The 8th night of April saw Edinburgh Queen’s Hall filled up to receive Scottish jazz scene ‘piano-storyteller’ Fergus McCreadie’s new album Forrest Floor – LiVE launch.

On a gentle walk into a syncopated drift the show opened with a set of the first two numbers in the compilation Law Hill and folky Unfurrowed Field. The heat between piano and drums (Stephen Henderson) evolving in punchy exchanges over David Bowden’s mild double-bass mediation sent audience on a journey through the Scottish weather and landscape. A melodic roller-coaster of passion and fervour. And even when a note got lost or synergy quivered, the flow was ‘far out’ there.

The introduction of Morning Moon tune was when this jazz got to me in lateral flow of wonderful emotion. In there, silence was heard playing through piano’s fortes. It was the kind of morning Moon that built a handsome day and went back into its night again. In a mix of blue and yellow.

Then the Landslide came in an almost cathartic avalanche of tones. It was turbulently vibrant in its steep approach. Titular Forest Floor followed explosively. Added to it all were the hypnotic magnetism in Fergus’ piano walking fingers and body language.

The Ridge is a hike of hikes in the album’s repertoire. My personal best, a musical  journey into Scotland’s natural bliss and the author’s talents. It’s Glencoe’s Devil’s Staircase (Aonach Eagach) before the Three Sisters trail.

Glade was where the show’s ending met the beginning in a rounding sweetness to a good night.

Fergus McCreadie enjoys ‘Munro Bagging’ and the music is his story of it. Fern and moss paving the way through jazz mood ranges with a bag full of musical hiking gear… I think there is a bit of punk in Fergus too.

Luke Rajczuk
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1 Comment

  1. Been going to jazz at Queens Hall since 1979.. The show opened with Fergus solo on a long tour of all the keys in no particular order, and repeated, while bass and drums stayed silent. Over indulgent?
    When they played as a trio, it was fine and melodic, but not enough to stop us leaving at the interval.

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