Party: Blue Rose Code at Montrose Folk Club

Party: Blue Rose Code at Montrose Folk Club

In the space of only a short few years and two stellar albums, Blue Rose Code, Edinburgh-born Ross Wilson, has gone from song-writing in the obscurity of an East London flat to being celebrated by the industry and fans alike as a legacy artist whose work stands alone, unsullied by the restrictions of trend. As Ross himself says, “I’ve never been cool and I’ve never been good-looking. In fact, I’ve zero interest in being cool”.

From the first listen, the music of Blue Rose Code pricks the ears and demands the attention. It’s merely the beginning. As BBC broadcaster Mary-Anne Kennedy said recently, “Blue Rose Code is one of those rare artists whose work makes you sit up and listen”.

The Ballads Of Peckham Rye, Blue Rose Code’s latest record, was nominated for the prestigious Scottish Album Of The Year Awards in 2014 and features a roll-call of remarkable talent, the likes of which brings to mind a bye-gone era from the sixties and seventies where collaboration was part of the process of making art. Danny Thompson, Karine Polwart, John Wetton, Aidan O’Rourke and Kathryn Williams all appear on the record.

Both singles from Ballads received heavy airplay and were playlisted on BBC Radio Scotland, the second, in particular, ‘True Ways Of Knowing’, was a personal triumph for Ross. “Having left school at 16 with no qualifications, for years I believed that the great art and poetry and literature of Scotland was out of my reach, inaccessible to me. I discovered the work of Norman MacCaig and his contemporaries and all of that changed when I put MacCaig’s poem, ‘True Ways Of Knowing’ to my own music.”

“I’m passionate about music being a vehicle for education so to have a piece of poetry playlisted on the BBC was a great kick” This was only the beginning of a broader cultural expedition where, supported by the Saltire Society, Ross is marrying the work of the Scottish Literary Renaissance to music.

Further praise has come from the most unexpected of quarters in Hollywood A-lister, Ewan McGregor. Ewan explained, “my uncle Denis (Lawson, star of Local Hero) gave me a copy of The Ballads Of Peckham Rye, it’s beautiful and I can’t stop listening to it.”

Blue Rose Code has toured rigorously, paid his dues the old-fashioned way, changing line-up and arrangement of songs, depending on the gig. This bold, almost jazz-like vision for performing has earned him a fiercely loyal support up and down the UK. You never know quite what you’re going to get at a Blue Rose Code show, the only guarantee is an unforgettable live experience.

It’s this live reputation that recently had Edith Bowman personally ask for Ross to perform on the launch show of BBC At The Quay with Texas and Stornoway. Edith described Ross’ performance with a nine-piece band, including guest Karine Polwart, as, “truly special and beautiful”.

With album three very nearly in the can, Danny Thompson returning and a number of other high-profile guests TBA, it seems Blue Rose Code will continue to go precisely where his instincts take him.

If you’ve not yet heard the music of Blue Rose Code, well, you’re late to the party but we’ve saved you a seat.

£8.00

www.bluerosecode.com/