JAZZ
COLIN STEELE’S STRAMASH Tolbooth, Stirling, Wed 5 Apr; Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, Fri 7 Apr; Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, Sun 9 Apr
Colin Steele’s acclaimed music with his jazz quintet has revealed a strong interest in the melodic input of Scottish folk music. That strand of his work emerged in powerful fashion on his Twilight Dreams album in 2001, and has continued to permeate its successors, most recently his debut for the ACT label, Through the Waves.
Given that overt influence, it was a logical step to take things to the next stage and involve folk musicians in his latest project, supported by the Scottish Arts Council’s Tune Up touring fund.
Stramash is a ten-piece band made up of the trumpeter's quintet - Phil Bancroft on saxophones, Dave Milligan on piano, Aidan O’Donnell on bass and drummer Stu Ritchie - plus the fiddles of Aidan O’Rourke, Charlie McKerron and Chris Stout, Rory Campbell on bagpipes and whistles, and the ever-eclectic Su-a Lee on cello.
“The way I have worked was actually to imagine writing for that kind of line- up and then scaled it down for the jazz quintet, and I think that is where that Scottish feel in the music actually comes from. It will be really interesting to play it with that line-up for real.’
Steele has kept in touch with developments on the folk scene through his involvement in bands like the Unusual Suspects, Bachue and Aidan O’Rourke’s Sirius, but regards Stramash as being more jazz-oriented.
‘There’s improvisation on everything, but that doesn’t mean that folk audiences won’t like it. There are really exciting things going on in the Scottish music scene just now, and it’s great to be part of that.’ (Kenny Mathieson)
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FOLKTRONICA FOUND Spectrum at the Queen‘s Hall, Edinburgh, 2 Apr
Starting life as a three-piece visual arts and music collective of well attended exper'iiiierital noise gigs in galleries. storage containers; and warehouses. Edinburgh's Found now count five in their ranks, edging towards a live band but retaining something of their experimental roots. 'About a year ago we were all growing a bit tired of doing purely experimental things and realised we had this pop group in us fighting to get out.' explains Tommy Perman, band member and co- founder of Surface Pressure Records. ‘We still do things kind of differently. While there's a great live rnusrc scene on the go at the moment it does tend to follow the Franz Ferdinand effect — fairly straight, guitar—driven pOp music — which is great but there's room for so much more. Between us we play so many more instruments and we try to incorpOrate that info Our live sets and recordmgs.’ As for their output. the Found sOLind could be best described as a kind of polished lo-fr. a considered approach to alternative music or. as Tommy puts it. ‘the roughness and charm of the demo but with a nice. finished edge'. Having embraced a song-based outlook. the band incorporate their electronic leanings alongSide influences that take in folk. garage rock and hip hOp. Found are Currently on t0ur promoting their limited 7' Single ‘Mullokian'. receiVing no small amount of radio play and MTV attention. concluding at Sunday's Scottish independents mini-fest Spectrum Festival. with their debut album Found Can Move hot on its heals. (Mark Edmundson)
Beer, barbecues ands bands. It's all hard work for We Galloway at this year's South by South West.
My veice is totally shot. my liver resembles that of Shane McGowan's and my eardrurns have been blasted beyond all recognition . . I feel great! I'm writing from a hotel in deepest. darkest Texas, recovering from another awesome South by South West.
lt's only appropriate that on the festival's 20th anniversary. it weiild be the biggest SXSW yet, hosting 1400 offiCial and hundreds of unoffimal acts. There are artists from pretty much every genre you could imagine printing their wares to the hordes in the ramshackle enVironment that is downtown Austin, and while this is suppose to be an industry event it is more of a week-long party at Nice'n'Sleazy's in the middle of Mardi Gras. This was my fourth Visit. and my orin grumble w0uld be the sheer numbers of people attending. around 30000 per day. It was harder than ever to see all the bands I wanted and to get served margaritas at the bar as quickly!
As in preVious years Scotland was punching above its weight. Belle & Sebastian and Mogwai, the great unsigned like PuMaJaW and Cayto. and those On the rise like Aberfeldy and the Cinematics all played their hearts out. There was even a proper afternoon showcase party at which ten Scottish acts appeared. wrth me as cornpere talking nonsense in between.
It's all about the beer, barbecue and band names! There's too muCh to see and too many parties to go to. You try your best. but it's impossible. Salutes must go to the most fabulously monikered attendees including the Foxymorons. Lesbians on Ecstasy. You Say Party! We Say Die!. They Shoot Horses Don't They and I Love YOU But I've Chosen Darkness. all names we can relate to. I'm sure. If you disagree. I'll slam you to the ground while wearing the Mexican wrestling mask I just bought.
I Vic Galloway presents on BBC Radio Scot/and every Monday
from 8- 70pm. and on BBC Radio 7 every Thursday from 7. 30—9pm.
Ma' ": Ail THE LIST 65