8th January
Alastair McDonald
Scotland’s musical minstrel, Alastair McDonald is Irvine Folk Club’s first guest of 2014. Alastair plays at the Irvine Club on Wednesday 8th January in Vineburgh Community Centre. He played the closing Club night in 2012 and now balances the equation by opening this new year.
Alastair is a man of ever-extending musical horizons and, depending on the venue is described as a folk-singing banjo player who also plays jazz or the jazz banjo player who also does folk music! In 1970 he became a full-time professional musician and since then has taken his music to the USA, Denmark, Thailand, East Africa, Israel and numerous places in between – with Scotland always being where he does most of his work.
Equally at home in folk clubs, jazz venues, concert halls, theatres or churches – Alastair’s aim is to share some of the very best of his wide repertoire. Scottish historical ballads, Gospel, humorous music hall ditties, Gaelic laments are all covered by Alastair. Thought-provoking, wholesome, uncompromising, uplifting are the main criteria for Alastair’s choice of material.
Glasgow born Alastair emigrated with his family at the age of eight to Australia. It was while growing up in the Australian outback that he developed an interest in ‘home made’ entertainment. Returning to Scotland four years later, there was a growing pop scene and skiffle had also arrived. At just 21, Alastair was already regarded as one of the leading jazz banjo players and the reason he can be still heard all over the country with various Jazz combos.
The always entertaining Alastair McDonald is a very popular guest at the Irvine Club and you are advised to get along in good time on Wednesday 8th January to Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road. The Club starts at 8pm and it’s BYOB.
And finally, on 16th January Celtic Connections begins its 21st birthday celebrations with an 18 day event in venues across Glasgow and the help of 2000 musicians – home grown and international. Too much on offer to mention, visit celticconnections.com – there’s bound to be something to interest you!