Guitar Season 2010

Now in its seventh year, the festival pays homage to Shetland guitarist Peerie Willie Johnson, whose pioneering use of jazz styles are now widespread in Shetland music.

The full programme of events can be found here.

As well as the festival weekend, which runs from 17th to 20th September, this year there will be a whole season of concerts throughout the autumn, with a visiting guitarist making their way north each month.

This year’s festival weekend concerts are being held in Symbister, Sandwick and Lerwick, as well as educational workshops in schools, with music from some fantastic artists including another of Shetland’s world-renowned guitarists, Ian Bairnson.

Originally from Levenwick and now based in Spain, Ian grew up in Edinburgh before becoming probably Shetland’s most successful rock guitarist.

He is perhaps best known for being part of bands such as the Alan Parsons Project and 1970s hit makers Pilot, but throughout his career has played with a veritable who’s who of artists from a wide genre of music, including Paul McCartney, Kate Bush (he played the guitar solo on her number one hit ‘Wuthering Heights), Mick Fleetwood, Sting, Tom Jones and many others.

His innovative and fluid playing has been likened to that of guitar heavyweights Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and David Gilmour.

Ian, who has said his playing was definitely influenced by Peerie Willie, said he is looking forward to playing at the festival and that it will be “special.”

He said: “I can tell you that I always look forward to “comin’ hame”, but to play in front of my ain’ folk is special.

“I miss Willie because I always, always visited him – still, I have plenty stories about our early sessions and friendship.

“This will be the first time I will have played a set without a band, an acoustic set, and a lot of musical styles that I’m not generally associated with. In short, I have the typical Shetland appreciation of all kinds of good music.”

Ian Bairnson

Another visiting guitarist is jazz musician Jim Mullen. The Glasgow-born London based jazz guitarist is described as having a distinctive fusion style, and picks with the thumb rather than a plectrum.

Winner of awards including best guitar in the British Telecom Jazz Awards Best Guitar for 1994 and 1996, in the Post Office Jazz Awards 2000 and in the Hamlet Cigar British Jazz Awards 2002, he started his musical career aged 8, when he got his first guitar.

In 1975 he met sax player Dick Morrissey and began a 15-year association that produced seven albums and became one of Britain’s top club bands. After the demise of the Morrissey Mullen duo he worked with jazz vocalist Claire Martin and formed a series of quartets.

Now in his sixties, Jim has built up an impressive repertoire. As a sideman he is in demand by visiting U.S. stars like Gene Harris, Mose Allison, Jimmy Smith, Weldon Irvine, Percy Sledge, Teddy Edwards, Plas Johnson, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Terry Callier.

The festival weekend gets started on Friday night with a concert in Symbister Hall, Whalsay, where Jim Mullen will play, supported by local jazz guitarist Norman “Girsie” Goudie and his All Stars. The same night, Ian Bairnson will play a homecoming concert in Sandwick at the Social Club, with support from Hot Club de Fladdabister, a group that features well-known musicians Brian Nicholson and Maggie Adamson.

Saturday’s concert at the Town Hall will see both the visiting guitarists on the same concert bill, together with a solo spot from Brian Nicholson.

Bar facilities will be available at each of the concerts.

Jim Mullen

Sunday evening will round off the festival weekend with a chat show style “An Evening With…” event at the Garrison Theatre where the festival performers will share anecdotes, demonstrate playing techniques and share a tune or two on the stage.

All events start at 7.30 and tickets priced £10 (£8 concessions) are available from Shetland Box Office, Islesburgh Community Centre, Lerwick  – 01595 745 555

Shetland Arts music development officer Bryan Peterson said, “Each year we try something different to keep the format fresh, and Sunday’s  ‘An Evening With…’ will provide a chance for the performers to give an insight into their backgrounds and unique playing styles. There were so many guitarists who wanted to perform this year we decided to offer local audiences a whole season of top class guitar concerts”

Upcoming Peerie Willie Guitar Season concerts include John Etheridge (22 to 24 October), the Lulo Reinhardt Quintet (Wed 24th November) and the Michael Janisch Quintet (17 to 19 December).

Links

Ian Bairnson

http://www.ianbairnson.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Bairnson
http://www.theavenueonline.info/site1/bios/bairnson.htm
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Ian+Bairnson
http://www.shetland-music.com/prominent_artists/artistes/ian_bairnson_%28pilot_and_alan_parsons_project%29/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/cd5a063f-2fd2-4271-956c-56678df04db5
http://shetlopedia.com/Ian_Bairnson

Jim Mullen

http://www.jimmullenjazz.co.uk/
http://www.jazzreview.com/articledetails.cfm?ID=1254
http://www.musicweb-international.com/jazz/2002/Aug02/Mullen_Burns.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Mullen
http://www.jazzwisemagazine.com/the-player-mainmenu-131/4071-jim-mullen-guitar
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=11047
http://www.answers.com/topic/jim-mullen-1
http://www.jazzeddie.f2s.com/Jazz%20Guitar%20UK.htm
http://www.buymrbongo.com/terrycallier/the-band/jim-mullen/

If you are interested in the competition please download the  details: Christmas Card Competition Details.

The deadline for entries is 30th September 2010.

For further information please contact jane.matthews@shetlandarts.org

If you would like to download it please go to the Visual Arts Page on our website.

For further details contact Clair Aldington or Jane Matthews on 01595 743843

Portage: Finger Symbols from Shetland Arts on Vimeo. Film by Jono Sandilands www.jonosandilands.com.

Thanks to all the jewellers who took part in Finger Symbols for the use
of their work.

Portage: Finger Symbols from Shetland Arts on Vimeo. Film by Jono Sandilands

Vicki Ambery-Smith

7 August – 5 September 2010, incorporating the following talks and workshops with jeweller Alison Macleod:

• Binding Memories Workshop – 14 August
• Laminating Jewellery Workshop – 15 August
• My Work and Influences: Artist Talk – 17 August

Shetland Arts’ Bonhoga Gallery is celebrating finger adornment with its new exhibition for August. Finger Symbols, the second show in the Portage trilogy, featuring contemporary jewellery for the hands by both established and emerging makers, using inspirational and imaginative materials and methods of making. An invitation is extended to everyone attend the exhibition preview at 7.30 pm on Friday 6 August.

During 2008, Shetland Arts was awarded curatorial and programme development funding from the Scottish Arts Council to research and develop ideas for the exhibition of contemporary craft in Shetland. Two years of research has resulted in the curation of three exhibitions to be held during 2010 at Bonhoga Gallery.

Nora Fok

A circle is the perfect expression of infinity, continuity and connection; no beginning and no end; no turns or corners in between. The hole in the centre of the ring symbolises the gateway or door leading to things and events both known and unknown. With rings, lovers and wedded couples pledged their faith; kings and popes exercised their power; noblemen displayed their lineage, and merchants marked their goods. More than 200 rings by over 50 international jewellers can be viewed in this intriguing exhibition. Gemstones sit alongside silicone; records and cards are transformed into jewellery; and a ring depicting Venice can adorn a finger.

Fingertip ornaments, two fingered rings and decorative pieces that sit between the fingers as well as more conventional rings that suggest tradition, myth, and symbolism are on show. Mary Smith who has curated this exhibition, writes, ‘I have become fascinated by rings: their history, social importance and power; how they signify wealth, love, and loyalty to a sect or secret society; a statement of one’s individuality or merely enjoyed as objects of beauty. Unobtrusive, personal and enigmatic; rings still speak to us in a language that defies time.’

Rings from across the world are exhibited in a simple and minimalist way while others are displayed in window installations by Mike Finnie. The work sits alongside a specially commissioned film by Jono Sandilands and photographs by Chloe Garrick: both recent graduates who have returned to work in Shetland. The pure simplicity of Chloe’s photographs contrasts with the abstract adventures of the rings captured on film by Jono Sandilands that can be viewed on the Shetland Arts website (URL TBC) after 6 August. This is Shetland Arts’ first online exhibition – albeit an intriguing one!

Michael Berger rings

An exhibition catalogue, in DVD format, featuring information on the makers, commissioned essays and a copy of the film will compliment the exhibition. This can be purchased to use with the downloadable education pack.

Alison Macleod, a Glasgow based jeweller, will visit Shetland to talk on My Work and Influences at Bonhoga Gallery on Tuesday 17 August at 7pm. Alison will also hold a CPD session at Bonhoga Gallery on Monday 16 August.

Workshops with jewellers have been a feature of previous Bonhoga exhibitions and Alison will use binding, sewing and riveting techniques to combine precious and found objects to create large sculptural rings.  Another workshop will be held on creating jewellery by collage, repetition, layering and folding flat paper elements into sculptural bracelets, brooches and rings. The workshops will be held on 14 and 15 August in the learning room at Shetland Museum and Archives.  The workshops can be booked through Shetland Box Office on 01595 745 555.

Bonhoga Gallery is open 10.30 – 4.30 Tuesday to Saturday and noon to 4.30 on Sundays.

Contact Shetland Arts for more information

In autumn 2010 there will be consultation among the artistic and creative community, the local residents and the wider Shetland community who use Bonhoga socially and for education and tourism.  Ideas for the consultation will then be fed into the plans.