A new creative project celebrating the wealth of musical talent in the north-east will premiere at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall today.
Old Roots, New Shoots, featuring 13 north-east musicians from a variety of genres and backgrounds will be one of the highlights of this year’s Celtic Connections festival in the city.
And the eclectic performers will bring the collaborative project to Aberdeen next Sunday for a special concert at the Lemon Tree.
Created by a diverse array of artists, including Iona Fyfe, Jenny Sturgeon, Rick Redbeard and Old Blind Dogs, the initiative aims to showcase the best that the north-east has to offer, from traditional folk music to modern hip hop.
Susan Whyte from Spindrift Productions, the booking agency supporting the ensemble, said: “Together they are exploring how, from the traditional roots of music in the north-east, exciting and progressive new shoots are emerging.
“You might not expect to hear rap fused with folk music, including bagpipes, but new music developers and rapper Jack’ll and Old Blind Dogs have done just that – combined rap with traditional instruments – and the end result is stunning.
“There will be more collaborations between all the artists involved and the result is a performance including re-imaginings of traditional songs, as well as original work.
“Old Roots New Shoots aims to highlight the quality of musicians from the area and to highlight Aberdeen City and Shire as an area with a rich musical heritage.”
Tickets for the Lemon Tree performance can be purchased from Aberdeen Performing Arts by visiting www.aberdeenperformingarts.com or by calling 01224 641122.