United Kingdom Music at Paxton – Summer time Pageant of Chamber Music 2024 [2] – A Fashionable Folks Music Programme: Beth Malcolm (singer, keyboard), Heather Cartwright (guitar). Marquee, Paxton Home, Scottish Borders, 20.7.2024. (MC)
Music at Paxton is the place skilled performers of worldwide popularity unite with younger performers of rising expertise. Showing at Music at Paxton – Summer time Pageant for the primary time the partnership of Beth Malcolm and Heather Cartwright arrange within the giant marquee on the garden.
The duo clearly relished giving their very own modern tackle Scottish impressed people songs both conventional, present-day and self-written. I used to be to learn that the ‘songwriting explores themes of feminine friendship, development and quarter-life crises’. The duo seems at a number of festivals together with Celtic Connections and enjoys taking part in for brand spanking new audiences particularly with the outreach charity Stay Music Now Scotland to deliver first-class, dwell music to individuals all through Scotland.
A singer-songwriter and keyboard participant from Perthshire, Beth Malcolm studied on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Notably Malcolm obtained a ‘Danny’ award at Celtic Connections 2019 and was named as BBC MG ALBA Scots Singer of the 12 months 2022. That very same 12 months Malcolm with the track John Riley was one of many featured singers on the Niteworks album A’ Ghrian. A 12 months on and Malcolm who has described herself as a ‘singer of tales’ launched her debut album Kissed and Cried. Heather Cartwright is a guitarist and songwriter from Carlisle who discovered her instrument at college. On the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, she was awarded a first-class honours diploma in conventional guitar. It looks like Cartwright has gained numerous worthwhile efficiency expertise in a brief tempo of time.
There’s multiple manner of performing conventional music and making use of a brand new perspective was an strategy that labored splendidly for Malcolm and Cartwright. To introduce every track the vital interactions with the viewers have been largely given by Malcolm. While taking part in her keyboard Malcolm regarded composed giving a convincing vocal show. Her fascinating voice had a clean decrease and center register, attaining her excessive notes with relative ease. Singing solely occasionally within the set Cartwright demonstrated her guitar abilities with accomplishment.
Standing out was Oh, Pricey Me (The Jute Mill Music) a track written by beginner singer and violinist Mary Brooksbank (1897-1978). A commerce union activist Brooksbank had first hand skilled as a toddler working in Dundee’s jute mills and later mentioning youngsters on meagre wages. Given the topic Oh, Pricey Me is sort of a surprisingly light track the place Malcolm and Cartwright communicated an impactful social message concerning the harmful mills and their insufficient working circumstances. Worthy of singling out too was John Martyn’s hit Might You By no means from 1971. Malcolm and Cartwright appeared at one with the track famend for being ‘stunning in its traditional simplicity’.
This was a well-balanced set of a constantly top quality. I might have picked out any track from the play record and loved it, completely. Time simply flew by as Beth Malcolm and Heather Cartwright served up performances that have been each uplifting and fascinating.
Michael Cookson
Set Listing:
Edward – Conventional, organized Beth Malcolm and Heather Cartwright
The Shepherd – Anaïs Mitchell
Don’t Know Why – Jesse Harris (after Norah Jones model)
The Stunning Gortree – Tommy Peoples (no data of author of lyrics)
A person who loves the worst of me – Beth Malcolm
Battle of Harlaw – Conventional
Oh, Pricey Me (The Jute Mill Music) – Mary Brooksbank
The Glasgow Music – Beth Malcolm and Heather Cartwright
The Employee’s Music – Ed Pickford
Might You By no means – John Martyn
