LIVE MUSIC: Duncan McCrone & Cy Jack with Fraser Speirs and Mike Bryan in Concert

Duncan McCrone & Cy Jack with Fraser Speirs and Mike Bryan in Concert

A very special evening is in store for Arrochar, Target and Succoth on Saturday 5th October, when four of Scotland’s most experienced and entertaining  folk, blues and traditional musicians bring their much-acclaimed show to the Three Villages Hall in Arrochar.

Duncan McCrone is well-known across the country as a long-term singer/guitarist with the iconic Clydesiders, a veteran of the 70s folk-rock scene, and a successful singer-songwriter with fellow band member Cy Jack for many decades.  Their most popular songs include (among scores of others) “Always Argyll’, ‘Honeymoon Bridge’, ‘Old Button Box’, ‘Just a Glasgow Boy’ and the poignant tribute to Argyll’s fishing communities ‘The Surf and the Silver Fishes’.  Duncan and Cy have had four CD albums released on Scottish independent record labels.  Cy has played bass and keyboards with several blues, jazz, rock and folk-rock bands and is  also highly- regarded as a songwriter, media music composer and producer along with Duncan, through their successful production company Ranza Music.

Duncan and Cy’s band for the past three years has featured Mike Bryan, Indiana-born and Ullapool-raised.  Mike is classically-trained and steeped in the musical traditions of Scotland – his native land – he has toured extensively throughout Scotland, Europe and North America, he is one of the finest acoustic guitarists in the country, and is much in demand as a freelance accompanist and guitar teacher.  He’s also a larger than life personality and great fun as a performer.

The fourth member of the band is probably the best-known.  Glasgow-born  Fraser Speirs is a bona fide legend on blues harmonica, having recorded and toured with many iconic and international famous artists.  In a career spanning over fifty years Fraser Speirs name has become synonymous with diatonic harmonica playing of the highest quality (Paul Jones described him as “a great harp player with a gorgeous tone”).  Based in Glasgow, Scotland, he has built a reputation for professionalism in the recording studio, in radio and television, and live on stage around the globe, appearing over the years with performers as diverse as Alexis Korner, Muddy Waters, Homesick James, Champion Jack Dupree, Tam White, Marion Montgomery, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, John Herald,  Paolo Nutini,Carol Laula, Rab Noakes, James Grant and Carol Kidd.

Touring with the Carol Kidd band, (China, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, Viet Nam, Hong Kong and Cambodia, Dec 1995 – Dec 2002), (Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Ireland and Turkey, 1995 – 2004), with the Tam White Shoestring band and China, Japan, USA, UK and European tours with Paolo Nutini Band (2008-9) introduced his playing to new audiences and provided collaborative opportunities with musicians from diverse cultural and musical backgrounds.

So….what can you expect if you come along on the 5th October?  A varied evening of traditional, contemporary folk/roots-based music.  A mix of original songs and many well-known interpretations of other songwriters’ works and lots of opportunities to join in chorus-singing and laugh along with the guys as the set is always laced with stories and banter.