Marra music back in the spotlight

The audience at the Gardyne Theatre in Dundee will enjoy a rare chance to hear the songs of Michael Marra played live by his daughter Alice and his backing band at a show tonight

The songs of Michael Marra will be heard once again in Dundee tonight with a special live performance of Chain Up The Swings.

The tribute album by Michael’s daughter Alice, featuring 12 songs, some of them previously unrecorded, was released in March this year and this will be the first time it is performed in its entirety in its home town.

Joining Alice on stage will be the latest incarnation of her father’s former backing band The Gaels Blue Orchestra in what is bound to be a fitting and emotional tribute to the Bard of Dundee.

The album has only been performed live once before, at Celtic Connections in January when Alice, best known for her work with the Hazey Janes, made her debut as a solo artist.

The project was inspired by her family’s determination to celebrate her father’s music (they have already commissioned the digitalisation of his entire back catalogue) and by a suggestion from an old friend, record label owner Gordon McLean of An Tobar Studios in Mull, that she record a new album of Michael’s songs herself.

Alice explains: “Since my dad passed away we’ve heard lots of different tributes from different artists, people like Kris Drever and Louden Wainwright, which is amazing. So I’ve been trying to find different ways of keeping the songs alive.”

Gordon’s idea prompted her to trawl through her father’s extensive catalogue of recorded material, demos and rarities on cassette tapes to find a collection that suited her own style and one she was passionate about.

The result of hours

endeavour by Alice, album producer Allan McGlone and others is a stunning line-up of some well known songs like Mother Glasgow and Frida Kahlo’s Visit to the Taybridge Bar, alongside other previously unrecorded – and even unknown – tracks.

“We didn’t want to stray too far from the originals but thought if it wasn’t as good or better than the original there was no point,” says Alice.

“Nobody knows where the song Soldier Boy came from. It was just a demo from the 80s, maybe written from a show but what show? It’s at times like that I really wish my dad was here.

“I never would have predicted myself singing Mother Glasgow but we thought it was important that it was recorded.

“Frida Kahlo’s Visit to the Taybridge Bar is a wee bit different to the original and Megan is about a family member. It was written as a present, but it deserves to be heard.

“It took a while, I think about two years and working with Allan and having all these amazing musicians as well, including some original members of the band my dad played with in his big shows was a dream come true.”

Those months of endeavour have clearly paid dividends and Alice is already thinking about a continuation of the project.

“We might have a volume two,” she smiles.

“Some of the favourite songs of my dad’s are from his theatre shows so I would like to do an album of those.

“There are six or seven albums and so many songs that were never recorded or released.

“It would be good to do a few more gigs with this album too but I think it would have to be a bit more stripped down because it’s a 10-piece band and they’re all very busy because they’re the best at what they do.”

For now, she’s just thrilled to be taking her dad’s songs to a whole new audience.

“A lot of people have been in touch with me to say they’ve never really heard of him before but they’re now getting into his music,” she adds.

“That’s what we’re really trying to do and I can only see that carrying on.”

“It’s at times like that I really wish my dad was here

Picture: City Life Dundee. Alice Marra on stage with her band.