In the Wake of Neil Gunn

In 1937 Neil Gunn sold his house, quit his job and went off in an old converted lifeboat for a summer to inspire his writing; voyaging around the west coast of Scotland. He wrote about the various communities on the way in his book ‘Off in a Boat’, and went on to become one of Scotland’s most prolific and creative fiction writers.

‘In the wake of Neil Gunn’ is a traditional arts commission that sees Mike Vass, described as ‘one of the most original composers working in the field of acoustic music’, create a new suite inspired by his own voyage in May 2014, mirroring Gunn’s 1937 odyssey. The music celebrates Scotland’s coastal communities, the inspirational joy of sailing, and Neil Gunn’s outstanding contribution to Scottish literature. Mike Vass will be joined by some of Scotland’s most renowned musicians, including the Cairn String Quartet, Innes Watson, Hamish Napier, Jennifer Port and Euan Burton, to launch his ground-breaking new album.