Folk Nations + James Duncan Mackenzie
Date: Friday 24th January
Venue: Mitchell Library auditorium
Price: £12
I cannot begin to say how much I enjoyed this concert. I chose it partly randomly (because I didn't know most of the artists that were invited to the festival), and I have to say I am very happy I chose this one. The concert had two parts: first, it was the turn for James Duncan Mackenzie, and then for Folk Nations.
James Duncan Mackenzie plays the Highland bagpipe and the flute. He has just released his first solo album, and he and the accompanying band played some of the tunes included in it. I'm terrible at remembering names, but I particularly enjoyed the song about second sight (which, if I'm not mistaken, is the fourth fragment in the album taster on the webpage). Apparently, the concept (and the experience) of second sight is part of the Gaelic culture in Lewis, where he is from. I don't have such a gift (or curse), but the song itself made you feel like you were touching something otherworldly with the tips of your fingers. It was really beautiful. He was also very entertaining when presenting each one of the songs, and you can do nothing but laugh when someone tells you they composed a song about a pair of piper's socks and another one about a UFO sighting! I look forward to seeing him play again, on his own or with Breabach, the band he's a member of.
Here's a video of him (far left) with Breabach, even though this does not make justice to a live concert:
Folk Nations is actually not the name of a band, but the name of a British Council project "aiming to bring together musicians, creative producers and practitioners from the UK and the South Asia region" (as the project webpage explains). This gave me and the rest of the audience the opportunity to listen to a rather curious medley of musicians, with a very interesting mixing of backgrounds and traditions. Some of the pieces they played were truly amazing (especially those in which they made traditional British and Indian or Bengali tunes match perfectly). Lots of talent and musical beauty!
I can't find a video with the six of them together, but you can get a taste of some of their work for Folk Nations in the following videos:
James Duncan Mackenzie plays the Highland bagpipe and the flute. He has just released his first solo album, and he and the accompanying band played some of the tunes included in it. I'm terrible at remembering names, but I particularly enjoyed the song about second sight (which, if I'm not mistaken, is the fourth fragment in the album taster on the webpage). Apparently, the concept (and the experience) of second sight is part of the Gaelic culture in Lewis, where he is from. I don't have such a gift (or curse), but the song itself made you feel like you were touching something otherworldly with the tips of your fingers. It was really beautiful. He was also very entertaining when presenting each one of the songs, and you can do nothing but laugh when someone tells you they composed a song about a pair of piper's socks and another one about a UFO sighting! I look forward to seeing him play again, on his own or with Breabach, the band he's a member of.
Here's a video of him (far left) with Breabach, even though this does not make justice to a live concert:
Folk Nations is actually not the name of a band, but the name of a British Council project "aiming to bring together musicians, creative producers and practitioners from the UK and the South Asia region" (as the project webpage explains). This gave me and the rest of the audience the opportunity to listen to a rather curious medley of musicians, with a very interesting mixing of backgrounds and traditions. Some of the pieces they played were truly amazing (especially those in which they made traditional British and Indian or Bengali tunes match perfectly). Lots of talent and musical beauty!
I can't find a video with the six of them together, but you can get a taste of some of their work for Folk Nations in the following videos:
(Suhail Yusuf Khan and Saurav Moni)
(Patsy Reid, who apparently used to be a member of Breabach!)
Here's a list of the members of the band on the night I got to see them, and some links to their personal webpages, in case you're curious:
- Hannah James (English; voice, accordion and clog dancing)
- Suhail Yusuf Khan (Indian, sarangi)
- James Mackintosh (percussion)
- Saurav Moni (Bengali, voice and percussion)
- Patsy Reid (Scottish, fiddle)
- Georgia Ruth Williams (Welsh, harp and voice)
International Burns Conference
Date: Saturday 25th January
Venue: Mitchell Library
Organisers: Centre for Robert Burns Studies & Mitchell Library
Price: £16 (afternoon session)
I was expecting a conference centered around literary criticism, but this conference offered different and multidisciplinary perspectives on Burns's work. The first presentation dealt with Burns's lyrics writing for the tunes Stephen Clarke collected and arranged as part of the Scots Musical Museum project (led by James Johnson). Katherine Campbell went as far as to sing parts of the songs! After that, Richard Finlay gave a very interesting talk about Burns's legacy and its influence within the 'Commonwealth' (which he justly chose to call by its more historically accurate name, 'Empire'). This made us all reflect on why Burns's subversive messages (most famously, 'a man's a man for a' that') did not spark revolutions in all the corners of the British Empire where his poems were being taught as one of the 'highest' forms of so-called 'superior' British culture.
After a short break for tea (no biscuits...), George Smith gave a very enlightening (as well as highly entertaining!) talk about Antique Smith (no relation, or so he says...), a 1880's forger of fake Burns manuscripts. Apparently, some of his forgeries are still about, being mistaken for the real thing... He told us that, after using old paper from old books with a low market value, he resorted to making them look old by using tea stains! He then rounded the talk off by making us bid for two 'Burns' manuscripts, one of them real, the other an Antique Smith forgery... Had the auction been for real, someone would have gotten a really cheap Burns manuscript, and someone else a really expensive Antique Smith! Murray Pittock gave a plenary lecture about his research on and edition of the Scots Musical Museum, with which they are trying to determine which of the songs in the collection were written/edited/compiled by Burns. After that, there was a reception in the Burns Room to view the new Burns manuscript the Mitchell library has acquired. Let's hope it's the real thing! ;)
Price: £16 (afternoon session)
I was expecting a conference centered around literary criticism, but this conference offered different and multidisciplinary perspectives on Burns's work. The first presentation dealt with Burns's lyrics writing for the tunes Stephen Clarke collected and arranged as part of the Scots Musical Museum project (led by James Johnson). Katherine Campbell went as far as to sing parts of the songs! After that, Richard Finlay gave a very interesting talk about Burns's legacy and its influence within the 'Commonwealth' (which he justly chose to call by its more historically accurate name, 'Empire'). This made us all reflect on why Burns's subversive messages (most famously, 'a man's a man for a' that') did not spark revolutions in all the corners of the British Empire where his poems were being taught as one of the 'highest' forms of so-called 'superior' British culture.
After a short break for tea (no biscuits...), George Smith gave a very enlightening (as well as highly entertaining!) talk about Antique Smith (no relation, or so he says...), a 1880's forger of fake Burns manuscripts. Apparently, some of his forgeries are still about, being mistaken for the real thing... He told us that, after using old paper from old books with a low market value, he resorted to making them look old by using tea stains! He then rounded the talk off by making us bid for two 'Burns' manuscripts, one of them real, the other an Antique Smith forgery... Had the auction been for real, someone would have gotten a really cheap Burns manuscript, and someone else a really expensive Antique Smith! Murray Pittock gave a plenary lecture about his research on and edition of the Scots Musical Museum, with which they are trying to determine which of the songs in the collection were written/edited/compiled by Burns. After that, there was a reception in the Burns Room to view the new Burns manuscript the Mitchell library has acquired. Let's hope it's the real thing! ;)
International Burns Concert
Date: Saturday 25th January
Venue: SSE Hydro
Price: £25 (expensive, but well worth it!)
This concert was just a joy to attend. The mixture of artists and traditions, as well as their great quality and energy, made this a very enjoyable night. The set included Capercaillie, of whom I've already talked about in this blog; wonderful Dougie MacLean with his fantastic voice; Raghu Dixit (member of Folk Nations); the feathery-soft Mae Trio; Karine Polwart and her very moving voice; jovial Fèis Rois; folk/salsa fusion band Salsa Celtica; heartbreaking Rachel Sermanni; terrific Alkinoos Ioannidis; the Mahotella Queens (whose very energetic music lost points with their sexist statements about how to keep a husband...), and some others (for example, John Spillane recited Heaney but you can't see that in the video for some reason). All of these artists were accompanied by the wondrous Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
You can watch most of the concert here:
This concert was just a joy to attend. The mixture of artists and traditions, as well as their great quality and energy, made this a very enjoyable night. The set included Capercaillie, of whom I've already talked about in this blog; wonderful Dougie MacLean with his fantastic voice; Raghu Dixit (member of Folk Nations); the feathery-soft Mae Trio; Karine Polwart and her very moving voice; jovial Fèis Rois; folk/salsa fusion band Salsa Celtica; heartbreaking Rachel Sermanni; terrific Alkinoos Ioannidis; the Mahotella Queens (whose very energetic music lost points with their sexist statements about how to keep a husband...), and some others (for example, John Spillane recited Heaney but you can't see that in the video for some reason). All of these artists were accompanied by the wondrous Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
You can watch most of the concert here:
I enjoyed it very much, but I could have done without the all-too-obvious political nuances. I firmly believe music (and all forms of art) should be a way of connecting peoples and cultures, and I cringe at its being used for political ends (even if I agree with the political ideals being pursued...). Still, it was a heartwarming night; being testimony to human capacity for beauty always does that.
I am very thankful for the opportunity of attending all these events and for the memories that I will keep of them. Thanks to the organisers of Celtic Connections (especially Capercaillie's Donald Shaw) and, of course, the performers and speakers! =) Also, I have to give a shout-out to my flatmate Scott for making Burns night dinner (the traditional haggis, neeps and tatties) on the following day, since I wasn't home on the 25th! Thanks Scott, it was delicious! =)
I hope you enjoy the vast array of music I have mentioned, as well as the conference trivia!
I am very thankful for the opportunity of attending all these events and for the memories that I will keep of them. Thanks to the organisers of Celtic Connections (especially Capercaillie's Donald Shaw) and, of course, the performers and speakers! =) Also, I have to give a shout-out to my flatmate Scott for making Burns night dinner (the traditional haggis, neeps and tatties) on the following day, since I wasn't home on the 25th! Thanks Scott, it was delicious! =)
I hope you enjoy the vast array of music I have mentioned, as well as the conference trivia!
