@michael-marra
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Category: Albums
Michael'a myspace page is up and running. Why not drop by and leave a message or sign up as a "friend" at
http://www.myspace.com/michaelmarra
You will also find photos of Michael's Portraits under the pics folder at the myspace site.
Michael has written a song titled "The Flight of the Heron" in tribute to Giles Heron the Jamacian born football player who arrived in Scotland in the early fifties to play with Celtic before moving on to with Third Lanark. Gil was the father of American jazz musician, rapper and poet Gil Scott Heron. Somehow Michael got the song to Gil in NewYork and the word is that he is going to include the song on his new album which he is currently recording.
If you want to hear Michael's studio quality demo of the song go to the MP3 store on the site where it is available for download along with Michael's backwood's version of Gil Scott Heron's "Whitey's On The Moon"
Watch out for an interesting wee programme this Monday - 21 January 2008 at 03.30pm BBC Radio Scotland - If you missed the original broadcast you can hear it again by using BBC Radio Scotland's Listen again facility at -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/networks/scotland/aod.shtml?scotland/drama_mon
Burns and Gow
Robert Burns met the great fiddler Niel Gow only once. With Jimmy Chisholm as Burns and Michael Marra as Gow, their encounter is commemorated in this drama by Bryan Beattie.
An article on the piece can be found in the Inverness Courier HERE
Cartoonist George Martin's third book "A Keek Inside" has just been published by Intro2publishing. Michael Marra has written the introduction and designed the cover to this book by his former work colleague.
Signed copies of George's book should be available at the following bookstores -
- Waterstones, Dundee
- Borders, Dundee
You can purchase the book online from -
http://www.intro2books.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=20
Don't miss this exclusive set of the new Michael Marra Quintet album, featured in this special edition of BBC Radio Scotland's Global Gathering broadcast live from An Tobar Arts Centre on the Isle of Mull.
With support to be confirmed.
Limited Seats Available
An Tobar, 8.30pm, £10
Also playing in Glasgow at The Tall Ship on Wednesday 10th October.
The Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour, 100 Stobcross Road, Glasgow, G3 8QQ
Doors 7.30pm, £12.50, tickets from http://www.tickets-scotland.com or 0870 220 1126
Michael's latest CD, QUINTET is now on sale and available from the Store section of the website.
Read Jim Gilchrist's article in the The Scotsman at
http://living.scotsman.com/music.cfm?id=1588462007
Norman Chalmer's wee review from Scotland on Sunday
MICHAEL MARRA
Quintet
***
Tob Records TRCD0023, £11.99
For fans of the Dundee bard, any recordings are worth getting a hold of even when, like this one, they have but five tracks - all dedicated to musicians and singers. Long established in his repertoire, 'Dr John's Visit To Blairgowrie' is here, as is his hymn to Shetland guitar star Peerie Willie, and Shetland eccentric genius Thomas Fraser. All the songs are cheerfully arranged for a convocation of reeds, fiddle, guitar, bass and assorted studio noises.
"Quintet" is the title of Michael Marra's new EP. Recorded at An Tobar Studios in Tobermoray back in June this year.
" Five songs about Five musicians played and sung by Five musicians over Five days"
Hence the title. Gordon Maclean the boss at An Tobar is just finishing off the last details of the mix and the cover art work.
To coincide with the release of "Quintet" a series of concerts is planned at the following venues -
Ticket Information from An Tobar at - http://www.antobar.co.uk/
Michael has recently been recording some songs at An Tobar's state of the art studio on Mull. A studio much favoured by Martyn Bennett and where Michael recorded "Silence".
Amongst the musicians he has been recording with are fiddler Aidan O'Rourke, saxophonist Steve Kettley and woodwind player Dick Lee. Things have been going very well apart from Michael managing to break his big toe.
The material being recorded are songs which Michael has been regularly featuring in his live performances but has never got round to recording plus some old favourites given a fresh coat of paint with new musical settings. Plus a couple of surprises!
All being well we should be hearing the fruits of their labour in late August when the musicians featured embark on a small tour to promote and showcase the music.
Recovered a couple of rarities this week
The Dave Kelly Band's 1985 album "Heart Of The City" on Thunderbolt contains two of Michael's songs. Gaels Blue and EE DO DO QUA QUA (OVA DA WA). The latter co - written with Peter Filleul who also produced the album along with Dave Kelly. Other musicians who appear on the album are Ed Deane,guitar, Tex Comer,bass, Peter Filleul,keyboards, Rob Townsend , drums. Backing vocals were provided by Graham Lyle, Tom McGuinness and Zee Carlin.
You can have listen to the tracks Audio Section of the site.
To celebrate Michael's recently announced Honorary Doctrate from the University of Dundee we have pulled together some songs written and performed by him which illustrate and reflect his great affection for his native city and his fellow Dundonians.
As Glasgow Herald reviewer Rob Adams wrote recently when reviewing one of Michael's performances "Michael Marra should be put on some sort of stipend by the City of Dundee's PR department. He reveals it as being populated and enlivened by people, habits and events every bit as rich as those of cities that fancy themselves as more characterful"
The collection of 15 songs can be found at -