Rab Noakes will be gabbing with Ross this Friday from 8pm.

Rab Noakes describes the music on his latest release, I’m Walkin Here, as ‘21^st century skiffle’. “I felt it was time for me to make a record in a certain way, with certain ingredients”, he said recently of this recording. “I wanted to try to make an album that only I could make”.

So, this album, Rab’s 19^th solo release, represents in many ways, a narrative containing references to his whole working life as a songwriter and performer. It is a Double-CD with CD1 consisting of a clutch of Rab Noakes songs written within a fairly close space of time. CD2 contains songs from a variety of sources from traditional to Elizabeth Cotten to Michael Marra to Beck Hansen to the group Garbage plus some more Noakes compositions.

Working with John Cavanagh as producer an engaging range of musicians and singers were assembled for the sessions. Una McGlone on double bass and Stuart Brown on drums are joined by Ula Kinderyte on violin, Harry Hussey on accordion Richard Merchant on coronet and Emma Roche on flute and piccolo. Rab plays most of the guitar parts himself both as live accompaniment with the vocal on the track and a variety of overdubbed parts.  Singers Hilary Brooks, Barbara Dickson, Roddy Hart, Jill Jackson, Jimmie Macgregor, Alice Marra and Emma Pollock join Rab on vocals on a number of the songs.

“This is Noakes, the musician who picked up on skiffle’s immediacy and vibrancy, and also the sophistication that lingered below its home-made façade, singing like he means it (and he always means it) with a band that exudes the warmth and camaraderie of the Basement Tapes.”

Rob Adams, music journalist.

Rab said at the outset of the recordings that he wanted to make an album that nobody else could make. He made that comment with regard to the reference points and to the combination of experience and circumstance that make up its uniqueness.

This is an album full of heartfelt performances of first-rate songs. It is possibly Rab’s best but that’s for you to decide. It certainly hangs together as an album and contains some outstanding performances.

Rab will be undertaking a tour in November to launch the CD.
6^th          Kinross                        Backstage at The Green

13^th      Stirling                         Tolbooth

14^th      Campbeltown              Ardshiel     (01586 552133)

19^th      Glasgow                      Cottier’s

20^th      Strathblane                 Village Hall

27^th      Arbroath                      Hospitalfield