As the child of parents who loved Celtic music, Aberdeenshire-born Kevin Littlejohn learned at first hand the strong emotions these songs evoke.
Performing from a young age, he’s now worked for over twenty years on both sides of the Atlantic, from London to Las Vegas and on cruise ships in between. Now Kevin is back in Scotland, and bringing his new show, Celtic Roots, to the Fringe.
“This show is about the power of music and how it can connect us to our roots.”
Singing a wide variety of songs, from modern Scottish rock to a classic dating back to 1789, Kevin’s delivery is always spot on. His voice is rich and mellifluous, his performance animated and sincere. He opens with that 1789 hit, Robert Burns’ My Heart is in the Highlands, and we can tell he means every word.
Fast forward almost two hundred years, and Kevin gives a beautiful rendition of John Hartford’s Gentle on My Mind, made famous (for those of us who remember Two Way Family Favourites anyway…) by US country singer Glen Campbell. The lyrics may be a little questionable, but find a 1960s’ country song whose aren’t. (Justin Currie recently had some choice things to say about 24 Hours from Tulsa…)
Hartford once said that Gentle on My Mind’s construction made it very hard to sing; it is a testament to Kevin’s skill then that he makes it sound easy. Even those in the audience who aren’t familiar with traditional Scots ballads should know this one.
The lyrics of Tar and Cement are about nostalgia; the singer recalls the beauty of the land he has left, then, on his return, finds that everything has changed while he wasn’t looking. How many of us have felt similarly when revisiting the place of a cherished memory? Celtic Roots isn’t intended to be simply a collection of songs, it’s also a reflection on what home means to each of us; sometimes our memories are just as important as the hard facts of now.
The contemporary Celtic band Skippinsh began on the isle of Tiree; their song Walking on the Waves conjures up memories for any of us who have been fortunate enough to visit the beautiful, deserted beaches of the Hebrides. Kevin brings real enthusiasm to this rollicking melody. It would go down at storm at festivals; I felt like dancing on the spot (don’t worry, I didn’t…)
So what better to follow than two of Edinburgh’s finest, The Proclaimers? Kevin puts his all into Life with You, one of the band’s many hits, and another dancefloor banger.
John Grohan’s You Raise Me Up is next. Kevin appears to be singing this to his accompanist, which I felt a little unsure about, but again his delivery was perfect.
Paul Harrington’s Rock n Roll Kids won Eurovision for Ireland in 1994. It’s again a song of nostalgia, as the singer looks back to the earlier years of his marriage and wonders why he and his partner seem to have drifted apart. I didn’t feel that this one fitted the programme quite so well, but Kevin certainly gave it a good go.
When You and I were Young, Maggie, originally composed in the 19th century, has been recorded by many artists, notably the Irish duo Foster & Allen, whom Kevin recalls as one of his parents’ favourite acts. Again it’s a reflection on memories, but perhaps in a happier vein than Rock n Roll Kids; the singer looks back at his youth, but says that, despite the passage of the years, his sweetheart is a dear to him as she ever was. Kevin brings gentle pathos to this lovely song.
And of course, we can’t end without Dougie Maclean’s much loved – and much recorded – Caledonia. It may have been written in ten minutes on a French beach, but it’s quickly become a Scottish anthem, sung by many a misty-eyed Scot in bars from Nova Scotia to New Zealand,
‘Oh, but let me tell you that I love you
That I think about you all the time
Caledonia you’re calling me
And now I’m going home’
To finish Kevin takes us upbeat once more, and bashes out a lively version of Skerryvore’s Take My Hand. The violin comes into its own here, picking up speed to create a ceilidh vibe, and we’re back on those Tiree sands, but this time maybe with a dash of the Gay Gordons.
Kevin is a great performer, and a professional who was well able to overcome children crying in the audience (this perhaps isn’t a show for the average under 5) and a lot of rustling of paper bags. The Space’s Stevenson Theatre is, unfortunately, still one of their poorer venues; it was as uncomfortably hot for the audience as I remember it being last year, so well done to Kevin and his accompanist for managing to keep their cool. I did find the violin rather scratchy at times, and felt that it would have been less disruptive if the violinist had remained on stage throughout, as the basic nature of the set up made it unavoidable that she could be seen round the curtain.
There was a good audience for this opening show. I wonder if, given the international nature of the Fringe, Kevin could maybe add a little more chat between songs. Visitors to Scotland might perhaps appreciate a bit of background.
And Kevin, your waistcoat was great – please turn around at some point to let everyone enjoy it!
Celtic Roots will transport you to the Highlands and Islands, and give you a true taste of Scottish traditional music, old and new. Kevin describes it as ‘a musical journey back home’, but even if Scotland isn’t your home, the show’s themes of connection and memory are universal.
Celtic Roots is a Right Here Production. It is at Venue 53, theSpace@Surgeons’ Hall, at 15.05pm every day until 10th August. Tickets here.
