THE LIST
STRING DRIVEN THING
Just backtromJamaica. where they went lorthe twotold purpose at raising moneytor hurricane reliel and re-introducing the idea ot classical instrumentsto the country. the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra are bringing their unique style to Princes Street Gardens on Saturday 3 at 1pm.
RPO leader Mykaell Riley is quite gratitied with the stirthat they caused ina
GOLDEN HIND
The live accompanimentto Sbildt‘s ‘Recall Collect‘ dance presentation at the Third Eye Centre will bethe lirst live pertormance olthe tledgling Scottish composer Nicky Hind's music since one evening olthe ‘Sounds Unusual‘ series at the Third Eye in April was given over to his lirst string quartet. and a sextet which is about to be recorded. slightly adapted. with Dick Lee on bass clarinet.
Since his lirst LP. 'Hindsight‘. intluenced by jazz and minimalist composition to occasionally very haunting ettect. Hind has rejected the improvisational aspect ot
country which. through a combination ol colonial backlash and the policy at teaching indigenous instruments. has let its classical training tor schoolstlounder. Over here they‘ve been doing workshops tor children. and tind that ‘kids turn up and pay attention because we‘ve been on the box‘. ‘Part olthe reason lorthe Orchestra is to continue the educative process. The musicians in the group are ota very hightechnical standard. buton a basic street level they were
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his work. and has been working on lorging ‘an individual approach to melody writing‘. His contribution to ‘Recall Collect' consists ot live piano and synthesiser with backing tapes olvarious environments-one particularly successtul recording being otOueen
incomplete as musicians. They‘re realising what‘s needed to survive onthis side olthetence.
'The plan is to includethe Orchestra on as many other projects as possible to spread the word. The strings played on Soul II Soul‘s album. and they‘ve become an integral part at their sound. It we can amalgamate. then selling the idea ot live strings becomes easier. We're still trying to convince record companiesthat strings are worth signing.‘
See Rock listings.
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Street station. ‘It creates a very dreamy atmosphere. but it‘s not quite so clear cut asthat. ‘
Pleased withthe results. he is looking into working with tapes turther. and the idea ota joint musical and photographic collaboration is on the horizon.
See Dance Page.
{— PEOPLE m GLASSHOUSES
From the vantage point olthe Kingston Bridge. the outline ot‘ the pyramids of the St linoeh (‘entre ean't be ignored. In seale it rivals (‘entral Station as the largest intervention in the eity grid. It overshadows‘ ( ilasgoyv‘s river from. (a mean feat for a supposedly translucent strueture). an entire city bloek away. l'ntil you attempt to walk around the perimeter the seale ot' the old station lot is not apparent. thereat’ter it becomes bewildering.
ll‘reely admit to t'eelings ol' hostility to the “av the building addresses it’s surroundings it simply turns its baek on them in a truly xenophobic manner. The main entrance is badly arlieulaled. more reminieent ol an obstaele eourse than triumphal entry.
l'nl‘ortunately I have little good neyvs to report on the interior either. My eompanion deseribed it as ‘the tardis in reverse'. ()ne ol Iiurope’s largest glass rools appears to aeeomodale sortie ol the least impressive volumes possible. ’I‘he main vista. running the length ol the building is eluttered by planters and paraphenalia and the internal spaee appears to hay e l'allen vietim to the ear parks \vhieh oeeupy a large bite ot the atrium. suggesting only halt the space has been revealed.
Perhaps most disappointing is the Iaek (ll\'lL‘\\s lit the (llll\lLiL‘ through the glass. Only the Clouds get a look in. ‘I’his eombined \y ith the eontrolled atmosphere adds to the unreality ol the plaee.
It’s sad to think that a eity which boasts ‘glass ltouses‘ ot’ the ingenuity ol’ the Kibble palaee. vvhere eeonomy ol strueture and sympathy \yith seale and adornment produee a strueture \v hieh raises the spirits. should have missed out on sueh a magnil'ieent opportunity tor imenlion. Although ol a totally dillerenl seaIe. St Iinoelts might have benet'itted lrom respeeting its elders. (Sally Stewart. ( ilasgoyv arehiteetl
currently engaged in writing and hosting a 26-part television documentary in his native Canada. and haltwaythrough histirst novel Real Time. ‘a saga about a Russian emigre woman in London during the Second World War. which I have to have tinished by Christmas.‘ he tells me onthetelephone trom TV Ontario.
He is now poised toreveal anotherstringto his bowin the shape otatelevision play called Dialogue inlhe Dark(see Media panel). based on an actual meeting between the writers Boswell and Hume in 18th-century Edinburgh. the centre olthe Scottish Enlightenment. ‘l
MEN OF LETTERS
Michael lgnatiett is one ol those lrighteningly clever people who always seemto have a spare talent ortwo up their sleeves. just in case you thoughtlhey couldn‘t surprise you. Best known here torhis workon the BBC'sThree-Minute Culture and Late Show. he‘s
THE LIST LIST
On Thursday 25th May. Glasgow‘s new. revised St Enoch Centre opened its doors to the public lorthe lirsttime. Although almost no shops were opentor business. the people tlooded in to look and also to least at the verytast-tood tood court. These arejust some at their observations aboutthe centre:
I 'lt's like something out ot the space age‘.
I 'lt‘slike atilm set‘.
I ‘l‘ve neverseen anything like it'.
I ‘I keep looking up. ljust can‘tbelieve it‘.
I ‘lt‘s beautilul'.
I ‘lt‘s tantastic‘.
I ‘l've seen ones likethis in America. Butthis is better‘.
I 'lt‘sjustabig greenhouse‘.
I ‘ltdoesn'ttit in atallwith Glasgow. But it‘s nice anyway‘.
I ‘lt‘slikeadisused tactory‘.
I ‘It looks modern'.
I ‘lt'sa glittering testimonial to the success olthe 'c‘new" Glasgow‘. (From the Centre‘s own blurb)
I ‘lt'sa diamond inlhe heart ot the city'. (Alsotrom the Centre‘s promotional blurb aboutitselt)
I ‘It‘sjust likethe
Gateshead Metrocentre'.
wrote two academic books about it. but then wantedto write something thatcaught the drama at this stutt.‘ he says. ‘Boswell‘s diary hasa veryintimate and detailed record at this meeting. We know some at the basic thingsthat Hume said and we know some at the basic thingsthat Boswell said and we know whatthey wrotein otherplaces and tromthose materials you couldn‘t go larwrong.‘
lgnatophiles will be glad to know he'll be appearing in The Late Show again in due course. No teatures are yet conlirmed tor the show. but‘l'll be back.‘ he promises. ‘next season.‘ See Media Page.
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l he list 3 15 June “$93