Well Kept Secret (Alan Thomson & Elliott Morris) Play Backstage At The Green Hotel Kinross On Sunday 18th December 2016 For Mundell Music.

Tickets £15. Buy Tickets HERE.

Green Hotel Kinross Reduced Accommodation Rates

Alan Thomson

Born in Glasgow in 1960 he came from a musical background with both his father and grandfather being jazz musicians and his mother being a fine pianist and singer. He started (like many other kids) to learn to play the violin at age 5 and then moved onto the piano until at 13 years of age, he finally got a guitar. Along with bass player Neil Fairweather, drummer Tim Brittain, and sax/flute and guitarist David Roy, “The Arthur Trout Band” was formed and played in and around Glasgow from 1976-1980 also playing in the summer of 1980 at Stonehenge and Bristol Ashton Court festivals. An occasional visitor to the band rehearsals was David’s cousin, the now legendary Scottish singer/songwriter and innovative guitarist John Martyn.
John needed a bass player for his forthcoming Grace And Danger tour of the UK. Alan borrowed a fretless bass, practiced frantically for two weeks, auditioned and got the job, a relationship which
would last almost thirty years until John’s death. Through his association with John, Alan has recorded and performed with Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Robert Palmer (for whom he wrote the B-side of the hit Addicted to Love), David Gilmour, Linda Lewis and Bert Jansch.In 1989 he recorded and toured for Julia Fordham, an association that continues, most recently on tour in Japan in 2009 with Spen and John Martyn drummer Arran Ahmun.Beginning in 1992 Alan toured for several years as part of a duo with keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman and then with the Wakeman and Wakeman band. He also had a spell on tour as keyboard player for Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler’s solo project and Scottish rock band Strangeways.

The early years playing the guitar left Alan with a good understanding of many different guitar styles and techniques. Early influences include Wishbone Ash, Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Yes, Gong, Led Zeppelin, George Benson, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return To Forever, Herbie Hancock, Weather Report, Steve Khan, BeBop Deluxe, Tony Williams Lifetime with Allan Holdsworth and many more.
As a result, Alan has backed some of the best guitarists around including Hank Marvin, Brent Mason, Albert Lee, Sonny Landrith and Police guitarist Andy Summers. After a chance meeting in 1987 with American guitar virtuoso Jerry Donahue, Alan joined his band The Backroom Boys with singer/guitarist Doug Morter and Gerry on drums. This eventually led to Alan joining guitar trio The Hellecasters which featured Jerry Donahue, Will Ray and John Jorgenson with whom he still works in the John Jorgenson Electric Band. Alan has also toured with blues legend Long John Baldry and Canadian guitarist Amos Garrett. Other artists include Sally Barker, Dick Gaughan, Roger Hodgson (Supertramp), Bo Diddley, Then Came The Wheel, Shonu, Peoplespeak, Steps Ahead, The Frank O’Hagan band, Rev Doc and The Congregation, and ex-Moody Blues and Wings guitarist Denny Laine.

Elliott Morris

– 2013 CELTIC CONNECTIONS DANNY KYLE AWARD WINNER –

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“Extraordinary…ludicrously youthful and absurdly talented”  Tom Robinson, BBC 6Music

“Very nice!” Andy Mckee — “Lovely playing” Martin Carthy

“I like his EP ‘Shadows and Whispers’ very much…I suspect we’re going to be hearing quite a bit more of that lad in the weeks and months to come!” Mike Harding 

“Fantastic…Really high quality stuff!” Will Gompertz (BBC Arts Editor)

“As the guy who has had the honour, for many years now, to present Cambridge Folk Festival’s Saturday afternoon Stage 2 Session, I regularly get to see the cream of the international folk scene. In 2014, Elliott Morris walked on and quite simply, stole the show. Go and see him, now.” Brian McNeill (The Battlefield Band)

“You’ve got the tapping thing down man!” Frank Turner

“One of the most impressive guitarists to grace our studio for a very long time…a compelling listen – and mesmerizing to watch!” Dean Jackson – The Beat / BBC Introducing

“His guitar playing is intricate and skilful and his voice is strong and honest…heartfelt folky pop” Dave Gorman

“Very nice hammer-type-playing-thing-style” Adrian Lester (Hustle)

 “Super-talented” Acoustic Magazine

Bio

With hundreds of gigs behind him – and a coveted Danny Kyle Award from Celtic Connections 2013 – Elliott Morris has a formidable reputation as one of the hardest-working and most sought-after young artists on the acoustic scene.

The singer-songwriter, featured in Acoustic magazine as ‘The Next Big Thing’, taps the strings and beats the guitar’s body to create an intricate spectacle, together with an original and unique sound integral to his songs.

Half English, half Scottish and raised in Wales and Lincolnshire, Elliott has always been one to enjoy travelling, and this is evident in his almost constant touring schedule. He’s played all across the British Isles, from Orkney to Plymouth, Boston to Llangrannog, Belfast to Clonakilty.

Elliott’s original compositions marry intricate guitar lines with heartfelt, honest vocals and clever wordplay, combining elements of folk, roots, jazz and country. Embracing the traditional and the contemporary – this is folk music for the 21st century.

Well Kept Secret With Alan Thomson & Elliott Morris

Well Kept Secret

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