Music review: Cambridge Folk Festival, Cherry Hinton Hall, Cambridge

From The Proclaimers and James Yorkston to Niteworks and The Chair, this year's Cambridge Folk Festival had an exceptionally strong Scottish contingent, writes Fiona Shepherd

Cambridge Folk Festival, Cherry Hinton Hall, Cambridge *****

Like its northern cousin Celtic Connections, the Cambridge Folk Festival is a long-running broad church of global roots traditions, capable of holding both the hurdy gurdy electronica of Swedish duo Symbio, the stratospheric soprano of Californian indie folk singer/songwriter Jesca Hoop and a couple of rare sightings of hip-hop bands. “It’s all folk music,” as the compere said.

This year’s edition boasted an exceptionally strong Scottish contingent, from Shetland pianist Amy Laurenson via the reliable ceilidh attack of Breabach to the Glasgow-born Ayoub Sisters, scoring a Stage 2 hit with their chamber arrangements of traditional tunes, including from their own Egyptian Coptic heritage.

The Proclaimers PIC: Amanda Edwards / Getty Images