ROB ADAMS FRINGE MUSIC

Two of the outstanding Fringe Music finds of the past two years return.

The Bostonian was not only good enough, at 17, to play with the none-too-easily pleased Van Morrison, he had a hand in the creation of Moondance in the summer of ’68 before going back to school.

James Taylor was another early associate and one of Sheldon’s best tales concerns another pal, Jim Hodder, who was Steely Dan’s drummer in Reelin’ in the Years days, inviting Sheldon to sit and watch the session that produced that very song.

Masterly storytelling, honest personal recollections, wry wit and nimble playing on the eponymous guitar merge in 50 minutes that pass much too quickly.

The unassumingly named Misha’s Gang is a string orchestra from Moscow that would enhance the official festival’s programme, never mind the Fringe’s.

Their playing is sublime, with the kind of group understanding that informs the best string quartets, and their range of material – which changes with every performance – varies from heavyweight orchestral pieces to tangos to the version of Flight of the Bumble Bee they played at their Herald Angel presentation last year that left a roomful of their peers awe-struck.

As well as their main afternoon show, they’re playing morning children’s concerts (until August 14), light-hearted, hair-letting-down gigs (August 19-25) and a series of evening concerts in Old Saint Paul’s (August 9, 10, 11, 18, 25).

And if you live in Stirling or Inverness and can’t get to Edinburgh, catch them at Albert Halls (Sunday 26th) or Eden Court (Tuesday 28th).

The Red Guitar, theSpace at Niddry Street; Misha’s Gang, theSpace at Surgeons’ Hall (both runs end August 25)