Seven middle aged men with a lot of forehead on show. Keyboard, guitar, percussion and four fiddles. They began in sedate fashion, sounding like a restrained Country & Western outfit. But that impression didn't last long as the tempo increased and the notes flowed with abandon. And got rowdier and rowdier...
There's a real sense of drama in their orchestration, even with unlikely candidates such as Strathspeys. A few songs thrown in two, largely North American in origin. Guitarist Marc Clement has a surprisingly good voice for a band mostly renowned for it's instrumentals.
They're funny guys too. Not a lot of chat, but they made it count when they did. But it's the music that says it all. No wonder SA9 are one of the most respected bands in the country.
In 2021 the BBC commissioned Phil Cunningham to make a documentary about the musical links between Scotland the north of Ireland, which became The Narrow Sea, the Further Shore, broadcast in early 2022. This performance brought the music form that show, played live by a large all-star band of some of Scotland's finest folk musicians, and a string quartet as part of the line up.
Cunningham provided introductions to each track, linking the music to place and events. Some had soundscape intros taken from the programme, featuring water, rowers and old engines. Whilst it didn't raise the pulse rate as Session A9 had done, we were treated to a collection of lovely melodies, lovingly arranged. But the highlight didn't come from the TV series, but a piece Phil had been asked to write to mark the sadness of events in Ukraine. A stunning and moving tune, and a fitting tribute to the suffering there.
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