Malin Lewis Trio

Innovator, award winning, multi-instrumentalist Malin Lewis melds Scottish West coast tradition with a newly invented, self-made bagpipe alongside stars Sally Simpson (Fiddle) and Ali Hutton (Guitar). Hair tingling, philosophical and dance inducing melodies inspired by European folk traditions, queerness and the universe.

Having toured across the UK, Canada and Europe, Malin released their debut album Halocline in May 2024 on Hudson Records. A Halocline is a visible layer that forms between salt and fresh water and is home to a unique microbial ecosystem. Halocline is a metaphor for Malin’s trans identity and living in a space in between; a beautiful space between a binary.

Malin's unique timbre is born from the deep connection that comes from making and composing for their own instrument. Their one of a kind two-octave Smallpipe creates a whole new world of sound, captivating audiences at every opportunity.

Inspired by the likes of Martyn Bennett, Duncan Chisholm and Sharron Shannon their music is as lively as it is thought provoking and sensitive. Recently Malin has been recording music for The Outrun film,  composing for contemporary dance and theatre and been learning the tradition of the extinct Finnish Bagpipes.

Malin Lewis is joined by Sally Simpson (fiddle) and Ali Hutton (guitar).

Originally hailing from Edinburgh, fiddle player Sally Simpson was drawn to folk music at an early age. She performs with party-band HEISK, folky quartet Westward the Light and innovative piper Malin Lewis.

A graduate of the National Centre for Excellence in Traditional Music and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, her time studying at Stockholm’s Kungliga Musikhögskolan sparked an interest in the role of traditional music in theatre, and she later toured with Sting’s musical ‘The Last Ship’. 

Ali Hutton, from Methven in Perthshire, was inspired at the age of 7 to take up the bagpipes and rose through the ranks of the world famous Vale of Atholl Pipe Band. It was there that he was taught, alongside Ross Ainslie, by the late, great Gordon Duncan. 

He has since gone on to become a successful multi-instrumentalist on the Scottish folk music scene. His arsenal includes Bagpipes, Whistle and Guitars.

Ali currently performs around the world with Old Blind Dogs, Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton’s ‘Symbiosis’, Treacherous Orchestra, Malin Lewis, Jocelyn Petit and Ellen Gira, and Tryst.