Roots, Blues, Soul & Jazz at Celtic Connections 2012

Celtic Connections 2012 makes the Louisiana Connection with a night celebrating the rich gospel, blues and roots traditions of the American south. Celtic Connections 2012 runs from Thursday 19th January – Sunday 5th February and comprises 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, workshops, free events and late night sessions taking place over 18 days in 20 venues across Glasgow.

Soul icon and founding member of the legendary New Orleans R&B outfit The Neville Brothers, Aaron Neville will perform with his band. Also on the bill is one of the brightest young talents to emerge in Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music over the last decade, the four-time Grammy-nominated fiddler, singer, accordionist & songwriter Cedric Watson.

The festival will welcome Motown divas Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, famous for songs such as Dancing in the Street, Nowhere to Run and Jimmy Mack for a gig at The Arches. The group’s feel-good soul-infused pop has recently earned them a second consecutive nomination for Best Headliner at the UK Festival Awards. A sizzling double bill of US acts breathing dynamic new life into Depression-era sound brings New Orleans-based singer Meschiya Lake and The Little Big Horns and Brooklyn trio The Wiyos to Glasgow.

Celtic Connections will also bring together Marseillie’s Moussu T and two Native American singer-songwriters – Pura Fé (who celebrates her Scottish ancestry with this Celtic Connections appearance) and John Trudell for a night at the O2 ABC entitled Blues of the World. Fé and Trudell both bring their indigenous heritage to their blues sounds, and former political activist Trudell is renowned as the “voice of Alcatraz” for his role as the spokesperson for the United Indians of All Tribes’ takeover of the Californian prison from 1969 – 1971.

Other artists performing in Glasgow in January 2012 include the acclaimed Australian blues and roots guitar and banjo player C.W. Stoneking, the vintage swing jazz group The Quebe Sisters, Brooklyn honky-tonky group the Sweetback Sisters and the Geordie funk and soul duo Smoove and Turrell. The acclaimed 24-year-old Armenian jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan will also perform at Celtic Connections.

West End bar Brel will host jazz nights throughout, including an appearance from Federation of the Disco Pimp – Scotland’s premier exponent of modern funk, who combine elements of old-school funk, disco, psychedelic and jazz.

More at celticconnections.com