Duo will showcase new album at Redrooms

Oct 23 2009 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

SCOTS Singer of the Year 2008/2009 Emily Smith and New Zealander Jamie McClennan are the Monday Night Thing artists in Perth Theatre Redrooms this coming Monday.

Their duo show is part of their launch tour promoting their new album, ‘Adoon Winding Nith’.

Emily, pictured, and Jamie have been creating music together for the last seven years, establishing their partnership in 2002 when RSAMD Honours graduate Emily won ‘BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award’.

Since then Jamie has played fiddle and guitar on all of her recordings and live performances as well as co-producing her latest solo album ‘Too Long Away’ which was released in 2008 to excellent reviews.

“As a project for the Homecoming 2009 Emily and I have recorded our ‘Adoon Winding Nith’ album which will be released in the UK on November 9,” said Jamie.

“The album contains mainly lesser known Burns songs as well as a few we have re-worked with new melodies and additional verses.”

Emily grew up very close to Robert Burns’ home of Ellisland Farm and after six years in Glasgow she and Jamie now live in Dumfries-shire.

Alongside her solo career Emily has written, recorded and toured with artists from the folk scene and beyond including Eddi Reader, Richard Thompson, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Phil Cunningham, Karine Polwart, John McCusker and David Scott. She has recorded live sessions for BBC Radio 2.

During their current tour Jamie is also promoting his first solo album released a month ago called ‘In Transit’.

Their Redrooms performance is one of the last few Scottish dates Jamie and Emily play before embarking for tours in Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Austria, Denmark and the UK in 2010.

Tickets for Monday’s concert from the box offices at Perth Theatre and Perth Concert Hall, telephone 01738 621031 and online www.horsecross.co.uk