Star rating: ****

This was a real labour of love for Lewis-based musician Calum Martin, who has re-recorded his 1983 concept album, based on the life of one Donald Morrison, a native of Megantic, Quebec. The son of Lewis immigrants, Morrison was an honest, hard-working fellow, forced into a life of crime by deceit and skullduggery.

Martin worked from his studio in Lewis, but using the wonders of broadband, recruited drummer/producer Peter Young from Nashville and Native American multi-instrumentalist Arvel Bird. Both Young and Bird were on stage here in a substantial band which played the entire album.

The story was narrated in Gaelic, but happily for us non-speakers, an English translation of both story and lyrics was projected behind the band.

Despite some terrific playing from all concerned, the early-1980s roots of this music were showing and it had a sub-Runrig feel. However, the story is well worth the telling and the last two tracks of the set, Freedom Days Over and The Sentence Passed, had a suitably climactic feel to them.

The second half was a highly entertaining, relaxed jam session, featuring tunes from both Scottish and Native American traditions - Kate Martin's Waltz and Bird's Celtic Pow-Wow were highlights.

12:28am today

By STUART MORRISON

Back