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80 THE llST 13—20 Aug 1998
JAZZ PREVIEW Park Stickney
American harpist Park Stickney is one of a select coterie of musicians to demonstrate that not only IS it possible to play good jazz on the harp, but that it has a distinctive contribution to make, rather than simply replicating piano or guitar. On his last visit to the Fringe, he was joined by the late Francis Cowan on guitar and bassist Brian Shiels in an entertaining programme of swinging jazz standards like 'Caravan', 'Take Five' and 'So What', as well as less canonical material like a reworking of Satie’s 'Gymnopedie No 1' and a nice version of the theme from The Odd Couple. Stickney is a classically trained pianist and harpist, and will also be heard in a duo with flautist Immanuel Davis, in which Bach and Faure will rub shoulders with Piazzola’s tangos and their own Frankenstein Sonata. (Kenny Mathieson)
a New York Flute and Harp Project (Fringe) St John’s Church (Venue 727) 75, 77Aug, 5pm; 78—79 Aug, 7.30pm, £5.50 (£3.50).
a Park Harp Jazz Trio (Fringe) St John’s Church (Venue 727) 20 Aug, 70pm; 27, 24 Aug, 7.30pm; 22 Aug, 5pm, £5. 50 (£3. 50).
MUSIC PREVIEW Larry Adler's Glory Of Gershwin
Larry Adler: the show must go on and on
Harmonica maestro Larry Adler returns to the Fringe after an absence of almost 40 years for this celebration of Gershwin's music. The show, which marks the composer's centenary, contains extracts from his major works Porgy And Bess and An American In Paris and, of course, Rhapsody /n Blue, a piece which Larry particularly enjoys playing. 'Gershwin and I played that together in 1974,’ he explains, ‘and he said to me " Larry, the goddamn thing sounds like it was written for you
A veteran of the business, he has been performing for 70 years, and is still going strong. 'Journalists always ask me why I haven't retired yet,’ he says, ’and the reason is, I love playing'. His passion for performing is so great that even when he fell and injured himself during a concert five weeks
FOLK Scottish Harps
Fiona Davidson is one of the musicians getting to the
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harp of the matter during the series
This year the international Festivai's Scottish music series focuses on the harp and darsach, and an instrumentai tradition that predates both bagpipe and fiddle in Scotland. The concerts have been put together by respected smailoharp soloist Wendy Stewart, who is equally at home on the mcentiy» evolved electroharp in the contemporary folk hand Ceolbeg.
Stewart reckons that the seven late-evening concerts cover the great variety of styles and techniques that are new current in Scotland. and points to the opening concert as 'a taster for the whole series. culminating in a stage full of harps performing the oid tune ‘The Horseman's Port‘ - ensemble, then with solo variations from each harpisti The contrast in sound and styles should be really interesting.’
Eadier that evening the music ranges from the ancient’bray' harp styie as performed by William Taylor, to the old Highland wire-strung ciarsach of American expert Ann Heymann. Alison Kinnaird looks to the oldest traditions on wire and gut-strung instruments and accompanies Christine Primrose‘s Gaelic singing. Stewart herself will underscore Rod Paterson's Scots song, while lsobei Mieras and Savourna Stevenson express more recent traditions ~ Stevenson's virtuoso technique moving into complex. jazzy harmony and rhythm. (Norman Chalmers)
a Scottish Harps (In ternationa/ Festival) St Cecilia's Hall (Venue 31) 473 2000, l 7, 20, 21, 25, 27, 30, 3? Aug, l0.30~11.45pm, £11,
ago, he got up and carried on playing. The show must go on indeed.
(Kirsty Knaggs)
Q Larry Adler’s Glory of Gershwin (Fringe) Larry Adler, Observer Assembly (Venue 3) 226 2428, 76 & 77 Aug, 70pm, £72.50 (£10).
FOLK REVlEW Ando Drom knee
From its ancient roots in Rajasthan, the Gypsy Diaspora has spread its peOple and music from Egypt, Turkey and Eastern Europe to the Atlantic coast. With over half a million gypsies in contemporary Hungary, the six-strong, colourfully-costumed Ando Drom
draws on a rich and varied musical tradition, especially in song — confounding the gypsy fiddle cliche, and revealing, among other novel aural effects, the rhythmic and tonal potential of metal water jugs. Outbreaks of step-dance leaven the seriousness of their approach — there was little chat, though a translator occasionally illuminated us as to a song’s content, but the voices - they all sing — are engrossing in themselves; long melodies soaring over rhythmic vocal bass lines, darting vocables, and high, ululating female chants.
(Norman Chalmers)
e Ando Drom (Fringe) Famous Grouse House (Venue 34) until 74 Aug, 1 1 pm, [6 (£4).