Under the Radar: Simon Thacker

Simon Thacker is a virtuoso classical guitarist and composer. One year on from his Indo-Western album, Svara-Kanti, his latest, Tàradh, is released next week and has already been nominated for The Ivors Composer Awards.

Simon Thacker and friends PIC: Juliette Lichman

On Tàradh (a term from Gaelic witchcraft) he’s joined by three of Scotland’s leading improvisers, Paul Harrison (piano), Andrew Robb (bass) and Stu Brown (drums) and one of Spain’s greatest young cantaoras (flamenco singers), Ángeles Toledano. Thacker creates groundbreaking compositions, drawing from a diverse range of styles and cultures – Western, Indian, Sephardic, Flamenco, Romani to name a few – enabling his ensembles to tour the world. Featured by Classical Guitar (USA), Jazzwise, Rolling Stone (India) and with five star reviews from publications including The Scotsman, it’s clear there’s an appetite for Thacker and his genre-mashing collaborators. Tàradh is released on Saturday.  www.simonthacker.com



Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon run the music industry seminar Born To Be Wide. Their next event focuses on live touring and takes place on Thursday at Clarks on Lindsay Street in Dundee. www.borntobewide.co.uk

AIM is a trade body established in 1999 to provide a collective voice for the UK’s independent music industry. The sector produces some of the most exciting and popular music in the world, and makes a huge contribution to the country’s economy. AIM’s 800+ members include the largest labels in the world, small start-ups and individual artists releasing their own music. Visit www.musicindie.com