Events

The Living Mountain – Jenny Sturgeon

Portgordon Village Hall, Cross Street, Portgordon, Buckie, Moray, AB56 5QW
Friday 26th June
7.30pm
michelle@neatshows.org.uk www.neatshows.org.uk
Standard Price: £10.00
Concession Price: £9.00

To mark the release of her new album ‘The Living Mountain’ – a collection of songs inspired by the celebrated book of Aberdonian, Nan Shepherd. The 12 tracks, which make up the album, take inspiration from each chapter of Nan’s book together with Jenny’s own experience exploring the Cairngorm mountain range which, is close to where she was brought up; only 20 miles from Nan’s birthplace.

Sturgeon’s songcraft is at the centre of her engaging and honest performance. With accompaniment on guitar, harmonium and dulcimer, she has been described as “a wonderful singer who can change the atmosphere in the room with her affecting delivery” (Boo Hewerdine). In the live performance, alongside Jenny, are images of the Cairngorms filmed by Scotland: The Big Picture, with whom Jenny previously worked with on the critically acclaimed show Northern Flyway– a project inspired by bird mythology, ecology and song, co-written and performed with Inge Thomson (Da Fishing Hands, Karine Polwart).

The Living Mountain performance considers human connections with wild places through the lyrical and melodic interpretation of the novel. The meditative quality of the combined audio and imagery are a soothing and poignant exploration of what it means to connect with a landscape and to find a sense of place. It marks a bold and significant step in Jenny’s development as one of Scotland’s finest singer-songwriters.

‘The Living Mountain’ album will be recorded and produced by Andy Bell of Hudson Records (Furrow Collective, Northern Flyway, Jon Boden) in October 2019 at Clashnettie Arts Centre in the Cairngorm National Park. It will be released in May 2020.

“the mountain gives itself most completely when I have no destination, when I reach nowhere in particular, but have gone out merely to be with the mountain as one visits a friend with no intention but to be with him” – Nan Shepherd
“As close to an organic folksinger/songwriter as you can get.” – Folk All”Musically superb, absolutely fascinating and utterly charming” – ShireFolk

“A genuinely inspiring work” – RnR Magazine (‘The Wren and The Salt Air’)

“A remarkable, unique and fascinating live experience” – Folk Radio UK live review of Northern Flyway

2018 Scots Trad Music Awards – Composer of The Year nominee