Album of The Week – Blue Rose Code ‘With Healings of The Deepest Kind’ 26th Sept 2020
This weeks Album of the Week at Celtic Music Radio is Blue Rose Code ‘With Healings of The Deep
Edinburgh born Ross Wilson spent his creative formative years in East London, then moved to South England “to be by the sea’s energy” but it is in his homecoming that he has found where his heart is. Life wasn’t always simple for Wilson. “I have swapped one type of chaos for another” says Wilson.
A nomad both geographically and musically, Ross writes from the heart eschewing any specific genre and the twelve songs on new album The Water Of Leith, addressing themes of love, loss, travel, home, accepting the past and embracing the future, are painted with colours of folk, jazz, soul and pop; an eclecticism that has become a hallmark of Blue Rose Code and has seen him compared to John Martyn, Van Morrison and Tom Waits.
Underlining the sense of movement and place in Ross’s work and The Water Of Leith is rooted in his return to his Scottish homeland. There, he reconnected with the stellar musicians who were to become an integral part of the new album’s sound: multi award-winning singer Julie Fowlis, celebrated Gaelic singer Kathleen MacInnes, BBC Folk Award Winner, Ross Ainslie, 2017’s Scottish Jazz Awards’ instrumentalist of the year Konrad Wiszniewski, leading violinist Seonaid Aitken and three of Scotland’s finest jazz musicians; John Lowrie, Colin Steele and James Lindsay, to name just some of the contributors. Grammy-winning American singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman features on the opening track. Ross co-produced the album with Angus Lyon.
Wilson cites taking his last drink as the start of living rather than the end of the drinking. Now a committed enthusiast and creative whirling dervish, Wilson has seen the past few years produce some of his most exciting work including the album ‘THE BALLADS OF PECKHAM RYE’, which was nominated for the prestigious Scottish Album Of The Year Awards in 2014 and featured a roll-call of remarkable talent, including Danny Thompson, Karine Polwart, John Wetton, Aidan O’Rourke and Kathryn Williams.
The Blue Rose Code game has certainly changed, they are heard regularly in session for the BBC (TV and Radio), STV, Alba, TG4, Virgin Radio. Live performance is where Blue Rose Code connects strongly with their audiences, they have
toured the length and breadth of the UK selling out venues wherever they go and leaving a trail of fans in their wake. Featured in festivals Celtic Connections, Edinburgh Fringe, Looe, Summer Isles, Lindisfarne, Southern Fried, Underneath The stars.
Ross Wilson has spent most of his musical life curating; he sculpts his band to every mood and temperament in order to create the perfect happening
Album Tracks
1.You’re Here And Then You’re Gone
2. Love A Little
3.LDN City Lights
4. Bloom
5. The Wild Atlantic Way
6. Starlit
7. Red Kites
8.Denouement
Previous Recordings
With Healings Of The Deepest Kind – July 2020
Starlit 2020
The Water Of Leith – Live -2019
Sunday/Don’t Wanna Take A Chance 2019
Red Kites/I Will Lay You Down2018
The Water Of Leith 2017Live At The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh 2017
Live At The Convent -2017
And Lo! The Bird Is On The Wing 2016
Chasing Sunlight/Rebecca 2016
Brave Cedars & Pied Wagtails 2016
The Bird Is On The Wing 2016
The Ballads Of Peckham Rye 2015
True Ways Of Knowing 2014
One Day At A Time 2014
Live At St Pancras Old Church, London 2014
North Ten 2013
