Gig review: Transatlantic sessions

Published on Friday 28 January 2011 19:42

TRANSATLANTIC SESSIONS GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT HALL ****

CELTIC Connections wouldn't be the winter music festival it is without its annual Transatlantic Sessions ceilidh-hoedown. It's essentially Jerry Douglas – the "dobro deity" – and pals, and he assembled another fine cast of performers from both ends of the folk-music spectrum to see out what has been a successful 18 days of entertainment.

From the Celtic end, a sprightly if slightly self-conscious Julie Fowlis performed a moving Irish emigration song courtesy of John Doyle.

Paul Brady – accompanied by the "Vestal Virgins from Rome" on backing vocals – was in a more energetic mood than his 17 or so other onstage companions. The highlight? Brady's tribute to recently departed Gerry Rafferty: a goosebump-raising version of Baker Street.

From the other side of the pond, meanwhile, nimble-fingered guitarist Russ Barenberg brought something exceptional to the table, and gospel singer Ashley Cleveland belted out a black slave plantation field song with the sort of soulful gusto you might associate with 70s-era Tina Turner.

Allison Moorer, who spent much of the show looking after her baby backstage, managed to budge the festival's artistic director, Donald Shaw, off the piano long enough to deliver a breezy, seductive rendition of the 2010 gem, Crows.

Amid it all, Douglas slightly embarrassed himself when he referred to Aly Bain as an ex-member of Irish folk band Planxty. However, his neck wasn't half as red as Phil Cunningham's, who seemed genuinely surprised when an all-standing audience greeted him during the second half with a blast of Happy Birthday.