New Eilidh Mackenzie's new CD " Bel Canto" on the Macmeanmna label has a couple of contributions from Michael Marra. On track one Michael narrates a passage from Bel Canto the Ann Patchett book which inspired Eilidh to write the songs for the album. On track five he performs the vocals on "You Misunderstand Me" assisted by Eddi Reader. The Cd is available as a download from Gaelic Musi c . The CD proper is released on 01 November.
This from Eilidh Mackenzie'a myspace page
The songs on the new album, Bel Canto, which follows the story of Ann Patchett's award winning novel of the same name. "Chan eil cuimnh am" features my sisters Gillian and Fiona Gress on backing vocals; Gentle Kisses has the wonderful Anna Meldrum on lead with me on backing and Reidhphort, written for my Uncle Kenny, is sung as a duet with the fabulous James Graham. I hope you all enjoy them.
During the making of the album I was surrounded by the most talented and enthusiastic bunch of musicians possible. Brian McAlpine, Ged Grimes, Gordon Gunn, Chrisitne Hanson, Allan Glenuig Macdonald, Terry Small, Elizabeth McCormack, Michael Marra, James Graham, Anna Meldrum, Gillian Mackenzie and Fiona Gress Mackenzie and Eddi Reader. What a complete treat for me....
We headed down to Glasgow for a fairly intensive recording stretch with Mark Freegard at 3kyoti in the best bit of town. The food round his studio is the best...highly recommended - and he's a great guy who made the time in the studio an absolute pleasure. He recorded and mixed the 14 tracks and then we took it to Calum Malcolm, our trusted master, to finish.
Bel Canto (published 2001, Harper Collins) is a beautiful novel and weaves its way through the universal themes of love and music, identity, communication and language. I took the story and transferred it to Gaelic Scotland. Once upon a time there was a girl who swallowed a bird...and to hear the rest you'll need to read the novel and listen to the CD......
