The Orchestra was born in the cauld blast that whistled down the River Clyde, through the concrete support pillars of the Kingston Bridge and swirled round the Victorian splendour of the Co-op Headquarters building in Glasgow's south side in the winter of 89/90. It was in this unlikely but appropriately egalitarian setting that Communicado Theatre Company devised and rehearsed 'Jock Tamson's Bairns', a revolutionary piece of Scottish theatre for the occasion of Burns' night and the start of Glasgow city's year as Cultural Capital of Europe.
The show was an intense and volatile meeting of different disciplines and ideas - theatre, song and dance - featuring the artwork of Keith McIntyre and the music of Karen Wimhurst, a talented cast of 23, Liz Lochead as writer and director Gerry Mulgrew. The musicians came from many different disciplines, collaborating and giving the music no tracable pedigree...wild and exotic.
The Cauld Blast Orchestra: Norman Chalmers - Concertina, Jack Evans - Guitar/Bass, Ian Johnstone - Piano/Tuba/Tenor Horn/Accordian, Steve Kettley - Saxes/Flute, Ron Shaw - Cello, Mike Travis - Drums, percussion, Karen Wimhurst - Clarinets, Anne Wood - Violin |
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