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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.

You have a  chance to hear the FULL version of the An Tobar show this Sunday on BBC Radio Scotland at 06:05 pm in Global Gathering. The original broadcast had technical problems and the first 10 minutes of the show which contained Michael's first song wasn't broadcast. So to hear his full performance listen in on Sunday.

The setlist for with the "Quintet" band broadcast in the second hour of the programme is - 

Niel Gow's Apprentice
Schenectady Calling Peerie Willie Johnson
Peter
Mac Rebennack's Visit to Blairgowrie
Thomas Fraser
If I was an Englishman
Frida Kahlo's Visit to the Taybridge Bar
The Lonesome Death of Francis Clarke
Green Grow the Rashes
Baps and Paste

Michael's gig  at An Tobar the following night at The Ship in Glasgow is getting great reviews. These appeared in the Footstomping Forum

"The Marra man was superb, the guy is so talented it must make singer/songwriters weep, each song is so different with a story and a life of it’s own. I think this man could capture any audience, he makes each song unique and he takes you on the journey with him. The Peerie Willie song one to make you laugh and cry. The song about his forefather’s relation buried overseas after a family tiff was another highlight. His backing crew were ace also."

 "Michael Marra is amazing. Just talking to him is fun as his turn of phrase is brilliant - he takes the simplest of things and makes you want to listen. He is a true poet. I always think of him in a 'Burns' vain because as well as being a superb wordsmith, all of his songs have great humanity in them as well. He is definitely not recognised enough."

"Michael Marra and band were absolutely fantastic on the Tall Ship tonight. What a brilliant gig. It looked like a full house to me and the sound and atmosphere was terrific"

"Aye, it was a cracking gig for the place itself as much as the band, who played a stormer. Mr Marra's an amazing man."

 "Great show from Michael Marra at the Tall Ship last night and wonderful to hear Michael at last with a proper band highlighting his latest set of recordings."

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE - FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY
Michael Marra and Sheena Wellington Benefit Concert in aid of Diabetes Research Campaign - Friday, 14th September 2007 8.00pm, Bonar Hall

The University of Dundee is delighted that two of Dundee's most
renowned performers, Michael Marra and Sheena Wellington will give an exclusive performance in aid of the University's Diabetes Research
Campaign.

I do hope that you will help support our campaign and have a chance to hear two of the most outstanding musical talents in Scotland by coming along on September 14th.

Tickets cost £12.50 and are on sale at Groucho's, Nethergate, Dundee
Contact Groucho's (01382 228496)or via Dundee Store =
http://www.ecommercegateway.co.uk/dundee/store/shop/products.asp?func=prodvar&compid=1&deptid=1&prodtypeid=9&prodID=49

Michael Marra is acclaimed as one of Scotland's finest songwriters and has created a body of work that can be matched by few of his
contemporaries. Anyone who has witnessed his solo shows will testify to his talent to entertain and, through his combination of humour and
thought provoking lyrics, to offer insights into the human condition.

Born in Dundee to a family of singers and weavers Sheena Wellington is one of Scotland's leading singer/songwriters. Her acclaimed career
began at the precociously early age of two when she made her first stage appearance at a singing competition.

She is perhaps best known for her powerful rendition of Burns' "A Man's A Man For 'A That" at the opening ceremony of the first Scottish Parliament for almost three hundred years in July 1999. Her moving performance was hailed by many as the highlight of an historic day.
Sheena's repertoire covers everything from Burns to ballads to the best of contemporary song writing. She is also a passionate and articulate campaigner for traditional Scottish music and has played a significant role in the fight for greater recognition and funding for Scottish arts and culture.

Sheena and Michael have agreed to give their time and talent for free
to aid the University's Diabetes Research Campaign which aims to raise £3.3m to help extend and create clinical research centres in Dundee, Perth and Forfar; develop a bespoke diabetes translational research laboratory to take advantage of the world class discoveries taking place in the College of Life Sciences; and to create a research team exploring the causes of Type 1 diabetes.

Diabetes is now the fastest growing epidemic in the developed world. It is estimated that more than 300 million people worldwide will suffer
from the disease by 2020. The disease has been recognised as the
greatest threat to world health by the United Nations in a general
resolution. In Tayside there has been a 90% increase in the incidence
of diabetes in the last 9 years and the need to develop clinical research facilities across Tayside is urgent. The campaign aims to provide the facilities and technology to enable scientists and doctors to work together to develop better and more effective treatments and to devise preventative strategies for the disease.

"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.

For those Marra fans who were disappointed when Michael had to cancel his appearance in January 2007with BBC Scotland's Symphony Orchestra, the gig's back on - and it's free

 Sunday 10 June

City Halls, Glasgow, 3.00pm

Live broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland

Scotland's Music '07

Presented for BBC Radio Scotland by Mary Ann Kennedy

MacCunn Land of the Mountain and the Flood
Trad. Catriona Watt - 2006 BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year (with BBC SSO)
Sir John Blackwood McEwen Viola Concerto

______________________________________________________________________________

James MacMillan Exsultet (BBC SSO brass and percussion)
Trad. Catriona Watt (unaccompanied set)
Edward McGuire Hall of Memories
Trad. Michael Marra (to include Green Grow the Rushes, Mother Glasgow, Schenectady Calling Peerie Willie Johnson)
Martyn Bennett, arr. Lawson Liberation from 'Grit' with Michael Marra, Catriona Watt and the BBC SSO

Scott Dickinson, viola
Catriona Watt, singer
Michael Marra, singer
Stefan Solyom, conductor

TICKETS: FREE (unreserved seating)

Box Office: 0141-353-8000 - and at City Halls before the programme starts, subject to availability

On 12 January 2007 Interesting Music and The Lemon Tree presented "Beautiful Cosmos: The Words and Music of Ivor Cutler". The show was to pay homage to one of Scotland's greatest ever creative talents in song and spoken word. A multitude of artists appeared on the night including Michael. He performed a couple of songs accompaning himself on harmonium in true Ivor style.

Visit the  Audio section of the site to hear Michael's  braw contribution to the proceedings.