Would The Real Fiona Mackenzie Please Stand Up?

14 Apr 2009 in Gaelic, Highland, Music

OneTouch Theatre, Eden Court, 12 April 2009

Fiona (Boise) Mackenzie (photo - Archie Macfarlane)

NOW, BRIAN (Ó hEadhra), you missed a trick there – all you had to do was ask and this Fiona Mackenzie would have offered to MC on Sunday evening, or even sell the ice cream… Arguably, I suppose I could be the ‘real’ Fiona Mackenzie as unfortunately I am several years older than any of the three Fionas who participated in ‘Would the real Fiona Mackenzie please stand up’… .

Originally billed as an antidote to the inevitable confusion caused by several Fiona Mackenzies singing and playing throughout Scotland, both in Gaelic and in English, the concert at Eden Court showcased the singing and song writing talents of these three Fionas, all originally hailing from Lewis.

First to take the stage was Fiona ‘Chasm’ Mackenzie, probably better known from presenting programmes on BBC Alba. She performs regularly with the band The Open Day Rotation, and tonight was accompanied by band leader and songwriter Willie Campbell on guitar, vocals and loop machine to provide extra percussive texture.

Fiona accompanied herself on piano and it might have been nice to have her centre stage at some point, but the positioning of the piano meant the audience only ever saw her in profile. She has a very warm and lovely tone to her voice, easy to listen to, which entirely suited the style of Campbell’s songs such as ‘Pages of my Past’ and ‘Just Consider It’.

The country influence on some of the material did not overpower the strength and subtlety of the vocals, and Campbell’s backing vocal harmonies were a simple complement to the melody line. American blues singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt’s well known song ‘Dawning of the Day’ was given a simple, eloquently beautiful outing, and was the only cover in this set of Campbell’s self-penned numbers.

Fiona ‘Gress’ Mackenzie( now of Inverness) took the middle set and surrounded herself with such well known names as Mairi Campbell on fiddle and viola, Rick Taylor on piano, Lisa Mulholland on box and Derek Urquhart on guitar.

Her set showcased self-penned material from her album Elevate, released in 2008, mainly in English but with an element of her Gaelic heritage surfacing in such songs as ‘An Roinn’, a setting of Sorley MacLean’s well known poem, and ‘Dùisg Mo Chridh’, written by Fiona’s sister, Eilidh Mackenzie of Inverness.

The only ‘traditional’ hint of Fiona’s heritage came through the inclusion of a short waulking song, with Fiona’s youthful voice perfectly suiting in particular the vocable line, at times reminiscent of classic archive recordings. Such intricate melding of the Old and the New is vital in bringing Gaelic song into mainstream repertoire today, and Fiona’s talents as a songwriter manage to combine these most effectively.

Fiona ‘Bosie’ Mackenzie of Callanish and Edinburgh began her set of her own bluesy-jazz influenced material with ‘Live in a Tree’, a song of childish innocence, accompanied on double bass by Dave Donnelly, Graham Steven on guitar, and Derek Urquhart, this time on drums.

The lyrics of Fiona’s material were evidence enough of why she was runner up in the UK song writing competition, and she is able to write to suit her slightly smoky, sultry tone perfectly. Songs of stalkers, self-loathing and hypnotism gave the audience time to reflect on recollections, perhaps of past relationships and regrets.

The programme was an eclectic mix of styles and voices, and was never in danger of becoming predictable or safe. The three singers are all very comfortable within their own styles and demonstrate what is good and fresh about song in Scotland today. If the ensemble finale of three songs, one chosen by each, was a tad ‘spontaneous’, it did not affect the impact of the songs. The voices complemented each other and the finale of a Gaelic version of ‘Eidelweiss’ was an audience pleaser.

So, long may all of the singing Fiona Mackenzies of this world strive for musical takeover – there are enough of us anyway! A little birdie tells me that Glasgow may be the next target audience….

This Fiona Mackenzie is the Mhairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellow

Associated Page

Fiona (Gress) Mackenzie interview