Shetland Arts has confirmed that it in association with Atlantic Edge Music Services, present world-class flamenco guitarist Eduardo Niebla in concert at Mareel in 2014, as well as BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards’ Best Duo nominees Ross Ainslie & Jarlath Henderson, and the already announced Barbara Dickson & Rab Noakes concert in June. As well as this, Ragged Wood Promotions in association with Shetland Arts will present Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire, and talented English folk guitarist and singer-songwriter Martin Simpson.
Hailed by The Guardian for his “exquisite” guitar playing, Eduardo Niebla will take to the stage in Mareel on Wednesday 5 Feb with guitarist Matthew Robinson to present a repertoire of stunning flamenco jazz from his latest albums. Continually seeking out new musical terrain, Niebla has traversed the genres of pop, jazz, folk, and world music, collaborating with such diverse partners as sitar maestro Nishat Khan, George Michael, Lol Coxhill, the Dante String Quartet, and Craig David. For this concert, he will be joined by local musicians, to be announced soon, to perform a special collection of his compositions inspired by the landscape. The concert promises to be a spellbinding evening of passion, verve, and fleet-fingered virtuosity from one of the world’s most potent forces in flamenco jazz fusion. He will also play Hillswick Hall on Tuesday 4 February.
Eduardo Niebla. Photo by Alan Smith.
Individually, Ross and Jarlath are two of the best players around but collectively they create a chemistry which is almost magic, a feeling they will create in Mareel on Thursday 6 Feb. This duo has fast become one of the most talked about combinations on the circuit and was recently nominated in the Best Duo category for the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. They are not only vastly talented but have created a sound that is bursting with emotion and energy – a fusion of pipes and flutes which pushes the boundaries of what these instruments can achieve in a performance which is a vibrant mix of new and original compositions along with traditional tunes.
Ross & Jarlath
Following an acclaimed support slot at Kris Kristofferson’s sell-out Clickimin concert in 2013, Roddy Heart returns to Shetland at the start of the year with his six-strong Lonesome Fire band in tow. This concert will come shortly after the Lonesome Fire’s latest outing as house band for the Roots Revue night at Celtic Connections. They have previously anchored shows marking Bob Dylan’s 70th birthday and paying tribute to the late, great Levon Helm.
Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire.
And on 23 May, Martin Simpson will pay his first ever visit to Shetland. Widely acknowledged as one of the finest acoustic and slide guitar players in the world, Martin has been a professional musician for 35 years. He has been nominated an astounding 26 times in the 12 years of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, has twice won musician of the year, and also won two awards for his 2008 album Prodigal Son.
Martin Simpson. Photo by David Bailey.
Lisa Ward, Marketing Officer at Shetland Arts, said: “All the acts confirmed for 2014 so far, from Newton Faulkner, Fiery Sessions and Stand Up Helly Aa in January, through to Barbara Dickson and Rab Noakes in June, are truly world-class. We are looking forward to welcoming them all to Shetland for some memorable performances.”Tickets for Eduardo Niebla in Concert and Ross & Jarlath will go on sale this Friday (13 Dec). Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire will go on sale before Christmas and Martin Simpson will go on sale in the new year. Tickets for Fiery Sessions, Stand Up Helly Aa, Newton Faulkner, and Barbara Dickson & Rab Noakes are already on sale. Tickets can be booked via Shetland Box Office in Mareel & Islesburgh, over the phone on 01595 745 555, or online at mareel.org and shetlandboxoffice.org
