The concept of a house concert was a new one to me but a check on the web site house-concerts-42.posterous.com shows that it’s a new and thriving phenomenon described as a “Secret gig location in Edinburgh showcasing the best musicians from Scotland and the world in an intimate venue.”
The old converted Co-operative store at 42-43 Royal Park Terrace, all eclectic seating and white wooden walls covered in old tin adverts and various quirky knick-knacks, doubles as the home and photography studio of Douglas Robertson. The drawing of a couple of red curtains changes the atmosphere in an instant from an eccentric living area to an cosy gig space. It has played host to players of blue grass, jazz and folk from the likes of the Foghorn Stringband, The Wrigley Sisters, Martin Kershaw and The Bevvy Sisters.
Laudably, all monies collected on the night go to the artists. On Thursday 24 May it was the venue for the launch of the latest album, Parcel of Rogues, from folk singer, Jake Cogan, and her band The Liberty Roses.
Parcel of Rogues is the second album of Edinburgh based Lanarkshire lass Jake Cogan. Both this and her first album, Jake Cogan and the Liberty Roses have been Album of the Week of Radio Scotland’s folk aficionado, Iain Anderson. This latest collection of songs was inspired following a live performance with Dick Gaughan on BBC Radio Scotland on Burns Night this year.
I confess to anticipating hearing these versions of Burns’ songs with some trepidation as there seemed a lot of words like ‘transatlantic’, ‘American interpretations’ and ‘American twang’ in the Press release and dreaded a phoney mid- Atlantic accent skewing the Scots words. However the influence from across the pond was purely musical and not at all linguistic so my fears were unfounded.
Jake Cogan has a wonderful mellifluous voice that caresses the air with consistent undiminishing quality. Her show is peppered with her dry West of Scotland wit and banter. Her four strong group of young musicians is relaxed, informal, modern and focussed, providing tight harmonies and fresh interpretations of well -known Burns’ songs like Awa Whigs awa, The Braes o Killiecrankie and Green Grow the Rashes O.
The set opened with a smooth silk toned rendition of Afton Water followed by a haunting US gospel song, Annabelle that featured in Jake’s first, and now sold out, album. Her version of Aye Waukin was utterly beautiful and heart -felt with the subtle tones of the lap steel played Jed Potts giving it the pace of an insomniac pertinent to the lyrics.
The slow tempo and poetic lyrics of Jack Daw were moving and melodious, and just one stroke of the bow from fiddle player Emily Peppers added suitable poignancy to the political song Tonight. The song Hello in there, an American working class ballad about loss and old people was delivered with a well -judged maturity.
The song that gives title to this new album, Parcel of Rogues, was performed with due seriousness and concentration and played in a suitably dirge like style befitting its sentiments. Similarly, Jake and the band hit just the right note for this last emotional song Here’s a Health tae them that’s awa, that seemed right for the Scottish political Zeitgeist.
It would be trite to say that Jake Cogan, a confident performer with a beautiful smile, was easy on the ear. She is much more than that. Her voice is mature and melodious and she and the band give off a good natured vibe throughout the gig and a fresh and welcome American vibe to the music without detracting from the old Scots songs that play a large part of their repertoire.