Maurice Hope – April 17, 2016 at 02:44PM
Tags:_AMERICANA
Well-travelled fiddle and whistle playing instrumentalist, Scotland’s John McCusker is much respected by his peers. Not only those of theses shores but beyond. McCusker latest album coincides with him celebrating 25 years as a professional musician, a great deal has taken place since he started out aged 17 as a raw recruit for Scottish-famed The Battlefield Band. Hello, Goodbye his first record in 13 years is his first on his own new label (his other albums include Yella Hoose, Under One Sky, Goodnight Ginger) was recorded in his also new state-of-the-art studio which neighbours his Scottish Borders home.
Bellshill, Glasgow-born McCusker is one of those unassuming performers, a man who allows his music to speak for itself it has a strong, clear voice as heard here on the likes of “It’s A Girl” and with a dash to it “The Wedding” which lifts the spirit of the album. His playing and that of the band James Mackintosh (drums), Ewen Vernal (bass), Ian Carr (guitar, Michael McGoldrick (flute, whistle), bluegrass folk act, Tim O’Brien, Phil Cunningham (accordion) and Irish singer Heidi Talbot gets even better on “A Trip To Roma” and richly Celtic steeped “Tune For Nana”. This where the players and him pull out all the stops. Slow piece “The Milk Carton Kids” is an interesting one, could the title come from the Americana duo performing as such or does it come from elsewhere; whatever the answer it is a beautifully arranged affair.
McCusker has over the years played with some of the best (not least as part of the TransAtlantic Sessions), since 2008 he has been a member of Mark Knopfler’s band, and seen the world and with whom shared a double-bill show with Bob Dylan at the Hollywood Bowl and twenty nights at the Royal Albert Hall with the former. While his work with Knopfler has often seen him away from home it hasn’t stopped him produce the likes of Eddi Reader, Talbot, Eliza Carthy and Linda Thompson and provide music for film and TV. Check out his site for current tour dates.
Maurice Hope
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