'Schenectady Calling' featuring Martin Taylor *CANCELLED*

This show is cancelled due to the ongoing impacts of the Omicron variant. Box Office will be in touch in due course if you have purchased tickets.

Part of the Shetland 550 series at Celtic Connections 2022, Schenectady Calling celebrates the singular legacy of Shetland guitar hero ‘Peerie’ Willie Johnson (1920-2007, a pioneer of folk/jazz fusion long before such terms were invented. As immortalised in the song 'Schenectady Calling Peerie Willie Johnson', penned by the late Michael Marra, Johnson forged a unique style of accompaniment to Shetland fiddle music, inspired by hearing the music of Eddie Lang and Django Reinhardt on US radio, via his home-built shortwave set. His influence subsequently reached far beyond Shetland, extending not least to tonight’s headline guest Martin Taylor, arguably the world’s greatest solo jazz guitarist, who cites Johnson among his key inspirations. Also on the bill is a thrilling duo collaboration between top Shetland fiddler Bryan Gear and gypsy-jazz violinist/singer Seonaid Aitken with pianist Violet Tulloch, and Shetland-born saxophonist Norman Willmore, performing with his quintet, whose music takes in elements of Nordic and Appalachian folk, free jazz and wartime music-hall.

Sponsored by Promote Shetland