Tuesday 22 May 2001

Tonight I put the TV on to watch Simon Schama's History of Britain on BBC2, as I knew it was going to be about 18th century Scotland.  The beginning of the programme was about Darien, Scotland's attempt to set up a colony in Panama, and what music did they put under the images of Central America?  Yes, it was our recording of Clerk's Leo Scotiae Irritatus!  Great - someone did their homework ...

I haven't had much time for writing diary entries recently - meanwhile, I've finished the first edit of the CD, and tomorrow I can start tweaking it and thinking harder about the running order. Glasgow University sent me the photographs I ordered of David Allan's sketches for The Gentle Shepherd, which are really beautiful. If they'll give us permission, we'll put some in the concert programme.

Last night I went to hear McFall's launch their tango CD at the Arches in Glasgow. The Arches would be a nice venue for us, with a great atmosphere, except that the regular trains thundering overhead wouldn't really be conducive to our quieter moments, and the bar staff's habit of clattering and telling jokes throughout the gig wouldn't help much either. Still, McFall's were great, and there was a fair smattering of ConCal members there in the audience too. Carolyn Sparey's been battling with osteo-arthritis in both hands but hopes to be playing with us again in November.

Well, apart from a brief appearance with McFall's in a couple of weeks' time recreating my harmonica solo and playing keyboards a little, I'm not due to tread the boards again now until The Gentle Shepherd at the end of August.  I'd better remember to practise from time to time ...