Tag Archives: Fiona Mactaggart

CD Review: Glasgow’s Glasshopper “Fortune Rules”

Glasshopper Artist: Glasshopper
Title: Fortune Rules
Label: AMP Music and Records
Genre: Spiritual jazz/ jazz-rock from the UK
CD & Digital release: 30 November, 2020
Review by Fiona Mactaggart

As anyone who, at last month’s EFG London Jazz Festival experienced the thoughtful and candid, often filmic soundscapes of London-based band Glasshopper will testify, this 6-year-old band’s debut album Fortune Rules has been worth the wait.

Glasshopper. L-R: Jonathan Chung, Corrie Dick, James Kitchman. Photo credit: Marieke Macklon

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CD Review: UK’s Paul Harrison’s “Adventures From Home”

Paul HarrisonArtist: Paul Harrison
Title: Adventures From Home
Label: Self-released
Genre: UK jazz
Digital release date: September 1st, 2020

Review by Fiona Mactaggart

Manchester, England-born pianist, composer and arranger Paul Harrison since moving to Scotland a decade ago has become a stalwart of the Scottish jazz scene, playing with such names as Chris Potter, Tommy Smith and Carol Kidd and in everything from solo to big band formats and everything in between. It’s a puzzle as to how he finds the time to also teach at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and The University of Edinburgh, but it comes as no surprise that Harrison has kept himself busy during the quarantine, using the time to create a solo piano tribute to many of his jazz musical influences, many of which are American. 

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Scottish Jazz and Beyond

Scottish Jazz and Beyond…. 

Scottish Jazz and BeyondVenue: The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland
Date: July 13, 2019

Review by Fiona MacTaggart

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a huge and culturally multi-colored creature and tonight’s show, which was part of Creative Scotland’s Made in Scotland mini-festival within the Fringe, constituted somewhat of a Scottish celebration of cross-cultural music. Organised and MC-ed by local drummer Tom Bancroft, three bands were showcased, all primarily jazz bands but bringing significantly more than jazz to the table.

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