The John McCusker Band
St James Church, Clerkenwell
Wednesday 12th April 2017
“One of the UK’s most gifted and versatile musicians in any genre, John McCusker is equally in demand as a multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer”. The Guardian
Born in Bellshill, near Glasgow, John began playing whistle & fiddle as a child, and joined the legendary folk outfit Battlefield Band aged 17. During his 11 years with the band, John also released his first two solo recordings, 1995’s self-titled debut and 2000’s Yella Hoose.
John went on to win Radio 2 Musician of the Year in 2003 and also The Sprit of Scotland Award for music in 1999 and again in 2009.
While emerging via the folk scene, John has long been renowned for his skill at transcending musical boundaries. As a live and studio guest he has shared stages with Bonnie Raitt, Patti Smith, Steve Earle, Rosanne Cash, Paolo Nutini and Jools Holland, and featured on recordings by Mark Knopfler, Paul Weller, Ocean Colour Scene, Teenage Fanclub & Idlewild. Film and TV work includes soundtracks for the movie Heartlands (2002) & 16 Years of Alcohol (2003), Billy Connolly’s World Tour of New Zealand (2004), Jennifer Saunders BBC sitcom Jam and Jerusalem (2008) & Starlings (2012) sitcom for Sky TV. His most recent albums include Under One Sky & the reissues of Yella Hoose & Goodnight Ginger re-mastered deluxe edition.
Other recent activities include a traditional touring project with Celtic music stars Michael McGoldrick and John Doyle, a songwriting trio with Kris Drever & Roddy Woomble. In 2007 John was jointly commissioned by the Celtic Connections festival and Cambridge Folk Festival to compose Under One Sky, uniting Scottish and English musicians of different genres, from Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis to Blur guitarist Graham Coxon. John has been a member of Mark Knopfler’s band since 2008, playing arenas around the world including a double bill with Bob Dylan at The Hollywood Bowl & 20 nights at The Royal Albert Hall.
John’s expanding portfolio as a producer includes debut albums by Kris Drever and Idlewild’s Roddy Woomble. He’s also manned the controls for top folk chanteuses Eddi Reader, Heidi Talbot, Eliza Carthy & Linda Thompson . In 2013 John performed as a soloist with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra at Proms in the Park, playing his own compositions live on BBC TV.
2016 will see John Celebrate 25 years as a professional musician, publishing a book of his compositions, releasing a new solo record & embarking on an extensive UK & European tour. The John McCusker band features some of the finest traditional musicians and singers in the UK : Andy Cutting, Adam Holmes, Innes White & Toby Shaer.
Please note that tonights concert will be held at St James Church, Clerkenwell Close EC1R 0EA, the nearest stations are Farringdon and Angel