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"Intense, poetical and oft dark yet recounted through pleasing melodies. A rich tapestry has been woven into the songs; like a thoughtful unpicking and re-stitching of life’s journey." R2 Magazine
Described by Songlines as “a future classic” and by Acoustic Magazine as “an enchanting delight” ★★★★ award-winning singer and composer brings his solo show which uses an original 19th century Polyphon machine as part of the performance. Live, clockwork and sampled sound beautifully crafted into modern morality tales and intriguing instrumental music. Luke’s work as a member of the Cara Dillon Band or Riverdance Orchestra sets his pedigree at the very highest level and promises a night of outstanding acoustic songs and music.
The Polyphon is a disc-playing music box, a mechanical device manufactured in Leipzig, Germany in 1880. Disc projections, called plectra, engage with a series of ratchet-like star wheels, that, when moved through 40 degrees on their axis, pluck 120 teeth on the instruments bed plate and comb, these teeth then resonate, sounding predetermined notes. Upon the musical comb, the fast treble notes are sounded furthest from the centre and the slower base notes nearest the centre. Newly manufactured 19 and 5/8th inch diameter steel discs rotate at 1.4 rpm and perform the first new music written for Polyphon in over a century.
A BBC award winning folk musician and former Riverdance band member who has performed with Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, Cara Dillon and De Dannan.
Folk Musician in Residence of the Scottish National Museum of Rural Life and tutor on the traditional music course at Royal Conservatoire Scotland in Glasgow.
His 2015 album of melodeon music transcribed from early wax cylinders and 78s was described in the Scotsman as “outstanding.” A soloist on the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit soundtracks he performed at the Royal Festival Hall with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
His commissioned work for the PRS for Music New Music Biennial in 2014 was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 from London’s Barbican Centre and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
He has performed at the Edinburgh Festival’s Assembly Rooms and on Broadway with Riverdance. His musical partnership with the School of Philosophy at Edinburgh University culminated in sell out shows at Celtic Connections Festival on two consecutive years with Songs of the Scottish Enlightenment. He recently sang and played live for Mark Radcliffe on his BBC Radio 2 folk programme and was described by Mark as a “master melodeon player.”
Join Luke here at The Continental for a very special intimate show on Thursday 26th May 2022.
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