Real Shops

Real Shops is the last in a series of 3 jazz commissions by An Tobar in celebration of its home town on the island of Mull. Using five local shops on Main Street of Tobermory as its inspiration, this new music will reflect their quirkiness and individual personalities. Unlike most other towns, Tobermory’s shops are owned and run by real people who live here - no multinationals on this island! An Tobar has invited The David Milligan Trio to compose this new jazz suite which will be recorded and premiered in Tobermory in Spring 2007.

The Dave Milligan Trio are among Scotland’s leading forces in Scottish music, equally at home in jazz and folk and described by The Observer as creating "an exceptionally complete and cohesive sound...much more varied music that you would expect from this conventional-looking instrumentation...quite outstanding". David Milligan (also co-Musical Director of The Unusual Suspects – the unofficial Scottish folk orchestra) leads the Trio on piano with Tom Lyne on double bass and Tom Bancroft on drums. During their residency the trio will perform sections of the suite in local shops, record the music for release on CD in summer 2007 and will give a concert in An Tobar at the end of the week. They will also work with other young and old musicians to develop their vocal and instrumental skills.

In 2005, the first commission commemorated the centenary year of the Tobermory town clock and was undertaken by The George Burt / Raymond MacDonald Sextet featuring Keith Tippett on piano. The music focussed on the life of Victorian traveller Isabella Bird who gave the money for the building of the clock in memory of her sister. The suite was released on CD as “A Day For A Reason”. The second project in 2006 took inspiration from Tobermory’s 3 piers which are such an important part of the town. Saxophonist Graeme Wilson composed music for a sax quartet brought together especially for the occasion. The Harbour Association Saxophone Quartet played the music on the waterfront for the benefit of the whole town and the recording of the project will be released later in 2007. With the addition of this final suite, these 3 commissions will collectively form an exotic document of arguably the most beautiful town in the Hebrides.

The complete Real Shops suite will be premiered in An Tobar on Friday 6th April at 8.30pm with tickets priced £8 (£6 members).