Are There Real Artists on the X Factor 2012?

What’s happened to the X Factor 2012? We now have real artists as judges - Gary Barlow successful songwriter from Take That, American singer Nicole Scherzinger, singer Talisha - apart from Louis Walsh (Westlife) who is beginning to look and sound like a musical dinosaur – rather than the A & R Label executives as it once was.

The show now even has some ‘credible’ artists on who have clearly been singing and doing music for years.  

Looking back at sixties reality tv show Opportunity Knocks the talent show was very amateurish then. What really is the difference between a manager developing new talent in London and one of these shows?

X Factor 2012.

Ella and Jehmene are both very good singers. James has true grit though and I always look for quality in a voice, and his voice has that X-tra factor! He also has character and musical intelligence about him and even a bit of attitude, always a good thing. 

One drawback these days is everything new in music simply feels too pre-ordained, perfectly synchronized, planned and worked on where nothing is left to chance.... Well yes as always its good to work hard and make careful preparations but sometimes it just feels too clinical like there are no new roads to take, no new challenges for our ears! Sometimes being an artist is about finding your own path, in the hard knocks path of life rather than being taken by the hand in the classroom. Everyone is trying so hard to make 'pleasing' tunes. But that's really not the point.

I do dislike the way these shows manipulate and then discard young people.

Art should question and offer something new, new challenges. I'm supporting James Arthur on X Factor. The trouble with the X Factor tv show is, it makes music now 'all about the voice' and the musicianship gets lost.

Celtic Connections 2013

Celtic Connections 2013 line-up was announced last week, with some of the biggest names in folk, blues, jazz and traditional music landing in Glasgow to celebrate it's 20th year. Across two weeks, 2,100 artists from across the world will play at 300 events. Celtic is one of the world's biggest folk festivals with many sell out events.

The festival will host some big names in the folk world - Kate Rusby, Cara Dillon, Salif Keita, The Mavericks, Jerry Douglas, Aly Bain and Dougie McLean. Its well renowned Transatlantic Sessions; Gaelic concerts; Showcase Scotland; World Music; Americana; Blues and Jazz; ceilidh nights at the Fruitmarket venue and much more!
Plus younger folk and Indie artists - Bellowhead, Aimee Mann, Roddy Hart will perform.  
The festival is also a stomping ground for new talent with open mic sessions at the concert hall with The Danny Kyle Open Stage which is well worth checking out. The Glasgow concert hall is the central venue for the three week festival. The festival includes many dynamic and unusual collaborations, so watch out for those.  

Artistic Director Donald Shaw -  At no other festival do musicians embrace the opportunity to collaborate with acts from different countries and musical genres quite like they do at Celtic Connections. As ever in our 20^th year trad and folk will be at the heart of the festival but other musical genres such as world, jazz, blues, electro, Americana and Country will also be showcased.”  Celtic is promoted by Glasgow Life. 

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE -  http://www.celticconnections.com/

Celtic Connections gallery - http://pkimage.co.uk/celticconnections
Salif Keïta. Salif is famous for taking his West African roots and infusing them with pop, jazz, Latin and Islamic influences, for a truly unique performance. 

Photography Inspirations

I first got inspired by photography through the amazing images in Life magazine, Vogue and later in Vanity Fair. I can’t remember exactly when, but I don’t remember a time that I wasn’t drawing either fashion, ballet or portraits - http://musicfootnote.blogspot.co.uk/2012/photographyinspirations

Scottish legend Michael Marra

Michael Marra. A quiet unassuming Scottish legend has passed today. He looked at the humour, tragedy and absurd side of life. I'm very grateful to have seen him live several times at Celtic - and in the perfect intimate setting of Mugdock theatre and Milngavie Folk club(where I even got a signed print) His encore was Burns 'Green Grow the Rashes O'...Such a sad loss.

http://www.youtube.com/michaelmarra

He paints with Words' - I have heard Marra twice at the Mugdock theatre, which with the grand piano off to the left is simply the perfect venue for him, and I list his concerts there as some of my favourite small venue gigs. The first thing that I noticed at his gigs there was how frail he looked, but then when he performed he surprised me with this deep gravelly voice. With endearing heart and ironic dry wit, Marra sang his medley of songs which are brim full of unforgettable characters and crafted images of place and time. 

Kelly's Visit to Dundee,' 'Muggie Shaw', 'Freda Kohl's Visit to the Tay Bridge Bar', and 'Lonesome Death of Francis Clarke'.  In 'Schenectady Calling', Marra paid tribute to Peerie Willie Johnson, a noted folk musician from Shetland.  He finished his set with a Burns song ' Green Grow the Rashes O' and an encore song 'Mary Skeffington' by the late Gerry Rafferty of Paisley.  

Marra's songs often mix Scottish places with a fantasy of American celebrity. He writes songs about such diverse topics as football, ladies choirs, and American idols!   At times his stories and songs are highly amusing, while other songs are thoughtful and touching. 

He derives his musical influences from the likes of Tom Waits, Randy Newman and Bob Dylan.  His music has grown out of both his Dundee Scottish roots and his American musical tastes and he calls his sound 'groovy traditional music.'

Although predominantly known as a songwriter, Marra has worked extensively in theatre, radio and television.  Marra's children, Alice Marra Clark and Matthew Marra, are are members of The Hazy Janes. Marra was in a band called Skeets Boliver in the late seventies.
 

'There's Love in this world for everyone, Every precious smile you make, Be sure love is out there looking for you.'   Michael Marra

http://www.musical1.com/Michael_Marra/