Dick Gaughan already has a long career behind him. Infatuated with his native Scotland and its culture, he supports local folk and traditional folk music, with that charming and comical way of rolling the Rs. For over forty years, Gaughan has been a tremendous influence for folk singers, particularly through his work in the Scottish band Five Hand Reel. A left-wing supporter, engaged for miners and the independence movement of his country, he has undoubtedly won the sympathy of his audience. As the title indicates, An Introduction to Dick Gaughan is a traditional folk selection retracing his career as well as the country’s cultural history. Without frills, this album aims for simplicity, but the limited means don’t take anything from the intensity of the chants, which render the hearing almost reverent. Most often, Gaughan’s warm voice only relies on a guitar melody, and at times, only the vocals are guiding the composition like on Bonnie Woodha. His enthusiasm reaches its peak when he evokes the workers in Workers’ Song or launches into more dancing melodies like The Gander in the Pratie Hole. Dick Gaughan is able to recall the origins and history of a people, while revealing the joy and modernity these chants contain. © Clara Bismuth/Qobuz