Blue Rose Code at Milngavie folk club

A Restless torn soul

Scottish singer songwriter, Ross Wilson known as Blue rose Code, performed to a packed sold out 2 nights at Milngavie folk club.

Wilson launched full on into his set with an impressive folk /blues voice and guitar.

His songs included Westeros, Kiss You goodbye, Fear of Freedom along the west coast, Lord I am Grateful, In the Morning (intense and powerful), Rebecca O, Whitechapel, Edina.
And for an encore with Wilson on piano, a tear jerker of a song with Jill Jackson on backing vocals, Nashville Blue, ‘I don’t know how to be in love .‘

He plays folk and old style blues - driven by those moving rhythms and inspired by the likes of blues guitarist John Martyn. Tellingly Wilson has recorded and toured with renowned bassist and also Martyn’s double bass player, Danny Thompson.

His third album 'THE BIRD IS ON THE WING' was released 2016, to praise from both the industry and from fans.

Vulnerable and open-hearted, he sings with a broken heart and one that fights back. Following in the footsteps of greats such as Van Morrison who fused to great affect folk roots and American blues and jazz.

And yes, when I leave the concert his songs are implanted in my head. BIG FAN!

Shades of John Martyn certainly.  I hope he takes a well earned break too from his busy tour, to recharge those batteries.

The Ballads Of Peckham Rye, Blue Rose Code’s second record was nominated for the Scottish Album Of The Year Awards (SAY) in 2014  - musicians Danny Thompson, Karine Polwart, John Wetton, Aidan O’Rourke and Kathryn Williams. 

'GRATEFUL', the first single from the album was released 2015 and was playlisted on BBC Radio Scotland for a full five weeks. http://www.bluerosecode.com/

Praise has come from A-lister Scottish actor Ewan McGregor. Ewan explained, “My uncle Denis Lawson, (star of Local Hero) gave me a copy of The Ballads Of Peckham Rye, it’s beautiful and I can’t stop listening to it.”

This was a 'two for the price of one' concert with the personable, country voice of Jill Jackson supporting, with excellent songs and a top cover of Carole King's "Will You Still Love me Tomorrow".  She was formerly with the band the Chaplins. 

Rab Noakes at Milngavie folk club

Noakes was among old friends and new on Saturday at Milngavie folk club.

He has many song gems in his studied repertoire - as well as his own quality songs - some unexpected such as Cliff Richard's sing along Dynamite; some hoped for with Dylan's Time Out of Mind outtake track Mississippi; some remembered with his radio hit of the 70s Branch. 

He spoke of Nashville, Lindisfarne, Hank Williams, Joe Strummer, Kathleen McInnes, Monroeville, Alabama.. when he made the comment - 'Where it is easier to get in with a rifle than a guitar!' He holds a relaxed friendly banter with his audience.

Noakes gets to the heart of songs in a real and natural unaffected way. He is a massive Dylan fan and this came over in his interpretations and mood of the songs. It was good to hear him sing the Twa Corbies; his Michael Marra song and his other cover song choices.

SONGS tonight:

Out of Sight, It Happened All The Same, I’m Walkin Here, Branch, Goodbye Blues, Where Dead Voices Gather, Your Clear White Light, Standing Up (Blue Nile song), Slipping Away, Roll on Saturday, Highway 61, Hard Cash The Guernsey Kitchen Porter (Michael Marra song), The Twa Corbies, Mindful, By the Day, Dynamite (Cliff Richards song) Don’t Say Money Doesn’t Matter, Mississippi (Bob Dylan song)

I'm a fan of Rab's older songs …but his new material steps things up several notches and there are many classics in his newer songs. 

His song evolution is interesting and his song writing has evolved and deepened with more subtle undertones and story-filled lyrics. From his Americana and rock n' roll country blues, to his east coast Fife influences - they are all here.

I strongly recommend the new album for the song quality and the live one take recording standard. Rab's music challenges in a subtle way and his songs gets under your skin along with his melodic quality guitar playing and vocal expressions. 

Noake's NEW ALBUM has the title I'm Walkin Here - based on the Dustin Hoffman film midnight Cowboy when Hoffman says to a taxi driver , I'm Walkin Here'  - and has collaborations with Barbara Dickson, Roddy Hart, Jill Jackson, Jimmie Macgregor, Alice Marra, Emma Pollock, and more.  This is a 2 CD - one with new material the other with older songs. http://rabnoakes.com

Noakes was ably supported by guitarist and songwriter Rowan Ross. http://www.rowanross.com/

Noakes is a Scottish singer songwriter who played with Stealers Wheel with Gerry Rafferty and also with Lindisfarne.

Dick Gaughan Milngavie folk club March 2014

The folk club was busy for Gaughan’s return gig here with both young and older fans. He prefers to stand tall with his guitar as he plays and sings.  

Dick Gaughan is a Scottish traditional folk singer, songwriter and guitarist. He sings of Scottish heroes and of stories of our lost past and long forgotten voices.  Gaughan has been playing the circuits both at home and abroad for many years now and he is a legend among folk circles. He is also one of the most down-to-earth and likeable artists without pretensions of any kind.  

He sang songs by Brian McNeill, Robert Burns, Ewan McColl and Gaughan - What You Do With What you've Got, Yew Tree, Outlaws and Dreamers, No God and Few Heroes, Whatever Happened to We Shall Overcome, and the outstanding Burns song Westlin Winds.

 
He prefers to learn from the generations before that have all the knowledge. ‘If you're lucky you can add a wee bit'   He said, 'I don't go for autobiographical songs, there's more interesting topics than me.’ He took traditional folk stories and songs from the library archives and put new melodies to them and he draws from both the Irish and Scottish folk traditions. He also spoke of legend songwriter Yip Harburg who wrote Over the Rainbow and Finnegan's Rainbow (who found a pot of gold and it destroyed him)     

His songs can seem hard hitting but are also full of thoughtful optimistic themes. Like American folk singer Dylan his songs and voice don't come easily to the shore and they tell of straight talking stories. He is also a stand out guitarist and plays with a unique style with open chords and dramatic timing that he learnt from guitarist Davy Graham. 

I first heard Gaughan play in the 70s in Edinburgh when I was dating a folk guitarist who raved about how incredible and very distinctive his playing was. Many years later I heard Dick again at Milngavie Folk club in 2007 and this was an intimate gig where his chat between songs was worth going for alone. 

One of the great troubadours of life's journeys. You come away from his gigs questioning but ultimately renewed in the faith of our shared humanity. He sang, 'Keep your eyes on the road ahead, Keep looking at the light.... '

At this gig I thought - music is not about how good an artist might feel about their music but rather how much joy they can give their audience.  

Gaughan was well supported by guitarists Robin Miller, and Mike Simons. 

Robin Miller

Its' not just what you're born with, but what you do with what you've got.
What's the use of two strong legs, if you only run away.
And what use is the finest voice if you've nothing good to say?
What's the use of two good ears, if you don't hear those you love.
Words &  Music by Si Kahn

He sang not of resolutions but of holding on to your vision. Gaughan was warmly received and seemed to enjoy the gig. I felt that his substance, refreshing honesty and questioning words must have impacted on the younger members of the audience and on the older ones too!  Dick Gaughan Photo gallery - http://pkimage.co.uk/dickgaughan

Rab Noakes Milngavie Folk club

Long Dark Night (Demos and Rarities 1971 - 2011)

Where Dead Voices Gather

Do That Again

Wrong Joke Again (Red Pump Special)

Brand New Heartache (The Everly Brothers)

I'm Walkin Here (new album 2014)

Your Clear White Light (Lindisfarne).

The Sketcher on the Last Train

Out of Your Sight

More than I can say

The welcoming club was packed out with people standing at the sides - the club is often filled with addicted folkies like myself(!) and with relaxed friendly chat. The last time I saw Rab here the crowd was half this size perhaps as it was the month before Christmas. I usually pick gigs of artists I particularly enjoy.

In 2013 Noakes released a 40^th anniversary edition of his Red Pump Special album. He told us that the album was first recorded in Nashville with a cracking squad and somebody in the room had worked with Hank Williams.

Noakes sang 4 excellent cover songs choices  – Brand New Heartache (The Everly Brothers?), Your Clear White Light (Alan Hall of Lindisfarne), Guessing Kitchen Porter (Michael Marra) and O The Wind and the Rain (Percy's Song) - Rab likes juxtapositions in songs and this one was a murder ballad sung to a sweet guitar waltz. 

Rab sings songs of different eras with small histories and moods and stories and like fine wine gets better over time... I dont' wish to pick out favourites as every song has something special.  He said the mark of a good song was if it can age with you.

One song was about being able to recognise a window of opportunity when it opens...., and I wondered about his lost times when he left Stealers Wheel with Gerry Rafferty and his slot on the BBCs Old Grey Whistle test.  He told the stories behind his songs and musical journeys and his songs range from harder hitting questions to subtler optimisms.

Rab called his style 21st century skiffle - in the style of Guthrie or Leadbelly before the folk revival and also a wee bit Buddy Holly.  Noakes crosses the generations, as he looks and sounds both of now and of those fifties folk songs. .

I can understand that artists like to perform their newer material while I know also that fans would wish to hear some of his older favourites such as Branch or Clear day - perhaps the audience might sing the backing vocals!

http://rabnoakes.bandcamp.com/releases

II

Don't' Act Like your Heart Isn't' hard

Travelling Light

Jackson Greyhound

Guessing Kitchen Porter (Michael Marra)

It happened All the Same

O The Wind and the Rain (Percy's Song)

Time Slipping Away

Don't say Money Doesn't' Matter

Rab Noakes PHOTOS - http://pkimage.co.uk/rabnoakes

Rob Noakes -  with  Where Dead Voices Gather' - still relevant and even better than his younger days.... 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/rabnoakes

Kris Drever and Eammon Coyne Milngavie Folk Club

When Irish and Scots folk blend something fun and very unique happens. Both Kris and Eammon are very personable and with their easy manner put their packed audience at ease when they began their set with some energising tunes.  

Eammon is an accomplished banjo player from Dublin who has played with many well known Irish folk players and now lives in Edinburgh. I noticed Eammon first with Salsa Celtica and I noticed how much he enjoyed himself on stage.

Kris Drever

 Eammon Coyne

Kris is from Orkney and he is one of the most popular contemporary Scots folk singers. Drever originally played with the ceilidh band Session A9.  He was persuaded by John McCusker to record his own solo material and he released his debut album ‘Black Water’ to good reviews in 2006. He has worked with some of the top Scottish folk musicians and toured with Kate Rusby’s band.

They played a excellent selection of tunes and folk ballads. I particularly enjoyed Drever’s own composition Steel and Stone and we sang along to the Tannahill Weaver’s fine song Farewell to Fuinery Drever also sang the Burn’s song Parcel of Rogues to the Nation to good effect

Their tunes and reels were very well played and full of character. Kris has a fine voice and he performs quality songs. The music is an interesting mix of their own compositions and traditional folk and country influences. In 2007 Coyne released a cd with Kris Drever called ‘Honk Toot Suite’ and is worth checking out. 

SET  ( I read this set list upside down so I hope it is correct!)

Call and Answer/ Isle of France/ La Bestai/ Wild Hurricane/ Harvest/ Poor Mans Son

II Mthe/ Mazurka/ Crown of London/ Parcel of Rogues/ Twenty Quid/ Black Water/ Shady Grove/ Steel and Stone/ Farewell to Fuinery Honk Toot Suite.
 

I’ve seen Kris a few times before at Celtic Connections festival and at the folk club and I thought this gig was a step on with both Kris’s performance and Coyne providing colourful playing. I would perhaps have enjoyed hearing more chat about the songs. I also preferred his new look longer hair! 

When he moved from Orkney Drever started out playing at Sandy Bells Edinburgh, a place I have very fond memories of. Drever also plays with the band Lau with Martin Green and Aidan O'Rourke, and they performed on Jools Holland last year.  They prove to be one of the most promising new folk music collaborations.
Kris Drever PHOTOS - http://pkimage.co.uk/krisdrever

Benny Gallagher Milngavie Folk Club 17th Nov 2012

Stay young with your rock n rolling, Stay young keep you wheels in motion because the best things in life are free.'

Benny Gallagher was part of the successful 70s partnership of Scottish singer songwriters

Gallagher and Lyle (Graham Lyle). They had hit songs with Heart On My Sleeve, I Wanna Stay With You and When I’m Dead and Gone, and they went on to write chart songs for other artists.

Gallagher had relaxed friendly banter and as he sang he also made his guitar sing for us.  Many of us at this concert were old enough to remember Gallagher and Lyle on Tops of the Pops singing their hit song Heart on my Sleeve. He enjoyed having the audience as his backing singers and encouraged us to sing along.  He spoke about the work for the ‘Great Tapestry of Scotland’ which will be the biggest in the world when it is done. 

Benny spoke of Gallagher and Lyle’s hit song Stay Young. He said that he was over in Nashville he had heard that a country singer Don Williams had made their song Stay Young no 1  US Country charts and with over a million radio airplays. The song had sat on the shelf for over eight years. He spoke of dunniing song writing workshops where he has told young writers that songs are like birds you release and you can never know where they might land. He said that songs come out of the air. 

Set: How Come, Stay Young, When I’m Dead and Gone, Take A Chance, blues Talking, The Last One, What You Meant To Me, Break Away, Run Away, Heart On My Sleeve, Stay With You, That’s All Right Mamma, When I’m Dead and Gone, I Believe in You.

Gallagher has a soothing tenor vocal as he sang songs from his back catalogue. They are songs full of optimistic words and blues-toned melodies. What I admire in the Scots is our ability to never take ourselves too seriously and Gallagher was a good example of this.

Glasgow singer songwriter and bluesman Jim Byrne supported with his character deep vocal and stunning songs. They were introduced as Jim and Dinny – Dinny sang with her moving country voice and played several instruments. Jim’s latest cd is called The Innocent and is worth checking out. I particularly enjoyed  his song, The Handles Broken on my Cup.

http://www.bennygallagher.com/

http://www.songsbyjimbyrne.com/index.php

 

Gallagher and Lyle was the Scottish duo singer songwriters Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle. Their first recognition came in 1968, when they were signed by The Beatles to write for Apple Records’ artists. By 1970, they formed the band McGuinness Flint and wrote UK chart hit ‘When I’m Dead and Gone’. They formed the duo Gallagher and Lyle in 1972 and their fifth album, Breakaway charted and included the hit songs "Heart on My Sleeve" and "I Wanna Stay with You." Don Williams took their song‘Stay Young’ No. 1 on US Country charts. The duo split in 1979.  Gallagher and Lyle have worked, jointly and individually, on records with among others - Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Ronnie Lane, Ronnie Wood, Joan Armatrading, Ralph McTell, Sandy Denny, Fairport Convention and Jim Diamond. Artists who have released Gallagher and Lyle songs include: Bryan Ferry, Elkie Brooks, Fairport Convention, Joe Brown, and more.

Dougie McLean Milngavie Folk Club June 30 2012

Dougie was magic. He was on good form and like a choir master he really got everyone singing in full voice.  

This event took place to an expectant and warmly enthusiastic Milngavie Town Hall audience. Some were clearly die-hard McLean fans and some had travelled long journeys for the gig.
Premier Scottish songwriter is best known for his song Caledonia which has become part of Scottish culture and is often performed at weddings and played by pipebands. He also wrote the theme The Gael for the The Last of the Mohicans (1992).

McLean performed songs from his 2012 album Resolution, as well as some of his large back catalogue. He gave us a full two entertaining sets of his warm thoughtful songs.

He began with the song Holding Back - 'a wee song about contentment' he said. (there may well have been a few more songs I didn't manage to get the title of).

First Set: Holding Back/ Don’t Look Down/ Another Time/ Loving One (She Loves me when I'm gone, She thinks about me when I'm gone)/ Some Hearts/
Second Set: Resolution/ Not Look Down/ Scythe Song/ In Darkness/ Broken Wings/ Caledonia/ For his encore he sang the song You Sing Loud (Shine on, oh shine on over me) 
 
He encouraged us to sing and he said that people were never passive in Scottish music - he explained that they joined in and that is why the old folk songs had so many refrains. For the song Some Hearts he conducted our singing and he suggested we sang with more harmonies.

He also spoke about how music can heal and the inspirational work of Nordoff Robbins Music therapy for terminally ill children. 

He said - I travel with my little songs. McLean has a touching compassionate voice in his songs.

His song themes appear subtle and soothing sitting alongside calming melodies but actually they carry powerful messages and emotions. McLean is something of a philosopher in his songs which offer thoughtful insights on life with a strong sincerity. He fully recognises and accepts the emotional draw of the 'song'. His songs are personal but also intimate and universal, as if speaking directly to you.

His songs have lines such as - You may fall but you must not lie down/‘Some hearts will fill with wonder/ Some hearts will break in two/ Some hearts will wait for summer/ Time will turn.
Price we have to pay/ Place we started from to resolution’ 

Lost in the fiddle’s sweet sound….For a moment free from one more endless day.

He said that we must make loads of mistakes in order to really ‘live’ life. He said that music wasn't always kind and it can sometimes be a heart breaking kind of thing

McLean has been a professional musician for 38 years since a chance encounter with the Tannahill Weavers.

Try Dougie McLean songs - She Will Find Me, Another Time (about his father), Broken Wings, Holding Back,

Sometimes subtle messages in song can be even more powerful.  http://www.dougiemaclean.com/

*Dick Gaughan Interview with Phil Cunningham

This photo of Gaughan was taken at Milngavie Folk Club in 2011

Dick Gaughan Interview with Phil Cunningham Radio Scotland March 2012

Dick chose five songs that have influenced him –

(1) Big Bill Broonzy – Glory of Love

(2) The Shadows – Apache

(3) The Beatles – Love Me Do

(4)  Bob Dylan – Subterranean Homesick Blues

(5)  Davy Graham – 67

Gaughan talked about his musical influences. His chat is often profound, sometimes humorous and always entertaining.

He said that The Shadows were the first eclectic guitar group and that back then we were discovering all these new sounds for the first time. Before that nearly every American singer  seemed to be called ‘Frankie’ and sang songs about what it was like ‘to be a young lad at summer camp!’   

Gaughan said that ‘Love Me Do’ from the Beatles was another defining song.

He became obsessed with songs - he was like a magpie and studied songs at the National Library. In 1979 the Thatcher government made him first think about ‘why’ he was singing the songs and he became a political artist then. He said that Traditional music is about fair play, the totality of life and about the community.

Nowadays the barrage of media attempts to put forwards ‘one’ message he claimed and he likes to be part of what he calls the ‘awkward squad’ who are the grain of sand in the ointment and have other ways of looking at reality - and try to at least think about it!

He spoke about Dylan’s beautifully crafted songs that punched out images such as ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’. Gaughan played with Aly Bain’s Boys of the Lough and a punk band called Five Hand Reel. Like many others on the folkscene back then he developed a drink problem and then he had a breakdown. He had to clean up and dry up.

Lastly he talked about Davy Graham’s guitar which was tuned differently. His musical ideas were unbelievably creative - he was predictably unpredictable!  Hearing Graham's guitar it becomes clear where Gaughan had learned his distinctive playing style from. His list of favourite song choices is interesting too and shows the breadth of his roots in both traditions and more contemporary musical styles. 

Gaughan is best known for singing the songs Both Sides the Tweed and Westlin’ Winds. 

Some very few artists have the ability to transport and transcend the moment, and Dick does so with forceful guitar playing and classic traditional songs with a strong message and a deep expressive, growling voice.  He draws from both Irish and Scottish folk traditions. I first heard Gaughan play in the 70s in Edinburgh when I was dating a folk guitarist who raved about how incredible and very distinctive his playing was. Many years later (after being in America for nearly ten years and having three children) I heard Dick again at Milngavie Folk club in 2007, and this was an intimate gig where his chat between songs was worth going for alone. In his own so distinctive style, Gaughan hammers and speaks with his acoustic guitar. He performs traditional folk tunes, Robert Burns, favourite cover songs and his own songs.

He doesn't play the predictable smoothed-over sugar box 'tartan shortbread' songs - and he may not be to everyone's taste. Gaughan is plain spoken and holds firmly held beliefs on the rights of everyman and at one time he took past folk stories and songs from the library archives and put new melodies to them. You come away from his gigs questioning but ultimately renewed in the faith of our shared humanity. Dick Gaughan is a Scottish living legend, and he usually performs every January at 'Celtic Connections' Glasgow.   

 

Karine Polwart Milngavie Folk Club

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The Fraser centre offered a cosy packed setting for intimate songstress Karine. 

She started her set with the lullaby 'Beoww- Beoww' (I hope this is the correct spelling, and I forgot to ask Karine for a set list) when she sat and played her small pump organ.  She sang some of her better known songs 'Daisy Darling' and 'Rivers Run' and also a song set to an Edwin Morgan's poem called 'The Good Year'. 

Between songs she chatted about her song-writing collaborations, including her involvement with the Shropshire 'Darwin Project'.  After which she sang a poignant song entitled 'We're Already Leaving' which was about the loss of Darwin's daughter Emma. Other songs included 'Tinsel Show' (The Eyes of the Ages), 'Resolution Row', and 'Sorry Won't Wish It All Away'.     

Karine has a warm, sincere personality and a huge smile! Inge Thomson provided perfect backing on accordion and vocals, along with Karine's brother Steven Polwart on guitar and backing vocals.  Her songs provided many moving thoughtful moments that offered both comfort and hopes. Karine has a philosophy degree and she spent six years working for the 'Scottish Women's Aid' movement on issues such as domestic and child abuse and young people's rights and these experiences have influenced her songwriting

Paul Malcolm provided good support.

Karine Polwart is a Scottish singer song writer. She writes and performs music with a strong folk and roots feel.  She has been recognised for her solo career, winning three awards at the BBC Folk Awards in 2005, and was previously a member of Malinky and Battlefield Band.