Tradfest, Gnoss, Pleasance Cabaret Bar, Edinburgh, Rob Adams, three stars
Of the categories in the annual Scots Trad Music Awards few can be more busily contested than Up and Coming Act of the Year. There seems to be a limitless stream of young talent coming through the folk and trad scene and the Glasgow-based quartet Gnoss, who were nominated for this particular title in 2017, typifies the strength of the field.
Three of the group are still studying on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Scottish music course – flute and whistle player Connor Sinclair has graduated from the course – but they already have admirable onstage assurance, and with one full CD release and a more recent EP available they’re gaining confidence as recording artists.
The central thrust of their performance comes from the Orcadian pair centre stage, fiddler and mandolinist Graham Rorie and singer-guitarist Aidan Moodie, although Sinclair and bodhran player Craig Baxter are fully integrated into the music.
Rorie, as well as catching the eye by playing fiddle right-handed and mandolin left-handed but upside down, writes tunes with an engaging twist and adds imaginative colour to arrangements that are smartly punctuated and crisply executed. He also has a line in chat and tune explanations that calls to mind his fellow Orcadian fiddler and incurable wag, Jennifer Wrigley.
Moodie’s voice, while not yet especially strong, has an attractive timbre and he sings songs from the Tim O’Brien-Dirk Powell Americana axis and a fine adaptation of the traditional ballad I Will Set My Ship In Order with sincerity and good diction.
With well managed energy to match their bright onstage personality, it will be interesting to see and hear where Gnoss are a year or two from now.
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