Review: Eva Cassidy, The Story (rating 4/5)
Hebridean musician Elsa-Jean McTaggart has carved out a successful career with her performances of traditional and modern arrangements with her husband and sister.
Here she has applied her pitch perfect vocals and a range of instruments to tell the life story of her favourite artist Eva Cassidy in which she teases the audience through the American folk singer’s most iconic songs.
Eva Cassidy became famous after being ‘discovered’ posthumously by the radio presenter Terry Wogan. She died at the tragically young age of 33, but her talent made her a legend.
Speaking after the performance Elsa-Jean said: “I was inspired to tell this story after losing my own voice seven years ago. Since then I have vowed to take greater care of my own precious gift, and Eva has inspired me to do that.”
While resting her voice, she visited a show at the Fringe about Simon & Garfunkel. Impressed, she asked the performers for any advice. “They said ‘do something you love’. I love Eva Cassidy, and so this tribute show was born.
“It is just pure pleasure for me to sing these songs and very different to my everyday musical life.”
The hour long show comprises up to eight songs and includes one captivating and touching ‘duet’ in which Elsa-Jean sings in harmony to a video recording of Eva in song.
It’s a beautiful show, with some emotional moments. The narrative could have been tightened up, but the late Eva would surely have been moved by Elsa-Jean’s tribute.
The Space@Symposium Hall until 25 August
We saw Elsa McTaggart at the Fringe this year (2021) and we agree with everything Julena Drumi writes. McTaggart certainly has a gift like Eva Cassidy had. More than one in fact. As good with her voice as she was on guitar and violin. I bet she can play the piano quite nicely too.
The venue (Symposium Hall, otherwise a lecture hall) was cosy, up close and personal.
McTaggart is not Cassidy. But she sure is up there. The songs were sung in the Cassidy style with tons of feeling and her own songs were very good too.