JAZZ figures less regularly than folk and traditional music on these pages, but a new commission from An Tobar provides a perfect excuse to talk with saxophonist and academic Raymond MacDonald, a staunch champion of the most ‘difficult’ of all jazz’s many genres, free improvisation.

The group he co-leads with guitarist George Burt have found some fascinating ways to combine more conventional song structures and melodies with free improvisation. The Glasgow-based band are no strangers to the Highlands and Islands, and their return to Mull should produce exciting results.

Our Band Profile this month takes a rather different approach than usual, both in subject and format. Even if the musical context isn’t your thing, take a look at Peter Urpeth’s e-mail interview with Seattle-based punk band Mill a h-uile Rud, who have some fascinating and very pertinent things to say about the Gaelic language from an unusual perspective.

We welcome a new feature this month, albeit under an old title. The various Arts Officers around the Highlands and Islands have agreed (okay, been coerced) into contributing a monthly insider perspective on the kind of work they are involved in on their particular patch. I have resurrected the old ArtsFolk label for these pieces, and Nick Fearne of Moray kicks the series off with a look at how the RSC came to Forres.

The company are back there again soon, but if you don’t have a ticket already, then I’m afraid you have had it – as Nick reports, they sold out in a jiffy.

Highland 2007 will loom large in the coming months, and we will follow last month’s chat with Fiona Hampton with an opinion piece from Robert Davidson, managing editor of Sandstone Press and formerly editor of Northwords. Watch for that soon.

As usual, we will be adding more material in the course of the month, including news, reviews and features, so keep checking back for the latest developments.

Kenny Mathieson
Commissioning Editor