Corran Halls, Oban, 26 February 2011

THE UNITED Nations seem to have come together at the Corran Halls as Coca Tenorio and her band played to an enthusiastic audience. The Inverness-based Ecuadorian had assembled a superb band to augment her acrobatic vocals on the present Scottish tour.  They had come from Colombia, Cuba, Argentina, Venezuela and Aberdeen to create Latin Rhythms that had the Oban crowd on their feet from the third track on.

Inverness-based singer Coca Tenorio

After a nervous start the whole sound came together under the direction of Louis Barrow, the Oban-based sound engineering supremo, and the band that were only on the third gig together gelled behind the songstress. Coca has a new album out, Todo Transido, and she tells me it has been in the making since her early days in Inverness. The band comprised great percussion and guitar work augmented by Simon Gall, the piano man from Aberdeen. The seated audience became the standing, swaying and clapping mass that extended then to the front and sides to dance. And dance they did –  this is a lady who works her audience – literally!

The album is a recording made in Ecuador and mixed and mastered in Ardgour by Nick Turner at Watercolour music and is a real accomplishment.  Real authentic and clever music is blended to the rangy vocals that will enthral all who love world music as it is now known. Top tracks are ‘Fotografia’ and ‘Juego’, but that is only the opinion of one – others are going to be favoured too!

Foot tapping, free swaying, great rhythms from a lady with a great big future.

Coca Tenorio’s Scottish tour continues until the 19 March, with several more dates in the Highlands & Islands (see web link below).

The previous night, ex-Wolfstone front man Ivan Drever played to a quality and enthusiastic audience at the Skipinnish Ceilidh House in Oban. Drever’s authentic and unique voice created the image we all know of the early Wolfstone, and he has lost none of the edge. Returning solo to Oban after his successful 2010 launch of IDB – the Ivan Drever Band ­ he had the audience singing along to John Prine’s ‘Speed of the Sound of Loneliness’ and Tom Paxton’s ‘Last Thing On My Mind’, as well as trying out new songs from his forthcoming album, including a venture into country music with ‘Give Me Your Sweetheart’.

Armed only with his trusty acoustic guitar and wry sense of humour, he holds the audience in his spell. ‘The Bar Rosalida’ is another favourite from the back catalogue, and has us journeying to sing and play in Spain with Jose on the guitar. But only in our imagination. Now that is skill from a serious musician – that ability to take you to another place and time.

© Campbell Cameron, 2011

Links

• Coca Tenorio