BLUE ROSE CODE

Blue Rose Code, aka acclaimed singer-songwriter Ross Wilson, released The Water Of Leith, his first album for Navigator Records, in autumn 2017. A host of stellar reviews culminated in the award for Scottish Album of the Year from The Skinny, whose 5* review stated: “each song fuses a multitude of elements to produce breathtaking beauty”.

The Scottish Daily Express commented: “For those of you that long for Van Morrison to return to his days of Caledonian soul, or miss the late John Martyn, just shift your affections to Ross Wilson” and glowing, 4* appraisals in RNR, Acoustic and Maverick magazines and AmericanaUK (9/10) concurred.

A nomad both geographically and musically, Ross writes from the heart eschewing any specific genre and the twelve new songs on The Water Of Leith, addressing themes of love, loss, travel, home, accepting the past and embracing the future, are painted with colours of folk, jazz, soul and pop; an eclecticism that has become a hallmark of Blue Rose Code and has seen him compared to John Martyn, Van Morrison and Tom Waits.

Underlining the sense of movement and place in Ross’s work, The Water Of Leith is rooted in his return to his Scottish homeland. There, he reconnected with the stellar musicians who were to become an integral part of the new album’s sound: multi award-winning singer Julie Fowlis, celebrated Gaelic singer Kathleen MacInnes, BBC Folk Award Winner, Ross Ainslie, 2017’s Scottish Jazz Awards’ instrumentalist of the year Konrad Wiszniewski, leading violinist Seonaid Aitken and three of Scotland’s finest jazz musicians; John Lowrie, Colin Steele and James Lindsay, to name just some of the contributors. Grammy-winning American singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman features on the opening track. Ross co-produced the album with Angus Lyon.

In the space of a few short years and the release of well-received albums North Ten, The Ballads Of Peckham Rye, and And Lo The Bird Is On The Wing, Blue Rose Code has built a growing reputation as a powerful writer and performer, gaining extensive radio play and the praise of key broadcasters including Edith Bowman, Mary Ann Kennedy, Bob Harris and also actor Ewan McGregor who made a cameo appearance on And Lo The Bird Is On The Wing after commenting: “My uncle Denis Lawson (star of Local Hero) gave me a copy of The Ballads Of Peckham Rye, it’s beautiful and I can’t stop listening to it.” Author Ian Rankin is also a fan (“The boy’s a genius”) and has written insightful sleeve notes for the new album which follow below. The Water of Leith marks another step forward for Ross: his first record in recovery following a personal history overcoming alcoholism and addiction.

“**’The Water Of Leith’ Album **
★★★★★ The Skinny
★★★★ Acoustic Magazine
★★★★ RnR Magazine
9/10 AmericanaUK
9/10 God Is In The TV Zine.
Scottish Album of the Year – The Skinny
Male Artist of the Year – Fatea