CELTIC CONNECTIONS MARTIN GREEN Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Sun 15 Jan
Accordionist Martin Green has become a familiar face on the Scottish folk scene since he moved to Edinburgh in 2004. He was already a member of Eliza Carthy’s band, but quickly immersed himself in the jazz-folk crossover scene here, joining John Rae’s Celtic Feet and playing in a range of often unconventional settings.
While the recently formed trio Lau with Aidan O’Rourke and Kris Drever reflects his love of more mainstream traditional music, First Sighting, his New Voices commission for Celtic Connections, promises to stretch the boundaries even further. It will provide a platform for the Green Machine, a powerful concoction of folk and jazz musicians assembled to realise his vision.
‘There are six pieces of music altogether, and it will be quite theatrical in places as well. It won’t be very traditional - a lot of it will be based on odd-time grooves and broken beat drumming, which I’m really into, and l have a concept of a kind of shrunken brass band in there as well, but it’s more a mutant brass band than 3 JB Horns kind of thing.’
The band he has put together reflects the cross-
genre ambitions of his music. In addition to Martin’s accordion, the band will feature his partner, singer Inge Thomson, and near-neighbour Sophie Bancroft on vocals, alongside jazz-influenced violinist Joe Townsend (he and Martin have a new duo album out in January) and a brass section with trombonist Rick Taylor, Fergus Kerr on French horn and Andy McKreel on tuba.
The band is compieted by the ‘electronic noise sculptures’ of Tom Cook and a rhythm section featuring Barnaby Stradling on bass and drummer Leo Taylor (recently heard in Glasgow alongside Seb Rochford in the F-IRE Collective), who stands in for the unavailable Alyn Cosker.
‘This was going to be a band anyway, and when the New Voices commission came along they seemed the logical people to play the stuff I was planning to write. It’s such an expensive band to put together that this was a fantastic opportunity.
‘lt’s hard to get this band together, but we got some money from the PRS to rehearse, which was invaluable. The music is basically there, but l’m still tweaking it a bit. The next thing will be to record it - there is an album’s worth of stuff there, it’s really just a matter of getting the money together.’
(Kenny Mathieson)
CEl TIC CONNECTIONS SCOTTISH MEN Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, Mon 16 Jan
Singers and harpists Maggie Maclnnes and Corrina llex'rat ‘.'.’l|l share the musical directorship in Celtic Connections latest vocal extravagan/a. Scott/sh Men, but it almost didn't happen as planned. The concert was among those postponed until 2007 by a technical problem in the ne\.'-.' City Halls. but thanks to a last minute rejigging. it's going ahead in the Old Fruitrnarket after all.
Maclnnes had just heard the news \.-..Ihen we spoke. and was understandably delighted. although a little daunted at the \.'.rork they would now have to get through. Both women took part in the earlier Scott/sh Woman project. but they aim to give this concert its own distincter spin.
‘lt provrded the broad model Ill terms of bringing together a diverse range of singers Ill one concert.’ Maclnness confirmed. 'but I think there wrll be differences as well. We have to make space for the lll(ll‘.'l(lll£l| styles of the singers. but also to explore overlaps and links between them. and ways of bringing qualities Ill their singing that maybe people hayen‘t heard before. And we need to make sure it works as a concert'
The singers Will be working indIVldually and in collal)oralions. f3ll()‘.‘.”(l£liilllgl a broad range of Scottish and Gaelic songs and musical styles. The lineup includes Michael Marra. Donnie Munro. Hod Paterson, Arthur Cormack. John Morran and James Graham. A re run of Scottish ll/orne/r is the other concert reprieved from the postponed list. and is ll()\.'\." at the Old Fruitmarket, but on a new date — Thursday 126 June. iKenny Mathiesonl
Vic Galloway gets out his crystal balls and predicts the musical future for 2006.
As we polish off the leftovers. nurse our sere treads and contemplate joining the gym. it's time to look forward to another 12 months and what they have in store for us.
Of course the safe money's on Arctic Monkeys and their continued. enormous success but let me direct you to Hot Chip and their nerdy, analogue keyboard-obsessed laptop—pop -- they have great tunes and their second LP in the pipeline. Guillemots are also taking people's breath away already with only two singles released and an album that looks set to be amazing. ln hip hop. the MC to watch has to be Plan 8. whose sick and twisted rhymes offer up a grim but fascinating vision of UK youth.
In Scotland, keep your ears open for the debut album from Fickle Public and Biffy Clyro's fOurth long-player if loud guitars, odd time signatures and emotive lyrics are your bag. Drive-by Argument will up the anti with their synth-propelled rock. looking like they could take on the Killers at their own game. Then the Aliens. featuring ex- members of the Beta Band and Gordon ‘Lone Pigeon' Anderson, will be getting properly wiggy. lf experimental indie—pop turns you on then My Latest Novel are the band that will matter most in 2006. Other names to watch out for include Popup, Pro Forma. Thee Comrades. the 19908. Our Lunar Activities. Otterley and Crash My Model Car, amongst others.
What a great position to be in. There are simply too many potential success stories to mention. Maybe I can tell you some more . . after my herbal tea and session on the rowing machine!
Vic Galloway presents BBC Radio Scot/ands ‘A/r' at 8. 05» 70. ()()pm on Mondays and BBC Radio I at 7. 30—9pm on Thursdays.
5) to .Jan Root; THE LIST 59