Aaron Neville at Celtic Connections Festival at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Aaron Neville - Images by Ross Gilmore

On the occasion of his 71st birthday, Aaron Neville celebrates the authentic, indomitable spirit of his beloved hometown, New Orleans, having once more revisited his original love of gospel – absorbed literally at his granny’s knee – in his 50th year of recording, with 2010’s passionate, prayerful I Know I’ve Been Changed. Reuniting Neville with fellow Big Easy icon Allen Toussaint, who produced the singer’s debut studio session in 1960, it’s his first gospel release since losing his home to Hurricane Katrina, then his wife of 47 years to cancer. But even as he mourns, Neville’s inspirational voice discovers hope and joy both in the album’s longer, full-circle perspective, and at the wellspring of his lifelong faith.

Admiral Fallow + FOUND + Chasing Owls at Celtic Connections

Admiral Fallow + FOUND + Chasing Owls - Images by Ross Gilmore


Admiral Fallow, FOUND, Chasing Owls play the o2 ABC in Glasgow at Celtic Connections 2012 festival.
Having crafted their sound and fan-base from the grassroots up, Glasgow’s Admiral Fallow are hitting the big time, after winning favourite-new-band status across a broad swathe of folk, pop and indie opinion throughout 2011. Matching vividly literate, keenly observed lyrics with big, uplifting melodies and highly sophisticated musicianship, they showcased material from their forthcoming second album, following major acclaim for debut release Boots Met My Face.
Chemikal Underground signing FOUND are an arts collective/experimental pop band who create an unusual mix of garage rock, melodic pop and glitchy electronica, while Edinburgh indie-folk newcomers Chasing Owls have already made waves at the NME Weekender Festival and Go North.

FENCE COLLECTIVE FLAMIN' HOTT LOGGZ

Great night down East Neuk as the Fence Collective held the Flamin Hott Loggz festival, with a fantastic line-up that included the usual Fence favourites (Pictish Trail, King Creosote, James Yorkston, and the Shivers, unfortunatly I missed most of the early acts, but I made it to the torch procession from Anstruther to Cellardyke for the musical bonfire in the early evening, then went on to a party 'til the wee hours back in Anstruther.The highlight for me was seeing my old friend Pete MacLeod, bass player with King Creosote doing his stuff,took me back all those years when we used sit about in the wash room of his mums house, trying to make music,we thought we sounded good, but in reality it was only Pete that was any good.I have very fond memories of the two of us heading to the Cupar camera club after the pubs would close, to start all night printing sessions in the dark room, fuelled by lots of free coffee and John Peel mix tapes, emerging from the dark room at 5am slightly mad.
So it seems like I was going back to where it all started, as the first band I ever photographed was kenny's Skuobhie Dubh Orchestra in the Vic bar St Andrews many years ago,on my first camera a Pentax film number.Going to have to make back up to Fife sooner than later.


FENCE COLLECTIVE FLAMIN' HOTT LOGGZ - Images by Ross Gilmore

MF Doom Live at the Glasgow Arches

Daniel Dumile or is it DOOM, King Geedorah, Metal Face, Metal Fingers, Mighty Farts, these are but some of the stage names of this legendary rapper, Hip Hop producer. Last night in Glasgow he was droping lyrics all over a rapt crowd in a tightly packed Arches, this is Doom's second visit to Scotland, lets hope we see a lot more of him in the future.

Doom - Images by Ross Gilmore
Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood have joined forces with acclaimed hip hop artist MF DOOM for a compilation album, Complex, celebrating the 10th anniversary of Lex Records. With tricked out beats, DOOM's cool raps, and samples from Greenwood's spare "There Will Be Blood" soundtrack (h/t At Ease via Prefix), "Retarded Fren" is a slick production DOOM's lyrics move fluidly along like mental molases for the brain.

"THE WOMEN" PERFORMANCE, TACHELES BERLIN

"THE WOMEN" PERFORMANCE, TACHELES BERLIN - Images by Ross Gilmore

Folk legend Bert Jansch dies aged 67

Scottish folk musician Bert Jansch, a founding member of the band Pentangle and a well-known guitarist solo artist has died at the age of 67.

Jansch, who had cancer, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning at a hospice in Hampstead, north London.
Born in Glasgow in 1943, the musician recorded his first album in 1965 and his last, The Black Swan, in 2006.
Between 1967 and 1973 he was part of acoustic group Pentangle, best known for their 1970 hit single Light Flight.
John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee, Danny Thompson and Terry Cox were the other original members of the band, whose albums included Basket of Light and Solomon's Seal.
The group reformed in 2008 after receiving a lifetime achievement honour the previous year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
As a solo artist, Jansch received his own lifetime achievement accolade at the same event in 2001.
He last performed, in Scotland in 2008 at the Royal concert hall.

Bert Jansch - Images by Ross Gilmore

Electric Frog