MUSIC LIST
more conventional end of that spectrum, players like the Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek. his English counterpart John Surman (who is composer in residence at the Glasgow Jazz Festival this year), the Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava. the English pianist John Taylor. or Canadian trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. all of whom recorded for the influential ECM label in Germany. have crossed over to a more mainstream audience to a greater or lesser
degree.
Other important figures. like saxophonist Evan Parker and guitarist Derek Bailey in England, or pianist Misha Mengelberg and drummer Han Bennick in Holland, who visit Edinburgh this month.
DAG MAR KRAUSE Dagmar Krause looks slight. even frail. in her inevitable black stage outfit. but there isa remarkably resilient strength in her voice which belies that appearance. A native of Hamburg. Dagmar began singing in public when only fourteen. in the unlikely setting ofthe notorious nightclubs on the Reeperbahn. Did she have to sneak out ofthe house'.’
‘No.’ she laughs. ‘It was all above board. My father in particular was very determined that I would be a singer. and he supported me a lot. It was something of a surprise. I guess. because I had a very respectable upbringing. and maybe I saw some things then that I shouldn‘t have. but it was mostly okay.‘
Dagmar came to London in the 1970s with Slapp Happy. and became an integral part ofthe English avant-garde rock scene. but is now recognised as a major interpreter of the songs of Bertolt Brecht. Kurt Weill. and llanns Eisler. Following a successful Brecht programme at the Edinburgh Festival a couple of years ago. she now returns with the music of the rather less well known Eisler. as captured on the excellent Tank Battles (Antilles).
‘Eisler used both popular songs and demanding contemporary music — he studied with Schoenberg in his youth — and l was fascinated by that combination. More
l listings.
importantly. though. his ideas and the sentiments of the songs put us in touch with feelings and subjects which remain important. lie set the pace in the fight against stupidity in music.‘ (KM)
Dagmar Krause. Edinburgh Queen '5 Hall. I4April. See listings.
CLASSICAL OPERA NOW
Open: Now is a new magazine aimed at the changing audience for opera which seems to have sprouted in Britain over the past few years. Costing £2. it‘s glossy. very well produced. superbly illustrated. not at all intimidating. and manages to avoid being either patronising or academically stuffy. Contributors range from Lord Ilarewood and Lady Antonia Fraser to Eartha Kitt and Ned Sherrin. with a number of singers-turning-writer to tell the inside story. including tenor Laurence Dale on Peter Brook‘s new production of Carmen. opening in Glasgow on 10 April. It‘s generally newsy and informative. with regular features such as Opera Houses ofthe World. starting— where else? — at the Staatsoper in Vienna. and also carries a useful UK and international listings section. (Carol Main)
JAZZ ‘” KENNY WHEELER
Canadian born trumpeter Kenny Wheeler makes a rare concert appearance in Edinburgh. and has assembled a high-powered group of musicians for the occasion. Stan Sulzmann plays reeds. along with John Taylor on piano. Chris Laurence on bass. and drummer John Marshall.
‘I don‘t often get a chance to do things under my own name. but when l
have continued to work in a more idiosyncratic vein. and have inspired younger players to do likewise by continually pushing at the frontiers ofprobability. and in the process producing music ofgreat invention, amd often great humour. Jazz is simply one element feeding into the music. albeit an important one. but none of these players are respecters of either boundaries or conventions. It is good to see this challenging music finding a place in our concert and Festival programmes.
The Misha Mengelberg Trio. Edinburgh Queen's Hall. 18 April; Kenny Wheeler Quintet. Queen '3' Hall, 7April; Urs Leimgruber/John Wolf Brennan (plus Dagmar Krause), Queen '5 Hall, 14 April. See
do I try to use this rhythm section. which for me is ideal. I‘m not so happy with a very tight rhythm section. I like something where everyone knows where they are. but it is still a little bit loose. with a bit ofspace.‘
Despite a strong international reputation. the trumpeter is much
ROCK
I GLASGOW BARROWLAND (041 226 4679) Bangles. 8 May; Then Jerico. 16 May. SOLD OUT: R.E.M.
I GLASGOW GOVAN TOWN HALL (041 227 5511) Pop Will Eat itseli. 1 May;The Silencers, 4 May; Carmel. 10 May; The Go-Betweens. 11 May; Goodbye Mr MacKenzIe, 17 May; Labi Siffre. 20 May;
I GLASGOW SECC (041 226 4679) Tom Jones, 29 April; Stevie Wonder. 9 May; Johnny Cash. 11 May; Everly Brothers, 12 May;
Bob Dylan. 6 June; Simple Minds. 8-9 August. SOLD OUT: Deacon Blue; Diana Ross.
I GLASGOW PAVILION (041 226 4679) Fairground Attraction, 8-9 May; Texas. 16 May; 10.000 Maniacs, 27 May.
I GLASGOW RENFREW FERRY ((041 227 5511 ) Tom Robinson, 30 April—1 May; Zvuki-Mu, 4—6 May; John Martyn,14—15 May.
I GLASGOW THEATRE ROYAL(041 331 1234) Black. 30 April.
I GLASGOW TRAMWAY (041227 5511) Avia, 5—6 May.
I LIVINGSTON FORUM (0506 419191 ) The Stranglers. 10 June.
undervalued in this country. a situation he thinks applies equally to Sulzmann. Like many of the older players. he identifies an unfortunate side-effect ofthe high media profile now enjoyed by the younger generation.
‘I think Stan has been very overlooked in this country — he‘s completely original and a wonderful player. I can put anything up in front of him and he can play it. We have had all this fuss the last few years with Courtney Pine and Andy Sheppard. who are very fine players. but because of this jazz fashion business. some very good older players have been pushed aside. This thing about the young is prevalent everywhere. but l see it worse in England than anywhere.
‘When I say worse. I suppose there are good things about it too. in terms of increasingthe popularity ofjazz. I suppose the trouble is that when the older guys were coming up. there was a lot more work around. in
I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE (031 557 2590) Yan. 23 April; Everly Brothers. 14 May; Bananarama, 16 May; The Shadows, 17 May; WASP. 18 May; Roe and Cry. 19/20 May; R.E.M.. 23 May; Elvis Costello, 25 May; Gary Moore. 26 May; Shirley Bassey. 7 Oct. SOLD OUT: Johnny Mathis. Deacon Blue. Stevie Wonder. Elton John.
I EDINBURGH OUEEN’S HALL (031 668 2019) The Pixies. 30 April; Texas, 14 May; 10,000 Maniacs. 28 May.
CLASSICAL
I GLASGOW CITY HALL (041 227 5511) SNO/Dream oiGerontIus. 22 April; Academy oIAncient Music. 12 May.
I GLASGOW THEATRE ROYAL (041 331 1234) Philip Glass Ensemble/1000 Airplanes On The Rool.10—13 May. I EDINBURGH KINGS THEATRE (031 2291201) D’Dyly Carte Opera/Mikado/Pirates oi Penzance,1-6 May.
I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE (031 557 2590) Scottish Ballet/Peter Pan. 3-13 May. I EDINBURGH USHER HALL(031 2281155) SNO/Dream ol Gerontius, 21 April; SCO/SPCA1501h Anniversary Gala, 19 May; SNO Proms, 3-10June.
FOLK
I GLASGOW PAVILION (041 226 4679) Clannad, 30 April; Songhai. 18 May.
I GLASGOW CITY HALL (041 227 5511) Boys olthe Lough. 4 May; Capercaiilie,
terms of commercial work and so on. so they could earn a living anyway. Bobby Wellins. for example. has always been one of my favourite players. and although he gets some recognition. it‘s not nearly as much as he deserves.‘ (Joe Alexander)
Kenny Wheeler Quintet. Queen '3 Hall. 7April.
RECORDS
Norman Chaimersiiddles while the Folktums.
I ALTAN: Heart OIThe Horse (Green Linnet). The great Donegal band has brought in Scottish wizard Phil Cunningham to oversee their second album. The results are of consistently high quality. An up-to-datc. lushly textured synthesiser backdrop to a Gaelic lyric is in stark contrast to an unnaccompanied song from Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh or co-founder Frankie Kennedy‘s long flute solo. The gifted Mhairead is also a superb fiddler. and leads strong sets of tunes. some written by Kennedy and a few. as is common in Donegal.
9 May; Dick Gaughan, 10 May;
I GLASGOW GOVAN TOWN HALL (041 227 5511) Davy Spillane Band. 5 May; Ted Hawkins. 6 May; R.D. Lang. 19 May.
I GLASGOW RENFREW FERRY (041 227 5511) Muzsikas, 2 May; Carey 8 Lurie Bell. 10 May; Robin Williamson. 12 May; Altan. 13 May; Yolocamba l-Ta. 13—14 May; Pierre Benusan/The Picts. 20 May. I GLASGOW STEVENSON HALL (041 227 5511) Paco Pena. 6 May.
I EDINBURGH GEORGE SOUARE THEATRE (031 225 4583) Marta Sebesiyen & Muzsikas. 6 May.
I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE (031 557 2590) Clannad. 28 April.
JAZZ & BLUES
I GLASGOW PAVILION (041 226 4679) Courtney Pine. 10 May; George Meliy.11-12 May; Fairer Sax, 17 May
I GLASGOW RENFREW FERRY (041 227 5511) Martin Taylor. 7 May.
I GLASGOW STEVENSON HALL (041 227 5511) Kolner Saxophone Malia, 5 May. I LIVINGSTON FORUM (0506 419191) Kenny Ball 8 His Janmen. 20 May.
I EDINBURGH OUEEN'S HALL (031 668 2019) Humphrey Lyttleton. 28 April; Chico Freeman Ouintet. 5 May; Dewey Redman Ouartet. 12 May. I EDINBURGH USHER HALL (031 228 1155) Dizzy Gillespie's United Nation Big Band. 2 June.
coming over the water from Scotland. Although this recording is a great driving example of one of the Celtic world's leading traditional bands. I ROBIN LAING: Edinburgh Skyline (Greentrax). First album for an Edinburgh singer songwriter of the first-person-singular. melancholy-tinged confessional school. Myth and ontological uncertainty are woven into a sense of place. and the mood is sustained through some good songs and some cIichés. with effective Spanish guitar and various fine backing musicians including Ron Shaw. Jim Sutherland. and The MacCalmans‘ Nick Keir. who also acted as producer. I ALAN JOHNSTON AND FRIENDS: North OIThB Border(Cora Linn). The Isle Of Eigg. by Robin Laing (see above). is the only unoriginal song on this notable first album. A well known Edinburgh singer and session guitarist. Alan‘s worthy. if not poetic lyrics. are fitted out in this self-production with an astonishing wall-of-sound. Some tracks and instrumentals are powered along by electric guitar. keyboards. bass. bodhran and drums. under the uillean pipes and fiddle. with the muscle of Moving l learts. The ‘liriends' are eleven of the best musicians around Edinburgh and Glasgow. and include Sheila McWhirter on vocals. Andy Munro on drums and Boys ()fthe Lough flautist. Cathal McConnell. I CARLOS ARREDONDO: Debo Cantar Bonito. I Must Sing Well (Cassette. Iona Records. Glasgow; Canongate Music. Edinburgh) A beautiful. passionate. deeply moving testament to this Edinburgh based Chilean exile‘s love of music. his country. and the service of song in the eternal struggle against injustice and inhumanity. With exquisite vocals. charango and guitar. and subtle shadings from musicians Jack Evans and producer Jim Sutherland. this recording would be prized by anyone with their eyes and ears open.
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Carmen Reviewed
28 The List 7 — 20 April 1989