Sweet dreams with Adam’s fantastic fiddling skills

Scottish Composer of the Year Adam Sutherland’s new album does indeed come from Some Other Land.

As one of Scotland’s foremost fiddlers, having cut his teeth with such luminaries as the Peatbog Faeries, Croft No. 5 and Treacherous Orchestra and not forgetting the immense talents of Session A9, it is perhaps not by accident that Adam creates melody in his sleep and if this latest recording is anything to go by, his fans will be wishing him many more early nights and sweet dreams.

Opening with a tribute to a man who may have inspired Adam become the unbound player he is today, The Wizard aptly reflects late Shooglenifty frontman Angus Grant perfectly, strutting, shimmying and beguiling.

Adam follows this up with a lovely wee strathspey, Lupins in the Lairg which flows into the fabulous Calum and LB’s which is sure to find it’s way into sessions up and down the country.

There are so many highlights in this CD, the beautiful Emma’s waltz, the delightful Tune for Hayley, a tune for his Session A9 buddy, Kevin Henderson, the atmospheric closing track Dusk on Loch Ness being just a small selection.

The synchronicity between the crisp guitar of Marc Clement and Adam is at times reminiscent of the Reinhardt/Grappelli axis that was so successful in the Quintette du Hot Club de France and yet traditional roots are always woven into the fabric of the melody, a Scottish gypsy jazz perhaps?

Underpinned by the silky accordion of John Somerville and with further support from John Paul Speirs, Iain Copeland, Hamish Napier and the Evergreen Steve Forman this is a classy recording to follow Adam’s much acclaimed debut album Squall.

You can catch Adam and his band at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh on 15 April playing tunes from both of his albums. A great night of music will be guaranteed!