Jimmy & Scots Folk Band: 'The Viking Irishman', the band's third album, is released today on the Maxy Sound label.

Through the creation of “The Viking Irishman”, the Jimmy & Scots Folk Band set themselves the arduous mission of creating an EP that is not just a collection of songs, but a concept album to be enjoyed in one go. The sequence of songs chosen is intended to catapult the listener into a time-travelling journey through Celtic and Nordic cultures, retracing historical events that really happened in Ireland from the Middle Ages to the present day. The album recounts various battles that have shaped the cultural heritage of the Irish people and begins with the arrival of the Vikings in Ireland in 795 AD.

It opens with a medley of “My Mother Told Me” and “Drømde Mig En Drøm”. This is the first written example of Scandinavian music whose melody and only verse were found in the Codex Runicus, one of the oldest surviving runic manuscripts. 
The journey continues with the unreleased track “The Viking Irishman”, which gives the EP its title. It tells of the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 AD from the perspective of a simple blacksmith who must choose between love and the call of war. The title derives from the fascinating birth of the Norse-Gael people on the Irish coast following the integration of the invaders. The latter, mixing their customs and language with the local ones over the generations, left an indelible cultural and genetic imprint on the Irish descendants. 
“High King's Reel” is the third track on the EP and is an instrumental mix of unreleased and traditional “tunes”. With its late medieval, almost renaissance sound, it leaves the era of the High Kings of Ireland dynasty and transports the listener to the fourth track. 
At Glenmalure in 1580 AD, the well-known folk ballad “Follow Me Up to Carlow” takes place in this version arranged with the traditional “Swallowtail Jig”. The song tells of the defeat of the largest English army ever sent to Ireland by the Munster clans, who rebelled against the Anglo-Norman invaders.
In this wake of rebellion against the British Crown, the EP closes with a version of “Come Out Ye Black and Tans”. This 19th century song, as controversial as it is emotional, encapsulates the indomitable spirit of the people of the Emerald Isle in just a few minutes. Despite the Easter Rising (1916), the War of Independence (1919-1921), the Civil War (1922-1923) and the Northern Ireland conflict (1960s to 1990s), Ireland still experiences tumultuous times. 
The music project was integrated on the Spotify platform with the use of Canvas that provide the listener with historical context and make the virtual journey an immersive experience. 

"Irish history is fascinating and full of stories. You only have to look into this world to discover how rich the folklore of this country is, inhabited by a people with a fearless heart who never stopped fighting for their ideals and whose roots go back to distant times. That is why we wanted to make something that goes beyond a simple music album and that, by making innovative use of the tools available in the world of digital music, takes the listener on a journey of discovery of Ireland and its history,' says the band.
After their first traditional music album “No Man's Tales” self-produced in 2019, the band signed a record deal with the label “Maxy Sound”.

In the framework of this collaboration, it released “Seven Irish Nights” in 2023 with production by Max Titi. This album, containing the band's first unreleased track “A Stout for Breakfast”, led the Jimmy & Scots Folk Band to win “Discovery of the Year 2023”, “Best Male Voice 2023” and “Artist of the Year Chosen by Fans 2023” at the “MC Music Awards”. The same year, “Seven Irish Nights” was included in the “Irish Traditional Music Archive”, the world's most important archive of Irish music, located in Dublin.

“The Viking Irishman” is now available on all digital platforms accessible from this link 

Jimmy & Scots Folk Band :

- Thomas Randazzo: Vocals, Tin Whistle, Guitar
- Adrian Justyn: Vocals, Bouzouki
- Luca Fiorito: Vocals, Cello, Bass Guitar
- Jack Viesti: Drums, Percussion
- Annalisa Zito: Vocals