ON SATURDAY, the Barrowlands played host to the cream of Glasgow’s music scene in a specially curated Celtic Connections show, put together by corto.alto’s Liam Shortall.  

Three decades on from its foundation, the annual festival is as eclectic as it ever has been – showcasing the adventurous, experimental and diverse nature of Scotland’s cultural communities, from new and upcoming local talent to well-established names. 

And what better way to celebrate this than with a  line-up at the Barrowlands called ‘MADE in Glasgow’ – a thrilling snapshot of the city’s varied music scenes, featuring rapper Bemz, neo-soul, R’n’B artist Becky Sikasa, trumpeter Johnny Woodham and his group JSPHYNX, jazz DJ and producer Rebecca Vasmant and, of course, spearheaded by jazz tour de force corto.alto.  

We arrived just in time for Pippa Blundell, nominated for the Sound of Young Scotland in 2023. Known for her lyrical storytelling, her gentle folk songs, imbued with delicate harmonies, ambient tones and finger-picked guitars, hushed the growing crowd into a warm reverence.  

Rapper Bemz brought more of a bounce – treating us to a slew of new material as well as established bangers like ‘Zidane’ and ‘RAGING BULL’. Having had a quiet few months by his own admission, he made the Barras stage his own, performing with a casual confidence and conducting the crowd like a pro with his infectious energy and distinctive flow.  

In-between sets it was left to Rebecca Vasmant to expertly keep the atmosphere going, with one meticulous selection after another, before the headliners took to the stage. 

corto.alto is the brainchild of the prolific Liam Shortall, a bonafide lynchpin of the city’s flourishing jazz scene. Since his earliest filmed sessions in his Sauchiehall Street flat in 2019, his profile has grown immeasurably – particularly thanks to last year’s Mercury Prize for debut album ‘Bad with Names’.  

No surprise then that for his live show, he brought with him a cohort of equally talented musicians – the likes of pianist Fergus McCreadie, drummer Graham Costello, saxphonist Harry Weir and other experts of their craft. It made for a virtuosic and wholly entrancing live set that never lost your attention.  

Rightly, Shortall took centre stage with his trombone – bringing the night to a vigorous start as the other musicians around him settled into an infectious groove. “If you know the words, sing along”, he winked.  

Many of the tracks began in this way – a showcase solo for one member, and a stylish groove over which the rest of the band could stretch over – channelling jazz funk, classic soul, broken beats, grimy drum and bass at different points. The tracks would at times effortlessly merge into one another – fluid and vibrant with colour – as they lifted from the Mercury-nominated ‘Bad with Names’, Shortall’s prolific ‘30/108’ project in which he completed and released 30 songs over 30 days, and more.  

And while there was plenty of intricate, virtuosic instrumentation on show for the chin-stroking jazz lovers, the band’s effortless musicianship often aimed straight at the heart and feet. The energy did not let up throughout – full of danceable syncopated numbers, euphoric brass-led moments and solo triumphs. 

The Glasgow audience was happy to respond. There was plenty of love in the room for those on stage – from the sweeping brass section, featuring Harry Weir’s impassioned sax, to the Thundercat-esque bass lines to the rhythmic masterclass from Graham Costello. He played a vital role throughout, dictating the pace of proceedings with his precise timing and bursts of creativity, at times unbelievable to witness. This was of course matched by Fergus McCreadie’s technical brilliance on keyboard, adding warmth and innovative harmonics.  

Everyone was given a moment to shine, with Shortall quick to highlight the many individual and group projects ongoing beyond the world of corto.alto. A particularly heart-warming moment was the arrival of one of his biggest influences, the prolific Tommy Smith on stage for a euphoric finale.  

Of course, you can’t deny the technical players on show, but the frontman Shortall deserves full credit for the ingenuous writing and arranging – crafting a show that was uplifting, infectious and captivating from start to finish.

Photos by Kris Kesiak