Music FOLK & WORLD
Tuesday 3 Saturday 7
Glasgow FREE Traditional Music Sessions MacSorley’s, 42 Jamaica Street, 248 8581. 9pm. Informal session. Edinburgh ■ Ceilidh Club The Bongo Club, Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, 558 7604. 8.20pm. £6. Furious fiddlers and callers to lead you through the steps. Featuring The Feisty Besos.
Wednesday 4 Edinburgh FREE Easy Chair The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 6pm. Laid- back folky sounds from Graham Laird and Mike Bennet. ■ Faerd Edinburgh Folk Club, Cabaret Bar, 60 The Pleasance, 650 2458. 7.30pm. £8 (£7; members £5). Intricate arrangements from Danish/Swedish trio. ■ Peter Case Leith Folk Club, The Village, South Fort Street, 07502 024852. 7.30pm. £10. See Mon 2. FREE Black Cat Band Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 8pm. Balkan gypsy music.
Thursday 5
Glasgow ■ Marian Bradfield St Andrews in the Square, 1 St Andrews Square, 559 5902. 8pm. £8 (£6). Top Irish singer. Edinburgh FREE Folk Music Session Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 8pm. See Thu 28. ■ Shooglenifty The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street, 556 7060. 8pm. £10. The very fine ’Nifty, who have a great following and always spread Celtic-style happiness. ■ Unpeeled The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 8pm. £5 (£3). Showcase of four new acts of any genre from rock and indie to folk and acoustic.
Friday 6
Glasgow ■ Loudon Wainwright III Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £22.50 (£20). The head of a vast musical legacy and purveyor of perfect folk performs with one of his many musical offspring, daughter Lucy. ■ The Acoustic Affair: Michael Marra City Halls: Recital Rooms, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £15. One of Scotland’s most prolific songwriters in an intimate setting. Part-jazz, part- blues, part-folk and part-rock, all delivered in his inimitable fashion. Edinburgh ■ Laura Cantrell The Pleasance, 60 Pleasance. 7.30pm. £13.50. Deep and rich musical meanderings from young country singer Cantrell, singing from latest album Trains and Boats and Planes. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ Edinburgh Ceilidhs Lauriston Hall, 28 Lauriston Street, 339 5374. 8pm. £8 in advance; £10 on the door. Traditional fun with ceilidh bands and a piper, and some international folk dances to complement the Scottish classics. Refreshments available. ■ Ken’s Ceilidhs Lauriston Hall, 28 Lauriston Street, 339 5374. 8pm. £10 on the day; £8 in advance. Ceilidh with Willie Fraser’s ceilidh band featuring a piper and international folk dances. ■ Session A9 The Queen’s Hall, 87–89 Clerk Street, 668 2019. 8pm. £14 (£12). Traditional supergroup Session A9, described by Proclaimer Charlie Reid as ‘tighter than James Brown’, deploy their majestic folk-jazz synthesis. FREE Tom Oakes & Kathryn Nicoll Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 8.30pm. See Fri 29.
96 THE LIST 28 Apr–26 May 2011
Glasgow ■ Madrigirls Fundraising Ceilidh Maryhill Community Central Hall, 304 Maryhill Road, 332 9115. 7pm. £5. The Glasgow Madrigirls raise funds for their summer tour with an evening of dance, song and fine baking. You’re encouraged to bring your own bottle. Edinburgh FREE Allan Johnston & Friends Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 4pm. See Sat 30.
Sunday 8
Glasgow ■ The Acoustic Affair: Michael Marra City Halls: Recital Rooms, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £15. See Fri 6. Edinburgh FREE Tom Oakes & Kathryn Nicoll Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 4pm. See Fri 29. FREE Bobby Nicholson & Eddy Hanson Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 8pm. See Sun 1. ■ The Wolfetones Malone’s Irish Bar, 14 Forrest Road, 226 5954. 8pm. £20. Celt rock veterans with a strong political slant to their lyrics.
Tuesday 10
Glasgow FREE Traditional Music Sessions MacSorley’s, 42 Jamaica Street, 248 8581. 9pm. See Tue 3. Edinburgh ■ Linda McRae Leith Folk Club, The Village, South Fort Street, 07502 024852. 7.30pm. £8. Vancouver singer and songwriter playing country-folk. ■ Ceilidh Club The Bongo Club, Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, 558 7604. 8.20pm. £6. Ceilidh dancing, furious fiddlers and callers to lead you through the steps. Featuring Big Shoogle.
Wednesday 11 Edinburgh FREE Easy Chair The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 6pm. See Wed 4. ■ The Coal Porters Edinburgh Folk Club, Cabaret Bar, 60 The Pleasance, 650 2458. 7.30pm. £10 (£8; members £6). Melodic bluegrass originals from this outfit, fronted by Sid Griffin. FREE Black Cat Band Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 8pm. See Wed 4.
Thursday 12
Glasgow ■ Mary Gauthier St Andrews in the Square, 1 St Andrews Square, 559 5902. 8pm. £14. Sharp observation and a dose of humour from the Louisiana-born songwriter, guitarist and harmonica player. Edinburgh ■ Len Graham Edinburgh Folk Club, Cabaret Bar, 60 The Pleasance, 650 2458. 7.30pm. £8 (£7; members £5). Traditional Irish singer. FREE Folk Music Session Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 8pm. See Thu 28.
Friday 13 Glasgow ■ Alim Qasimov Ensemble Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 10pm. £tbc. The Azerbaijani musician and Mugham singer performs with his group ahead of Saturday’s main collaboration with Kronos. Part of Kronos in Glasgow.
Edinburgh ■ Mariza Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 8pm. £23.50 (£21). See panel below. FREE Tom Oakes & Kathryn Nicoll Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 8.30pm. See Fri 29.
Saturday 14
Glasgow ■ The Coal Porters Brel, 39–43 Ashton Lane, 342 4966. 8pm. £10. See Wed 11. Edinburgh FREE Allan Johnston & Friends Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 4pm. See Sat 30.
Sunday 15
Glasgow ■ Ladies of Country Pavilion Theatre, 121 Renfield Street, 332 1846. 7.30pm. £19.50–£21.50. Starring trad country divas Billie Jo Spears, Lena Martell and Janey Kirk. Edinburgh FREE Tom Oakes & Kathryn Nicoll Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 4pm. See Fri 29. FREE Bobby Nicholson & Eddy Hanson Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 8pm. See Sun 1. ■ Roots Showcase The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 8pm. £4 (£3). Roots, R&B and blues from Toby Mottershead and friends.
Monday 16 Edinburgh ■ Smoke Fairies and Mechanical Bride Cabaret Voltaire, 36–38 Blair Street, 220 6176. 7pm. £7.50. Sweetly harmonising female indie-folk-blues duo.
Tuesday 17
Edinburgh ■ Frank Burkitt Leith Folk Club, The Village, South Fort Street, 07502 024852. 7.30pm. £6. Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Burkitt combines traditional Scottish sounds with his own blues style. ■ Ceilidh Club The Bongo Club, Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, 558 7604. 8.20pm. £6. Ceilidh dancing, furious fiddlers and callers to lead you through the steps. Featuring Heeliegoleerie.
Wednesday 18 Edinburgh FREE Easy Chair The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 6pm. See Wed 4. FREE Joshua Caole The Forest Café, 3 Bristo Place, 220 4538. 7pm. A night of folk, roots and indie (with more acts tbc). ■ Edinburgh Folk Club Songwriting Competition Edinburgh Folk Club, Cabaret Bar, 60 The Pleasance, 650 2458. 7.30pm. £8 (£7; members £5). The award-winning Edinburgh Folk Club’s annual songwriting competition, featuring up to 25 brand new songs performed by up-and-coming and established songwriters. FREE Black Cat Band Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 8pm. See Wed 4. FREE Kevin Gore Blind Poet, 32c West Nicolson Street, 667 4268. 9.30pm. Contemporary acoustic folk from this Edinburgh singer- songwriter.
Thursday 19 Glasgow ■ Lyra Celtica Woodend Tennis & Bowling Club, 10 Chamberlain Road, 959 1428. 8pm. £10. Lively folk trio led by accordionist Lynn Tocker.
Glasgow FREE Traditional Music Sessions MacSorley’s, 42 Jamaica Street, 248 8581. 9pm. See Tue 3. Edinburgh FREE Folk Music Session Captains Bar, 4 South College Street, 668 2312. 8pm. See Thu 28.
Mariza
One for world music fans, it’s a pleasure to listen to the stunning voice of Mariza. She sings in the fado style, usually linked to the Portuguese word ‘saudade’ which symbolises the feeling of loss. Inspired by the genre while growing up in an old Lisbon neighbourhood, her new album Fado Tradicional (see review, page 78) is fado-fused, with musical flavours of Brazil, Spain and Mozambique also creeping in. A fantastic live performer, this songstress puts everything into her singing – her passion and genuine feeling is evident. Having performed to large audiences in London’s Royal Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House, Mariza returns to Edinburgh this month. ■ Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Fri 13 May.