I watched Music from Blas on BBC Alba last night - from the Blas Festival that celebrates the culture of the Highlands and Islands. This was part of a concert held last month at the Eden Court Theatre in Inverness, and celebrating the Voice, an Guth.
It included sessions from Kathleen MacInnes and Karen Matheson. Kathleen MacInnes was born and brought up on South Uist, a Gaelic speaker, and I discovered her first album 'Og Mhadainn Shamhraidh' on my trip to the islands in July. It's a fine recording, so it was great to be reminded of it on a cold and dark evening just before the clocks go back. If you haven't heard her, give it a try - a wonderful voice with great character, and a slight and subtle huskiness to it that is very appealing. Try it on MusicScotland.com here.
It reminded me, too, that one of the more pressing issues, as we wait to see the result of our grant applications towards a tour of 'Angus', is finding a singer to tour with the show. Not just to accompany the performance, but to be a part of the performing team - also involved in the mask and puppet work and the thrills and spills of touring. We can't approach anyone until we know we have the funding for the project, but the ideal musician would be - a female singer, a gaelic speaker from the islands, with acting experience. Turns out that Kathleen MacInnes is all of these things! Now there's a thought...
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