The inestimable Mr Marra

To anyone other than a Scot, the name Michael Marra is unlikely to be a new one, but it's one that you should take the time to investigate.  A genuine polymath from the dreich city of Dundee, he is Scotland's greatest living songwriter - our Randy Newman - and an accomplished actor, working widely with the excellent National Theatre of Scotland.  He also paints, writes stories and occasionally does a wonderful collaboration with the poet Liz Lochhead, entitled 'In Fragrant Delicht' which has played to packed houses throughout Scotland as well as in the US and Australia.

Michael's songs are superbly crafted and show the hand of a master at work.  He loves incongruity, as songs like 'Frida Kahlo's visit to the Tay Bridge Bar' and 'Dr John's visit to Blairgowrie' show.  In the former he has the Mexican painter killing time in his favourite Dundee pub while she waits for St Peter to unjam the pearly gates.  Frida had what Michael describes as a 'part-time' husbad in the somewhat overweight Diego Rivera, and the chorus 'There will be no more lies and no more tears, no more listening through the fat man's ears, no more tears and no more lies, and no more looking through the fats man's eyes', sounds deceptively simple but a lot of time and effort goes into song-writing of that quality.

Michael has written the music for a number of stage productions, including 'The Mill Lavvies' about the Jute mills in his native city.  It includes his song 'If Dundee was Africa', which attempts to explain to one of the not-so-bright characters in the play exactly where Africa is, and is yet another piece of remarkable writing.  The list of his wonderful songs goes on and on: 'Reynard in Paradise' describes the day a fox ran on to the Parkhead pitch during a Celtic v Aberdeen football match, and his alternative Scottish national anthem, 'Hermless' never fails to bring the house down, as does his a capella song 'Muggie Sha' about a fearless and terrifying specimen of Dundee womanhood!

At the recent Edinburgh Festival Fringe awards ceremony, Michael was awarded a Herald Angel award for his performances over the years, and that followed on from his Honorary Doctorate from the University of Dundee - he may not be big in England but the Scots know exactly how good he is.

Thankfully, Michael has a website www.marra.me.uk/ where you can hear samples of his songs and decide for yourself what sort of a rare talent he possesses.  He tours down south from time to time and if you ever get the chance to see him live, don't pass up the opportunity.