Sound of Jura presents

22 May 2015 20:30
Jura Hall

Miriam Jones + Giles Perring/Ewan MacPherson

Kirsty Law


Continuing the music for the 2015 season, we've got a show on 22 May, the eve of the Jura Fell Race, and we're bringing song smithing of the highest order to Jura from Canada.

A small-town British Columbia native, Miriam Jones has written and recorded albums on the Nova Scotia coast, in Nashville, and in England where she is now settled. She supported Aztec Camera's Roddy Frame on his UK tour at the end of last year, the first outing for her new record, Between Green and Gone. The album is a concise collection of poignant short stories in song form brought perfectly to life through a creative partnership with a musician who is no stranger to Sound of Jura Simon Edwards, whose craft graces albums from Albert Kuvesin & Yat Kha, Karl Culley, Fairground Attraction, Billy Bragg and David Gray. Miriam Jones' new album comprises ten, four-minute tales which are delivered with a grit and warmth that puts her firmly in the Bonnie Raitt and Joan Osborne class of tough but soulful exponents of North American roots music. It's a thrill to have the chance to hear this in the surroundings of the Jura Hall

“Transfixed by her style .... emotive performances that combine darkness and soul but warmth and accessibility too” – Maverick
“Quiet, restrained and thoughtful piece of work ... it’s a very good record” Independent On Sunday
"classy confident country pop”acoustic mag

Giles Perring is an artist with a very diverse background. He describes his own music as 'having no genre but its own'. His interests reflect a restless musical temperament. He has engaged with music as varied as rock, pop, electronica, contemporary composition, jazz and improvised, industrial and traditional music. A member of the ground breaking and innovative sound collective Echo City since 1983, his work outside that formative project has associated him The Shout, Van der Graaf, Fad Gadget, Yat Kha, Islay Gaidhlig Choir, Sarum Orchestra, Karl Culley and The Mekons. Meanwhile his own recorded compositions have featured in cinema, radio, theatre and many major TV shows. He is teaming up for this show with Ewan MacPherson, who's musical craftsmanship has been incorporated into his work in bands like Breabach and Shooglenifty, and who has been heard live on Jura in collaborations with Lauren MacColl and Luke Daniel. Giles is pairing with Ewan to give a little flavour of some the music that he gets up to at the moment in the Sound of Jura studio, which has been established at Knockrome for about 9 years now.

5 June 2015 20:30
Jura Hall

Des Horsfall's Kuschty Rye & Clare Jordan

des horsfal      clare jordan

We've got quite a busy live music programme on Jura for all you fans of a proper evening's entertainment over the next few weeks. Hot the heels of our Fell Race Eve gig on 22 May, we've finally got the chance to put on a show that been in discussion for a while, in the shape of Des Horsfall's Kuschty Rye...

Des earned his stripes in various Roots/Country-Rock band line-ups from his West Yorkshire base since the late 70s, Des Horsfall has had, in his own words,“a few skirmishes with fame”. In the 80s, under the guidance [til his untimely death] of the legendary Alexis Korner], he fronted Blues-Rock band Raw Deal. In the 90s Des opened gigs for an illustrious list of seriously good people that includes Joe Ely, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, and Chuck Prophet.
After a decade of as a producer in his own studio [Valve Studios], Horsfall has reemerged with his live ‘Rustic Rock n Roll’ outfit ‘Des Horsfall’s KUSCHTY RYE’ and a critically acclaimed  album ‘The Good Gentleman’s Tonic’, for which he proudly cites the influences of Ronnie Lane and Slim Chance. The album features Slim Chance members Benny Gallagher, Charlie Hart and Steve Simpson and was described by Ronnie’s old mate Pete Townshend as 'a killer record….KILLER!.'
We've got Des performing with his frequent compadré, guitarist and mandolin player Dan Raza.

We're very, very pleased to be able to announce that we've just added Islay's Clare Jordan to the bill on 5 June. Clare is a major local talent, both as a Gaidhlig singer but also as a composer and songwriter. She is well known to local audiences for her stunning singing while her song cycle Blar was performed on Islay in 2013 as part of the Feis. A number of the songs then featured on the Islay Gaidhlig Choir Cd released by Sound of Jura.
Clare hails from Connel, a small village outside Oban, and has been heavily involved in traditional music and song from a young age. She continued her love for music right through her school years and eventually went on to complete a degree in Gaelic and Traditional Music. Since then she has been involved in many projects which include Blār, but also Rogha Bārdachd Ėle and many others. Clare also plays with Islay band Siar who released their debut EP last year. Clare says, 'I now want to pusue my dream of becoming a full-time performing artist specialising in Gaelic song'.

Tickets for our shows are available on our tickets page
Ģ12 on the door or online
Ģ10 in advance, in person, from the Jura Community Store

Travel ideas

Come straight into Craighouse from Tayvallich with The Jura Passenger Ferry contact Nicol on sailings@islayseasafari.co.uk or +44 7768 450000.

Accommodation is available at the Jura Hotel and the various B/B's on the island. There is also camping in the Hotel field. Look at the Jura Development Trust website for more information.

Jura Island Tours can offer transport to and from the concert venue from Feolin Ferry as well as an acclaimed and highly informative Island tour for anyone who fancies making a day of it. Contact Alex on +44 1496 820 314 or alex@jurabus.co.uk


If you're heading over from Islay you can use the Jura Ferry. It offers late evening return transport to Port Askaig which you need to book on +44 1496 840 681. It should be booked at least 3 days before the concert for late evening travel to Islay after the music finishes, using the 23:00 return sailing from Port Askaig.

previously from Sound of Jura

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19 Nov 2011 poster
20 August 2011 poster
Tip of the Tongue logo
Tallships Race Stavanger 2011
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thumbnail of 160813 poster thumbnail of 160813 poster

for all enquiries

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