Mouth Music

Mouth Music
OriginEdinburgh, Scotland
GenresCeltic fusion, folk, worldbeat, world music, pop, electronic
Years active1988–1997
2001–present
LabelsTriple Earth/Rykodisc (1988–1997)
Skiteesh (2001–present)
MembersMartin Swan
Martin Furey
Michaela Rowan
Past membersMartyn Bennett
Jeremy Black
Alison Crawford
Lamin Jassey
Jackie Joyce
Ishbel MacAskill
George Macdonald
Willie Macdonald
Talitha MacKenzie
James Mackintosh
Quee McArthur
Jaq Ferry
Mairi McInnes
Andy Thorburn
Malcolm Shields
Jim Sutherland
WebsiteOfficial website

Mouth Music is a Scottish-inspired musical project founded in 1988, whose combination of traditional Gaelic songs and music with contemporary instrumental and technological settings led them to international fame in the early 1990s.

Mouth Music has featured a variety of musicians over the years, with songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Martin Swan as the only consistent member (and de facto leader). Other musicians who have passed through the project include singers Talitha MacKenzie, Jackie Joyce (aka Helicopter Girl), Martin Furey, Jaq Ferry, Màiri MacInnes, Ishbel MacAskill and Michaela Rowan, plus fiddler Alison Crawford, Capercaillie/Shooglenifty drummer James Mackintosh, and pipe/flute/fiddle player Martyn Bennett.

Swan has commented "I've never seen Mouth Music as a group. It's always been me with different people joining to play live."

The name "Mouth Music" is an English translation of the Gaelic term puirt a beul – the vocalisation of instrumental music.