Scottish jazz composer set for gig at Cowdray Hall

Man banned himself from listening to music for nine months in case it influenced him

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SCOTTISH composer Martin Kershaw banned himself from listening to all music – except the latest Radiohead album, In Rainbows – for nine months in case it influenced his latest work.

Music lovers in Aberdeen and Inverness will be able to hear the results when the renowned jazz saxophonist presents Hero As A Riddle – a suite of music inspired by the works of Edinburgh-born artist Eduardo Paolozzi – at the Cowdray Hall on October 31 and Eden Court Theatre on November 5.

Mr Kershaw said: “I couldn’t listen to music as I was scared I would just end up copying down what I’d heard the day before. But the one recording I allowed myself was In Rainbows – I’ve listened to little else since I started composing in January and I think it’s influenced Hero As A Riddle, though not in terms of style.

“What I love about Radiohead is the naturalness of their music and the way they don’t rush things. I think that, like them, one can create beautiful music by keeping it simple.”

He said Hero As A Riddle was the hardest thing he has ever done and encompassed many different styles.

He will be joined on stage by 10 top-class musicians, including pianist Paul Harrison and trumpeter Ryan Quigley.

The events at the Cowdray Hall and Eden Court Theatre will also feature projections of Paolozzi’s work and a pre-concert talk on the artist, who died in 2005. The project – including the recording of it – is funded by the Scottish Arts Council’s New Music Award.