The Bevvy Sisters in Concert

The Bevvy Sisters unite the richly seasoned voices of Heather Macleod, Kaela Rowan and Lindsey Black in a headily harmonised cocktail of jazz, Americana, folk and newly-written material. Sometimes sighted fronting Edinburgh's semi-mythical LoveBoat Big Band, they're generally accompanied by David Donnelly (guitar,mandolin), and James Mackintosh (percussion) and, on really special occasions, by Emma Smith (double bass).

"some of the silkiest, sultriest, sauciest harmonies ever likely to caress your ears." Sue Wilson

"...sultry harmonies as lethal as the free cocktails they serve. * * * *" Jan Fairley Aug 2008

"....Harmony-vocal trio The Bevvy Sisters mixing up vintage jazz, gospel and folk with brio and flair..." The Scotsman July 2008

"....stunningly beautiful, endlessly shifting patterns of harmonic colour and overlapping resonance, creating both a sound rarefied and sumptuous." Northings - Highlands and Islands Arts Journal Dec 2008

An invitation to play The Big Tent Festival (2008) saw the first solo appearance of The Bevvy Sisters and they also featured on Eliza Carthy's acclaimed, 'Dreams of Breathing Underwater' album. The trio then appeared in January 2009 at Celtic Connections and in June 2009 recorded their debut album, 'The Bevvy Sisters - St James Sessions', released at Celtic Connections in January 2010.

If you're really, really lucky you'll also catch the trio fronting Edinburgh's semi-mythical LoveBoat Big Band, a totally wonderful musical experience designed around the "Theory of Pure Unadulterated Hedonism"(!). However, with the ease and speed with which the voices and feel of the trio came together they felt their sound needed to be developed in a more versatile set up than with a seventeen-piece big band!

For tickets and to reserve a place please phone Cromarty Arts Trust 01381 600354 or email us at info@cromartyartstrust.org.uk

Tickets cost £10 and £8 concession £3 for children under 16

Biogs of the Band

Heather Macleod

"... a creamily curvaceous voice that ranged the full gamut from velvety intimacy to majestic, rafter-rattling intensity" (Scotsman)

Heather arrived in Edinburgh in 1995 from Stornoway via a Fine Arts degree and blues jams in Aberdeen. Here she has stretched her creative wings as a singer, songwriter and much sought-after vocal arranger, most notably with Eliza Carthy, La Boum! and The Loveboat Big Band. Heather's own songs have developed too leading to the release of her acclaimed solo debut album, 'Crossing Tides' (Leod Music 2005), featuring guest appearances by double-bass legend Danny Thompson, double Grammy-winning harmonica heavyweight Sugar Blue, and alt.classical pioneers Mr McFall's Chamber.

"One of those rare albums that defies any simple categorisation ... as good an example of singer songwriting as there's likely to be this year" (Taplas)

Crossing Tides paved the way for extensive touring with her band and along with headline gigs and appearances she opened shows for Eliza Carthy, Bert Jansch, Kathryn Williams, Cara Dillon, Michael Marra, Tam White, and Juliet Turner.

"... breathtakingly beautiful ... simply stunning ... a prodigious talent" (Folkmag)

The arrival of daughter Essie in 2007 shifted the focus of work and made way for the arrival of The Bevvy Sisters.

Kaela Rowan

"Graced by Kaela Rowan's beautifully impassioned vocals" (Scotsman)

Once heard, never forgotten ... Kaela Rowan's voice has come a long way since learning her craft singing in sessions, folk bands and festivals around her home of Lochaber in the Scottish Highlands. Citing an eclectic range of influences - John Martyn, Planxty, Dick Gaughan and Joni Mitchell amongst many others - Kaela has forged a unique path through the Scottish music scene.

Moving to Edinburgh in her twenties, a passion for traditional song and dance led to training in community arts and Kaela became a dance and traditional music tutor for (amongst others) Edinburgh's renowned Dance Base, the Adult Learning Project, Feisean Nan Gaidheal, and Borders Council.

As lead singer with the influential Scottish group, "Mouth Music", Kaela recorded four albums and toured globally playing prestigious headline slots at major festivals including Womad, Glastonbury, and Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations.

Kaela's voice is much in demand and she has recorded and performed with acclaimed acts such as Shooglenifty, The Mike McGoldrick Band, Capercaillie, Eliza Carthy Band, Nusa, Flame & Fury, and the Scottish Step Dance Company.

With her own band having featured on the award-winning BBC TV Ceol Tacsi music series, Kaela is now recording a debut solo album, after releasing a debut solo EP in January 2009, under the guise of Kaela Rowan and the Roses, "Soulful and quirky songs in the key of life."

"Radiantly entwined voices" (Scotsman)

Lindsey Black

Lindsey comes from a talented family of singers and musicians who used to travel around West Lothian near Edinburgh performing in factories, hospitals, local halls and mining villages. Lindsey trained as a teacher at Stirling University but spent most of her time playing and writing songs on the many available pianos in the music school. Then, after a few years of singing and playing keyboards and accordion in many Edinburgh outfits, she decided to front her own band, Pollen.

"Listening to Pollen is a bit like lying flat out on a sunny day. Close your eyes and enjoy the warmth of hypnotic beats, funky melodies and mellow vocals." (The List)

"Singer Lindsey Black fronts the band with great aplomb ****" (Edinburgh Evening News )

Lindsey appeared at Glasgow's Celtic Connections festival (1999) by taking part in the 'New Voices' commission alongside 12 other notable Scottish singers (including Heather Macleod) for Andy Thorburn's vocal composition, "Tuath Gu Deas". The piece was also performed that year at The Highland Festival and the Edinburgh Festival. The she appeared again in "Tuath Gu Deas" at Celtic Connections in 2000 and performed at the Folkworks festval, "Vocal Chords 2000". Lindsey made an appearance on BBC TV's award-winning Ceol Tacsi msuic series with 'Tuath Gu Deas' and as guest singer with 'Shine' (Mary Mcmaster, Alyth MacCormack and Corinna Hewitt).

Lindsey's band, Pollen, continued to perform in 2000 and travelled to Los Angeles, USA to perform four acoustic shows with members of LA's Honeyslide and percussionist David Dutton.

"Lindsey Black is a high priestess of vocal dynamics" (Orange County Weekly, Los Angeles)

Through 2002, Pollen continued to write and perform in the UK while Lindsey also worked with Heather Macleod and Mary Macmaster in the Celtic/world music 10-piece La Boum!. One of her songs, 'Who Are You', featured on 'Sugarcane', Shine's debut album.

Lindsey took time off from performing following the birth of her son Jamie in 2004 and returned to live performance with Heather Macleod and The Very Healthy Measures in 2005 while rejoining La Boum! for their second album launch. In 2006 Lindsey, with Kaela, joined 'The Loveboat Big Band'.

"Simply brilliant! You MUST see them * * * * *" (FORTH FM. Edinburgh's local commercial radio station)