ABOUT

Tapsalteerie are a 4-piece Scottish folk band who play a wide range of music, both contemporary and traditional, but pretty much all of it with a Scottish or celtic connection of some kind..

 

Based in Glasgow, the band consists of:

 

Alexandra (Alex) Renfrew – vocals and percussion

Allan Boyd – vocals and guitar

Calum Sanderson – Accordion, guitar, occasional banjo and percussion

Sandy Meldrum – Keyboards

 

Their first CD, “Bonnie Doon”, a collection of six songs by Robert Burns, interpreted and arranged by the band, came out in 2022. This was recorded to mark accordionist Calum and his wife Louise getting married in Alloway.

 

However, for putting out a CD, every band needs a name. After a lot of heavy thinking, Tapsalteerie – meaning ‘topsy-turvy’ in Scots – seemed a good choice, as it comes from Burns’ song, “Green Grow the Rashes, O”:

 

“...but gie me a cannie hour at e’en / my arms about my dearie-o / and warly cares an’ warly men / may a’ gae tapsalteerie-o!”

 

As well as their interpretation of Burns’ songs, Tapsalteerie (or ‘The Taps’ as they are also known) extend their repertoire to music by other artists such as Skippinish, Richard Thomson, Andy M. Stewart, Eddi Reader, Hank Williams, Van Morrison  – and more!