Medicine Music presents Grass Roots at Hoots Christmas Party with Culture Clash at Hootananny in Inverness on Thursday 29th December 2005. An evening of Zimbabwe Jit and Caledonian Fusion with Culture Clash featuring Rise Kagon, founding member of The Bhundu Boys and Champion Doug Veitch, the Undisputed King of Caledonian Cajun Swing .
Rob Ellen of Medicine Music explains, "I was managing Joe Public an indie band from St Andrews in the 90's, we were invited to open up for the Bhundu Boys . They took us under their wing. We travelled the length of the country together, they shared their audiences their stages their meals and their home with us, my memory is of ecstatic crowds and wonderful music played by gentle humble people. I am delighted now that Rise is returning to the world stage and that he and Champion Doug Vietch following there recent appearance at The Ullapool Guitar Festival have agreed , to take their fabulous band back to the Highlands."
"The Bhundu Boys story in general, is a story of our time both Scotland on Sunday and the Independent have done full colour features on Rise recently and Radio Scotland's Celtic Connections and long time fan BBC Radio 3 Andy Kershaw have done studio sessions . Given Doug (who is an under rated music pioneer in his own right, he still holds the record for NME Singles of the week, 6 in all) was the man who brought The Bhundu Boys here, and how seminal and auspicious that turned out to be for music in general, and "World Music" in particular , taken against the back drop of tragedy both for Zimbabwe and for her most famous musical sons The Bhundu Boys. Its is really a huge story, all be it a harrowing one. Now that Rise (who is a Guitar hero to many and incidentally is the most unassuming and accepting of people) has been discovered in such humble surroundings on our door step so to speak, now with the chance of more happier times. Its a very human story, I'm very pleased to say The Scots seem to be taking it readily to their hearts."
In 1987, the Bhundu Boys played Wembley as special guest of Madonna. Today, the band's members are either dead, in jail or broke. However The legendary guitarist Rise Kagona and founding member of The Bhundu Boys has hooked up with the man who discovered them on The Harare Club Scene and brought them here all those years ago, Champion Doug Vietch, the Forestry Expert who puts the tree in Country and merges his music into reggae and unique interpretations of Cajun material now introduces Kagona's "Harare Jit" into the glorious gumbo. Doug and Rise have teamed up to form "Culture Clash" .
Rise Kagona, is a guitar hero to many on two continents! The BBC's Andy Kershaw sights him as having changed his life, and John Peel famously interviewed the band for the telly from their kitchen. Rise is possibly the only living Guitarist attributed with starting a whole new guitar genre "Harare Jit". He founded the Bhundu Boys they topped The Zimbabwe charts countless times, and launched their infinitely infectious Dance Music on an unsuspecting and overly serious UK Music Scene in the otherwise uninspired 1980's, soon with support of Kershaw, Peel and Radio London's Charlie Gillett, it seemed like the whole Country was dancing to the Jit.
This is the band that almost single-handily converted a large swathe of the population of the U.K. into African music lovers. In the early-to-mid 80s, they came to these shores and toured, and toured, and toured once again. They would play anywhere, from village halls to the largest concert venue & festival stages, and wherever they played they took the audience by storm. With the familiar ululating call-and-response which built immediate audience rapport this 5-piece with the intertwining guitar sound, simple drums and clear, almost hoarse, vocal style, would launch into their set and send the entire crowd into a joyous dance frenzy.
Champion Doug Veitch, is "Doug Veitch is an extraordinary man - a stocky Scot with a foul temper and former drink problem, but his love of music was something that infected and impressed enough people to make an entire industry from his personal taste." Mal Eachy, Time Out.
Doug has a special place on the Scottish Music Scene a maverick talent who's left us with a wealth of great music and 6 NME records of the week (Still a record amount) his music explores the roots of the worlds music and did so before the term World Music was ever coined, a favourite of then radio 1 DJ's John Peel and Andy Kershaw, his musical travels literally took him to Harare Zimbabwe which famously lead to the Bhundu Boys arriving on these shores and the first UK and the first ever UK World Music label Disc Afrique being set up to release their records.
As soon as veteran broadcaster Andy Kershaw heard of the Culture Clash project he invited them to do a session for his BBC Radio 3 programme, they also appeared in session on Radio Scotland Celtic Connections then provided the finale of this years Ullapool Guitar Festival in the Highlands of Scotland. What more fitting sight than Rise Kagona soaring soulfully, amongst his peers for one of the country's more discerning and dedicated music audiences. Culture Clash then were invited to play London's John Peel Day tribute concert by Steve Lawson virtuoso bass player, in the same week.
Tickets Only £6 (get em while you can) from Hootananny or by e-mailing rob@medicinemusic.co.uk
