Celtic Connections: A Scottish Songbook review

Jan 19 2010 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

THERE were surprises, laughter, poignancy and tonnes of home-grown talent – and an incredible amount of behind-the-scenes graft – which combined to make A Scottish Songbook a sparkling gem on the Celtic Connections’ 2010 programme.

Perth’s Brian MacAlpine was co-musical director for this brilliant evening alongside Karine Polwart.

They had the nigh impossible task of putting together a 90-minute or so celebration of Scottish songs composed over the past 100 years.

Their set list was far from definitive but a definite taste of the diversity of songs penned by Scots which have and still are entertaining music lovers at home and across the globe.

And so the 23 songs in this Scottish Songbook included songs made famous by Annie Lennox, BA Robertson, Snow Patrol, Alabama3, The Proclaimers, John Martyn and The Blue Nile; plus hidden gems by The Humblebums, Michael Marra, Mary Brooksbank, Blair Douglas and Harry Lauder – all performed by a 30-plus strong dream-team of artists.

Session A9 were the incredibly hard-working and impressively versatile house band; Ricky Ross made a superb MC (he also performed some of the songbook numbers including main set closer Stay Young (Gallagher and Lyle) alongside his wife, Lorraine McIntosh; and it was simply one of those nights which were a joy and an honour to be part of.

Highlights were many and included King Creosote in tremendous voice for Billy Mackenzie’s ‘Party Fears Two’, some Silly Wizard reminiscences and two songs delivered in style by Andy M Stewart (joined for ‘Where Are You Tonight I Wonder?’ by fellow Wizard Phil Cunningham), Hamish Henderson’s ‘Freedom Come All Ye’; BA Robertson’s (playing in Glasgow for the first time in 29 years) ‘The Living Years’; and the all-on-stage encore of ‘Sunshine on Leith’.

The stellar line-up of vocalists also included Emma Pollock, Kris Drever, Gaelic singers Siobhan Miller, Maeve Mackinnon and James Graham plus a considerable contribution from the Gospel Truth Choir and Ian McLennan’s eye-opening solo with terrific guitar work of The Jute Mill song.

Bring on the next chapter!