Native to the Orkney Islands, Scotland, Hazel Wrigley found music at an early age by playing piano and guitar along with her fiddle playing twin sister Jennifer. Her musical foundation is a diverse sound palette steeped in the Scottish vernacular of the northern isles of Scotland. Her pioneering rhythm and roots style is invigorated with the folk, jazz, blues and ragtime flavours of the legendary Peerie Willie Johnson.
Hazel retains a strong instinct for acoustic interpretation by pioneering new sounds in the tradition. Wrigley has been composing, arranging, touring, recording, broadcasting and educating throughout the world for almost four decades. By uniquely modernising and reinterpreting rhythm and harmonies of the traditional idiom—Hazel has created a global impact on the scene across some 47 countries something achieved by very few. She has recorded ten studio albums and collaborated with internationally respected musicians, writers, dancers, storytellers, filmmakers, digital designers, jewellers and brewers. She has delivered thousands of concerts in some of the world’s leading institutions.
Her pioneering, unique and sophisticated sound has made her the arranger of choice for many of the world’s top traditional musicians and become one of the most sought after guitarists on the international music scene. The San Francisco Chronicle has described her as “a musical polyglot”.
One quick glance over fan’s sentiment on Wrigley’s music, and you will hear words such as “Spellbinding”, “Magical”, and “Breathtaking”. Wrigley’s spirit, confidence, commitment and skill engages her audience in a manner akin to entering a “splendid bubble of possibilities” matching Hazel’s strong sense of people and place.
Hazel has a true passion for excellence in collaborations and works to help the arts play a crucial role in improving quality of life.
Internationally; Wrigley was the BBCs special guest at the North American Folk Alliance and twice invited to help deliver their public broadcasting commitment at the European Broadcasting Union Conference to some 85 national media organisations in 56 countries across an audience of 650 million. Hazel has taught at universities and festivals worldwide, including the Royal Conservatoire, The Valley of The Moon and Folkworks. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival included Hazel in their iconic summer festival representing Scottish traditional music.
Nationally, Wrigley has delivered hundreds of concerts for the charity Live Music Now and represented Scotland in The Barbican before King Charles, Patron, and its Founder, Lord Menuhin. In 2004, Hazel established The Reel in her island home of Orkney, Scotland (MG Alba nominated: Best Community Project). The Reel was a cultural networking space which retained 66 permanent music tutors of multiple genres and 800 regular weekly students. Hazel hosted an annual International Winter School at The Reel, bringing together artists and pupils from around the world. Currently, Hazel continues to perform and dedicate her professional time to global, online teaching. Her myriad students have been of all ages and abilities, including deafblind and special needs musicians.
Wrigley’s local community work includes BBC Radio Orkney’s monthly Live at The Reel broadcasts; local firm Attic Records’ release Orkney Sessions at The Reel and the concert series Orcadian Summer Concerts at The Reel – has raised more than £30,000 for small local charities. In recognition, popular public support nominated her as “Orkney’s Unsung Hero” she was gifted the piano of the Master of the Queens Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.
Her prolific catalogue spans across four decades and has drawn tens of thousands of music fans around the world. Her original albums, including “Huldreland”, “Skyran” and “Idiom”, quickly connected with followers and fans when they were released — ensured Wrigley’s professional reputation as one of the pioneers of an increasingly global popular folk music scene.
Like so many in her muso-sphere, Hazel is a hard-working musician with endless creative energy. Wrigley’s authentic and inclusive approach to multi genre cross collaborations has impacted many of her fellow artists and her output will continue to invigorate the scene for generations to come.