This year’s Ocaidich Improvise! saw Ceòl ‘s Craic join forces once more with Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra to explore themes of migrant identities and nature. Singers Debbie Armour and Alasdair Whyte were featured guests. The collaboration included new graphic scores by GIO bassist Una MacGlone, spoken word, song and soundscapes based on poems from Fo Bhlàth (Flourishing), a recent collection from Glasgow’s first poet laureate, Niall O’Gallagher who also performed.
Graphic scores allowed musical explorations of Glasgow place names derived from Gaelic trees. Other work was inspired by O’Gallagher’s poetry imagining what modern-day miracles might be manifested by St Mungo, the patron saint of Glasgow. Debbie Armour and Alasdair Whyte performed songs informed by their identities as Muileach (natives of the island of Mull) living in Glasgow.
Chunnaic Ocaidich! na bliadhna seo Ceòl ‘s Craic ann an co-bhonn ri Orcastra Ocaidich Ghlaschu gus cuspairean dearbh-aithne, imrich is nàdar a rannsachadh. Bha na seinneadairean Debbie Armour agus Alasdair MacIlleBhàin air aoigheachd aca. Anns a’ cho-obrachadh seo, bha sgòran ùra grafaigeach leis a’ chluicheadair beus-fhidheall Una MacGlone aig GIO, am facal labhairte, òrain agus cruth-fhuaimean stèidhichte air dàin bho Fo Bhlàth (Flourishing), cruinneachadh ùr bhon chiad bhàrd Ghlaschu, Niall O’Gallagher, a bha cuideachd a’ gnìomhadh air àrd-ùrlar.
Cheadaich na sgòran grafaigeach do rannsachadh ciùil air ainmean-àite ann an Glaschu aig a bheil an tùs ann an craobhan. Bha obair eile air a brosnachadh le bàrdachd O’Gallagher, a’ meòrachadh air na mìorbhailean bhon latha an-diugh a bhiodh air an taisbeanadh leis an Naomh Mungo, pàtran-naomh Ghlaschu. Sheinn Debbie Armour agus Alasdair MacIlleBhàin òrain air an fhiosrachadh bho an dearbh-aithne mar Mhuilich (à eilean Mhuile bho dhùthchas) agus a’ fuireach ann an Glaschu.
