The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Eddi Reader
Perth Concert Hall, April 10
Fate intervened last time Eddi Reader was due to appear in Perth.
The Glasgow-based ex-fairground Attraction singer’s scheduled gig fell victim to the Arctic conditions in February, but now her Perthshire followers can look forward to two performances from her within a matter of weeks.
After Tuesday’s rearranged gig Eddi’s off on a 14-date English tour, before playing the BBC’S Biggest Weekend at Scone Palace on May 25. And she says fans can expect a tantalising glimpse of not one but two major solo offerings.
“I’ve got two albums coming out – a folk-traditional album and then a more contemporary album that’ll come later,” the BRIT winner revealed.
“The folk songs all fit together really well so we’ve been doing the final mix of a couple of them this week. But as I’ve gone in to record there’s also been this other idea for ‘romantica’ as I like to call it, which is a little bit of a nod to the ‘40s and the ‘50s.
“I liked the idea of creating a mood with a whole collection so I’ve done a few treatments of Scottish songs with Tommy Smith’s jazz orchestra.
“I’m quite a traditionalist and things like Fools Rush In I wanted to be like this 1930s arrangement that I found with a clarinet solo, but done on guitar. It doesn’t really sit with the folky songs.”
Recorded close to live, the sessions for both albums have taken place at sound engineer Iain Hutchison’s Glasgow city centre studio with Eddi producing.
She hopes to complete work on her folk collection, provisionally titled Dearest Albain, in the next few weeks.
Mixing original songs with interpretations of Scots standards like The Loch Tay Boat Song and Meg O’ The Glen, it’s expected to land later this year.
“I’ll put any pair of shoes on to sing music,” said Eddi, 58.
“I feel very proud getting involved in traditional culture because I like to take it out of its dusty cupboard and reawaken it. Then of course there are the newer ideas about who I am now and songs written with Boo Hewerdine or my husband John Douglas.
“There’s something about the idea of loudly proclaiming my Scottish cultural heritage, especially now I’ve come home after 28 years away.
“We’ve been a bit let down in the past by what represents us as Scottish music but it’s much more healthy now with people like Kathleen Macinnes, Julie Fowlis, Karen Matheson and even Barbara Dickson coming back to her roots in a big way.
“I want to leave behind something for future generations to feel was really tastefully done. I want that to inspire them to go and hunt for stuff with beauty in it that gets forgotten.”
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