are so happy to have been a part of the enthusiastic audience. Thank you for a wonderful evening." --P. & K. Hannah 3-17-05
Laura Scott is a "spectacularly nimble and graceful performer" (Washington Post); "a showstopper . . . enchanting, graceful and high-twirling" (Boston Globe)
About Ed's solo album Boston Hospitality: "milestone album for the Boston Celtic community" (Boston Globe), "precious artistic jewel" (TACTalk).
"The hit of the Scottish evening was Portland's HIGHLAND SOLES, whose impeccable traditional musicianship and genial stage presence, allied to thrilling dance numbers (and dizzying costume changes!) brought the audience to its feet." (The Franklin Journal)
---Ed has invented a very cool device for all fiddlers to figure out the right fingering in all keys. It's called the Finger Finder --now available through Shar Music or Johnson Strings
MUSIC CLASSES and PRIVATE LESSONS --see also Ed's teaching website. Classes and lessons at One Forest Ave (Acoustic Artisans) in Portland; private lessons at Buckdancer's Choice. For details feel free tocontact Ed. Summer Fiddle Classes available June 23-August 6.
Private lessons available any time at Buckdancers and One Forest. Also view Ed's teaching website.
Beginning Fiddle class -- for those who haven't touched a fiddle/violin. Tues 6:30.
Tunelearning -- for adv.beginners and intermediates; learn a tune a week and play with others. Tues 5:15.
Fiddle Styles -- for advanced/intermediate players; explore a different style each week. Wednesdays, 5:15pm.
Contra Dance band class -- intermediate/advanced -- learn tune medleys at dance tempo and play for open band hour at Portland contra dance. Wed 6:30.
DANCE CLASSES - Laura's teaches on Fridays at Williston West Church, through Portland's New Dance Studio. Contact Laura for more info. Dance camp Aug 3-9, South Portland Community Center, 775-7650
Adult beginning highland, 6:15am at South Portland Community Center, 775-7650
Class for 4- and 5-year-olds
Beginning and Intermediate Highland
Cape Breton Stepdance all ages
Teen Social Dances -- a blast & a workout for teens, with lively music!
Summer-- Tour with Maeve Gilchrist to Hooker-Dunham Theater, Brattleboro VT; New World Cooking in Saugerties NY; Bemus Point NY; Nighttown Cleveland; Ohio Scottish Arts School.
Spring -- Performance & workshops by Ed & Laura at Downeast Country Dance Festival; Maine Fiddle Camp benefit concert; Ed with Imperial Hot Club at Blue; Rockport contra dance; Portland contras, Belfast Scottish dance; Highland Soles 7th annual show at Saco River Grange; Highland Soles at Elysium Folk Arts Club in NH.
Winter 2009-- Ed solo & playing for Highland dancers in Las Vegas; solo performances in Santa Barbara CA; launch of Portland contra dance at Empire Dine & Dance; Ed with Laura, Neil, Maeve Gilchrist, David Surette, Susie Burke in a concert tribute to Robert Burns 250th birthday;Ed & Laura at Rockland public library show; Boston Hospitality at New Year's dance, Nashua NH; Ed & Neil at Belfast contra; Ed at Boston Scottish Fiddle Club.
Fall 2008--Highland Soles at SRSNH Gala Concert in Concord NH; Ed & David Surette at Univ New England, and at Concord NH Community Music School; Ed & Lilly at Blue in Portland; Highland Soles at Kaler School program.
Summer 2008--Ed & Neil visit Cape Breton (Neil played with Natalie MacMaster, Kimberley Fraser; Ed & Neil played at Festival of Cape Breton Fiddling, and concert with Carl MacKenzie & Pat Chafe); Ed & Neil perform at Cleveland's night club Nighttown; Ed taught Maine Fiddle Camp; Lilly and Neil each did shows at Blue; Ed's Meet the Instruments camp for kids; Ohio Scottish Arts School; Ed & Neil perform at benefit for Skye Theater.
Spring 2008--Highland Soles 6th annual show at Saco River Grange; Laura & Lilly performed at Modern Feats dance festival; CD release concerts (Neil & Ed) at Iron Horse (Northampton MA), Hooker-Dunham Theater (Brattleboro VT) with Jerry Holland, and in Portland; Boston Highland Ball (Boston Hospitality), Chocolate Church and Lewiston concerts for ME Fiddle Camp; Highland Soles at Downeast Folk Festival in performance, and Laura step dance workshop; Ed & Neil contra dance in Lewiston. Winter 2008--Ed & Neil gigs at Blue, Dogfish, Conservatory solo concert at Woodfords Church, Two Echo in Brunswick; Highland Soles Burns dinner, Hampstead NH, Burns celebration at North Star in Portland, school programs at Levey Day School.
2007 highlights: Highland Soles performs in Concert for Jerry Holland at BU, Boston; Boston Hospitality CD release party; Contra dance benefit for Portland Ballet; Ed teaches Ohio Scottish Arts School with Carl MacKenzie and Mike Vass; Ed & Neil perform at Iron Horse "basement"; Highland Soles at Clan MacGillivray annual banquet; Maine Fiddle Camp; Highland Soles featured at Maine Highland Games; Portland Stage show of Laura Scott's Highland/modern choreographies; Highland Soles 5th annual at Saco River Grange; Highland Soles school program near Worcester MA; performance and dance workshop at Downeast Folk Festival; Neil plays with Frank Ferrel at Blue; Burns dinner in NH, Kaler school program South Portland, Gorham library program; Ed does judging/workshop/performance at NE Florida Scottish Games.
2006 highlights: Sold-out show at Dover-Foxcroft's new Center Theatre; pre-curtain lecture/demo Leahy concert at Merrill Auditorium, Portland; Punkinfiddle festival; Ed & Neil play at Blue; Noonday concert with Scottish, jazz and international music; Ed played Scottish dance at Concord Scout; Bates contra dance; Ed judged 31st US National Scottish Fiddle Championships; Ed taught Ohio Scottish Arts School with Carl MacKenzie of Cape Breton and Anna-Wendy Stevenson; sold-out Highland Soles concert at Saco River Grange; St Pats concert by Highland Soles at St Lawrence Arts Center, followed by sold-out family show; Burns celebrations with local poets in Portland; Burns dinner performance in New Hampshire; pre-curtain lecture for Natalie MacMaster's sold-out show at Merrill Auditorium, Portland.
2005 highlights-- Highland Soles shows at UMaine Farmington, St Lawrence Arts Center, Saco River Grange, Center for Cultural Exchange, Johnny D's (Boston), Cape Breton house parties; Ed taught & performed in Scotland at the Blazin Fiddles camp near Inverness; Noonday concert downtown Portland including Scottish, jazz, klezmer & Danish music; Laura performed with Angel Band at Saco River Grange; seasonal Highland Soles ceilidhs; Highland Soles performance/demo at Portland Public Libary; Boston Scottish Fiddle Club workshops & performances by Ed; performance at Portland City Hall chanukah party; Ed & Neil in Latin band for summer.
Laura Scott and Edward Scott Pearlman are experienced teachers and judges as well as performers.
Laura has performed with Natalie MacMaster, Alasdair Fraser, Battlefield Band, Joe Cormier, Tony Cuffe and many other great Celtic artists. As a teacher she is well grounded in tradition (member of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing, and on the Judges Panel of the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing) but also loves to push the artistic envelope and meld Highland, Cape Breton step and Highland folk to reflect the vital pulse of Scottish music. She has presented school programs, and taught at dance and music camps such as Pinewoods, Valley of the Moon, Ashokan, and others, in addition to her own school.
Ed has performed many styles of music, but has specialized in Scottish/Cape Breton fiddling for 30 years. He directed the Boston Scottish Fiddle Club for 18 years, and has taught many workshops and lessons, including Maine Fiddle Camp and the Blazin Fiddles camp in Beauly, Scotland. He teaches fiddle in Portland Maine; and has taught and coordinated a Scottish/Cape Breton fiddle course at the Ohio Scottish Arts School at Oberlin since 1995. He directed and performed in Boston's Celtic Festival at the Hatch Shell for 7 years, the Scottish Fiddle Rally in Boston for 15 years (CD available on Greentrax Recordings), judged many Scottish fiddle competitions (including four US Nationals) and led workshops throughout the USA and in Canada and Scotland. Ed has also played contra dances (directing Roaring Jelly for 3 years), swing jazz, classical concerts and pit orchestras, klezmer, Hungarian, and other dance music. He writes the music column for Scottish Life magazine.
