It’s under way…! Post-recording album news
This month, I made the long (but exciting!) journey up to Watercolour Music in Ardgour, Scotland to record a solo album of traditional and contemporary Manx songs. The experience was fantastic: the peaceful, remote surroundings created a calm atmosphere with few distractions. This helped to fuel productivity and energy, particularly for live group performances in the studio.
The songs on the album are largely performed by a core trio: myself, guitarist David Pearce and double-bassist Vanessa McWilliam. I met Dave and Ness while studying music at University and have continued to work with them ever since. Irish flautist and sean nós singer Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Manx fiddle player Tomas Callister also feature on several tracks.
The twelve-track album incorporates many different textures, from unaccompanied songs like Arrane y skeddan (Song of the herring) through to a more unusual soundscape of bowed guitar, prepared piano, shimmering fiddle and eerie double-bass harmonics used in Tree eeasteyryn boghtey (Three poor fisherman).
I am indebted to the Manx Heritage Foundation who have provided funding for this album. The album is due for release early next year and will be swiftly followed by an album launch tour.