Rory McLeod

Friday 16th & Saturday 17th August 2024

An ex-circus clown and fire eater, Rory McLeod is a one-man-soul-band, and poet. He has a natural troubadour’s talent for weaving magical, musical, storytelling spells accompanied by his own bizarre solo orchestra of distinctive instruments. The spoons, finger-cymbals, bandorea, Djembe-drum, harmonica, guitar, trombone and-tap-dancing shoes accompany the “rich, raw, deep and resonant” voice of this “singular and liberating performer”.

Rory is a musical Gypsy, his eccentric melodies are infused with influences from Flamenco to blues, through to Celtic, East European and Calypso rhythms creating a style of music and songwriting that has been described as ‘intimate, revealing, political and powerful’. He not only plays harmonica, guitar, spoons and trombone as part of a ‘roaming’ horn section at festivals, playing his tunes in the middle of fields, outside bars, tents and ‘blowing along’ as a horn section with whoever would invite them to.

As a ‘community artist’ for some 30 years, Rory has toured and performed for community groups in all kinds of venues from village halls, schools, care homes, tents, art centres, community gardens, arts festivals, literature and poetry festivals, libraries and in the middle of fields.

McLeod has performed with many well known musicians including, from the USA Ani Di Franco and Michelle Shocked, Towns Van Zandt, from West Africa Ali Farke Toure, from San Antonio Flaco Jiminez, from Morocco Hassan Erraji, from Madagascar Tarika, Paul Rodden- virtuoso of the Irish 5-string banjo and from Northumbria Kathryn Tickell to name but a few!

Rory has just finished mixing a new album of 12 new songs. 7 of the songs are about Canal Life. To be released in early spring of 2024.

Close up of Rory McLeod with guitar in hand