Music Celtic Connections
■ Transatlantic Sessions Royal Concert Hall: Main Auditorium, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £24 (£22). A Celtic Connections staple, the Transatlantic Sessions bring musicians from the Celtic and Americana traditions for a night of collaborations between familiar faces. Musical directors are fiddler Aly Bain and slide and guitar man Jerry Douglas, singers include Eddie Reader and Sara Watkins, with a house band strong enough to be the main attraction at most other concerts. ■ Jill Jackson and The Bittersweets Classic Grand, Jamaica Street. 7.30pm. £12.50. Rocker turned Nashville rootsy songwriter, the Scotswoman is carving her own path, just as Hannah Prater moved from jazz singer to front the American band’s bittersweet alt.country. ■ Finlay MacDonald and Friends and The Mhairi Hall Trio Royal Concert Hall: Strathclyde Suite, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 8pm. £12.50. Cutting edge bagpipe arrangements as piper Finlay MacDonald invites some of his cross-genre musical pals (along with great Breton musicians, the Molard brothers) along for a night of folk-fusion and fun. Support comes from young pianist/composer Mhairi Hall’s, who recently released a debut album Cairngorm, inspired by the natural beauty of her home region. ■ Koshka City Halls: Recital Rooms, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £10. Gypsy tunes powered through with elements of jazz and flamenco and performed on the brilliant twin fiddles of Lev Atlas and ex- Loyko virtuoso Oleg Ponomarev with jazz guitarist-extraordinaire Nigel Clark. ■ MacGregor, Brechin & Ó Headhra and Unni Boksasp Ensemble Tron Theatre, Trongate, 353 8000. 8pm. £12.50. Three seasoned traditional musicians on fiddle, accordion, guitar and vocals, draw on a wealth of tunes and songs from both the Gaelic and Scots traditions. Boksasp is a wonderful young Norwegian singer. She specialises in the songs and traditions of the North West coast. ■ Session A9 and Kris Drever The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 9pm. £16. A great Scottish band made up of fiddlers Charlie McKerron (Capercaillie), Kevin Henderson (Fiddlers’ Bid), Gordon Gunn, and Adam Sutherland (Croft No 5) who get together to play traditionally inspired, contemporary Scottish fiddle-driven music (and songs) with guitar, keyboard and percussion. Former member (and brilliant guitarist) Kris Drever is in the support slot, playing his own songs as well as reworkings of other songwriters’ material, and welcoming special guests to join in. Drever also brings a new solo album to the gig. ■ Celtic Connections Late Night Session Royal Concert Hall: Exhibition Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 10pm. £5. See Thu 21. ■ The Celtic Connections Festival Club The Art School, Renfrew Street, 353 8000. 10.30pm. £8. See Fri 22. Saturday 30
Glasgow ■ Celtic Connections Public Workshops: Harmony Singing for Beginners Royal Concert Hall: Exhibition Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 11am. £7. Maximum results in a minimal amount of time are promised at this lively singing workshop led by Corrina Hewat. ■ Celtic Connections Public Workshops: Session Fiddle Royal Concert Hall: Clyde Foyer, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 11am. £7. A slow session for those who’ve always fancied joining in a folk session, but never quite had the confidence to do so. The friendly folks from Glasgow Fiddle Workshop will take you through some session staples, ensuring you leave with increased confidence and a tune in your fingers. All instruments welcome. 80 THE LIST 21 Jan–4 Feb 2010
■ Celtic Connections Public Workshops: come&try Ukulele Royal Concert Hall: Clyde Foyer, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 11am. £7. Finlay Allison teaches some basic chords and rhythms on this dinky and increasingly fashionable little of instrument, which has its origins in Hawaii. Ukuleles provided; no experience required. ■ TMSA Young Trad Tour and Special Guests from Plockton High School Royal Concert Hall: Strathclyde Suite, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 1pm. £10.50. Finalists from last year’s BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year competition prove their solo talents and perform as a band. Pupils from the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music at Plockton High School will also be showcasing their skills. ■ Celtic Connections Public Workshops: Already Harmony Royal Concert Hall: Exhibition Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 1.30pm. £7. A lively singing workshop led by Corrina Hewat, beginning with simple harmonies before progressing on to some complex songs in several parts. ■ Celtic Connections Public Workshops: come&try Norwegian Fiddle Style Royal Concert Hall: Clyde
Foyer, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 1.30pm. £7. The Hardanger fiddle has eight instead of the usual four, but don’t let that put you off – you only have to play four of them, the rest provide that haunting resonance. If you’re a fiddler and would like to have a go at this distinctive Norwegian instrument, come along to this workshop led by Britt Pernille Frøholm. FREE Danny Kyle’s Open Stage Royal Concert Hall: Exhibition Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 5pm. See Thu 21. FREE BBC’s Take the Floor Pearce Institute, Govan Road, 353 8000. 7pm. Free but ticketed. The longest running show on Radio Scotland returns to the Festival once again, presented by Robbie Shepherd and featuring Tom Orr and his Scottish Dance Band. ■ The Chair and Valkyrien Allstars O2 ABC, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £15. Youthful Orkney rootsy, energetic eight-piece blow away any remaining winter cobwebs with their stomping, vital take on Orcadian, Celtic, and eastern European folk. Equally lively is Norwegian folk-rock outfit Valkyrien Allstars. ■ The Deadly Gentlemen and The Bevvy Sisters Classic Grand, Jamaica Street, 847 0820. 7.30pm. £12.50. Ever thought that what the world needed was a band that walked the line between bluegrass and hip hop? Well, here from New York come The Deadly Gentlemen, who perform as headliners in a double bill that also features the album launch of the decadent, sassy, sophisticated sound of powerful vocal harmony trio The Bevvy Sisters. ■ Duncan Chisholm and Skaidi St Andrew’s in the Square, St Andrew’s Square, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £12.50. Wolfstone’s great fiddler Duncan Chisholm welcomes Phil Cunningham, Allan Henderson and Tony Byrne to accompany him on tracks from his forthcoming album, Canaich. Norwegian duo Skaidi take the unique vocal sound and structure of ancient Saami yoiking and partner it with a jazz bass. ■ Grace, Hewat & Polwart, Diana Jones and Rachel Harrington City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £16. Three of Scotland’s fine singers join together in carefully wrought harmony. Annie Grace, Corrina Hewat and Karine Polwart also accompanying themselves on pipes, harp, Indian shruti box and guitar. The triple bill is completed by two thoughtful and affecting American singer/songwriters. ■ Stringjammer and Jeana Leslie & Siobhan Miller Oran Mor, Great Western Road, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £12.50. Led by multi-instrumentalist
Chemikal Underground Celtic Connections throw another leftfield curve ball with this showcase from Glasgow independent record label Chemikal Underground, featuring a
line-up of quirky indie with a folky bent in the shape of The Phantom Band, The Unwinding Hours, Lord Cut Glass (pictured), Bill Wells and more. ■ O2 ABC, Glasgow, Sun 31 Jan.