THE APPETITE FOR AMERICANA IS A SOCIAL
AND CULTURAL PHENOMENON
The new world
Rosanne Cash
To kick off our special coverage of Celtic Connections, Norman Chalmers celebrates the newest addition to the global party: an influx of Americana.
s Scotland slipping across thc occan. Arc young
Scots tllorphing inlo Amcricans‘.’ 'l‘ltc broad
church of (‘cltic (‘onncctions has from its inccption flown pcrl‘ormcrs across thc Atlantic. to audicnccs who might makc thc dclightcd discovery of a ncw mUsical stylc. or fans who gct to scc and hcar thcir hcrocs up closc. But thc largc. and growing. appctitc l'or contcmporary North Amcrican roots music is a notahlc social and cultural phcnomcnon that‘s hringing ohyious changcs to thc tonc of thc music playcd on our radio stations. and tcxturc of thc Scottish tnusic sccnc.
'l'hc tcrm Amcricana has hccn around long cnough lot“ it to gain usagc as a non-dclining coathangcr — a hit likc ‘ccltic‘ tor a inusic that‘s not _ia//,. not hlucs. not rock and ccrtainly not hip hop. All of thcsc arc horn in thc l'SA. hut don't quality. And mainstrcam .\'asli\‘illc country doesn‘t cithcr. 'l'oo glit/y. A hand playing Amcricana has to symholisc somcthing homcspun. natural. rcal and rootcd in tlic contincnt’s past. or thc singcr pcrf’orm a wind-swcpt. hcart-lclt sclli-pcnncd numhcr accompanicd on a Martin or (iihson acoustic (cm. wait . . . that could hc l)ougic .\lacl.can). Blucgrass can makc it. hut not all the timc. 'l‘hink (ial‘t'ison Kicllcr and not Barry Manilow.
It can all gct a hit silly.
Dclinitions asidc. tlic good ncws l'or (ilasgow and sonic sclch othcr parts of‘ Scotland is that hands and soloists l'lying oyc‘l' lltc pond lot this yc‘ttt‘is (‘(‘ includc thc grcat musical talcnts of' gals likc thc Staii'wcll Sistcrs (and ycs. it's all right. sccmingly. in Amcricana land to call a group an all-girl hand rathcr
than all-womcn). 'l‘hc San l-‘rancisco-hascd Sistcrs l’ormcd whcn l‘ormcr (‘rookcd .ladcs playcrs liookcd tip with Vocal harmony duo and a clog danccr. liiddlc- driycn. rowdy and (musically) inl‘cctious. thcy arc simply. thcy say. ‘good-timc gals who loyc old—timc tuncs'. famous l'iyc-piccc old-timcy string hand and all womcn. 'l‘hcn includc thc wondcrl‘ully punning (‘anadian harmony trio 'l'hc \Vailin‘ .lcnnys. 'l'hcrc's Roscannc (‘ash. 'l‘hc (‘owhoy .lunkics and long-tcrm (‘(‘ layouritc and acc hanjo playcr Alison Brown.
(M thc guys. and talking of hanjos. thc all—timc Virtuoso on thc instrumcnt is Bcla l-'|cck. arriying for thc l'irst tinic with thc lilccktoncs. Hos takcn thc quintcsscntial Afro-Amcrican instrumcnt on roads ncycr hcl'orc trawllcd. and with hugc musicalin and inycntion. Rcccntly hc‘s hccn rccording with jan giants .\lc(‘oy 'l‘yncr. Ron ('artcr and .lack l)c.lohncttc. pcrl'orming in Nova Scotia with liddlcr Natalic .\’lac.\1astcr. and jamming with (‘hick (‘orca. (iary Burton and a symphony orchcstral
Six-strong Railroad liartli hayc oycr just liyc ycars gcncratcd a massiyc grass~roots fan hasc (thcy call thcmsclycs hohos) in thc Statcs l‘or thcir skillcd multi— instrumcntal hlucgrass-rootcd contcmporary songs. and thcy arc also making thcir first trip oycr to thcsc islands. Boston's loncsomc (‘rookcd Still marry hanio and ccllo to :Jl'cat cl'l'cct. and ('anada‘s .ll’ (‘ormicr w ill hlow you away with his acoustic guitar.
See listings page 59 for details of all Celtic Connections events.
l'nclc liarl ain’t a guy cithcr. lt's anotlicr
:3: The Kerrang! Tour featuring Bitty Clyro, The Bronx, The Audition and I Am Ghost The bible for the rockingmost draws together some new faces headed up with our finest exponents of wilful, joyful noiseisms. See preview. page 56. Barrow/and, Glasgow, Tue 23 Jan. (Rock & Pop)
iii The Cowboy Junkies A rare appearance from one of the bands who established the template for this whole Americana thing with their painfully good album The Trinity Sessions. ABC, Glasgow, Wed 37 Jan. (Ce/tic Connections)
:i': Fiddlers’ Bid International They aren't billed as the best celtic fiddle band on the planet for no reason, you know. A formidable blend of Scandic energy. Cape Breton virtuosity and Faeroese vocal finesse. See preview. page 57. Royal Concert Hall. Glasgow, Fri 26 Jan. (Ce/tic Connections) :2 Ballads of the Book
A team of Scottish music's brightest lights write music to accompany prose by a clutch of renowned poets and authors. James Yorkston. Ian Rankin, Karine Polwart, Roddy Woomble. AL Kennedy and King Creosote are among those involved. with a whole wheen of names expected for this show. Royal Concert Hall. Glasgow, Tue 30 Jan. (Ce/tic Connections) :1: Songs of Conscience with Odetta and Thea Gilmore More songs with a political edge as legendary soul singer Odetta teams up with several singers of note including English singer/songwriter Gilmore and Scots singers Corrina Hewat and Karine Polwart. Royal Concert Hall: Main Auditorium, Glasgow, Sun 28 Jan. (Ce/tic Connections)
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