Video of the day: Louise Dodds & Elchin Shirinov share haunting new song ‘Lass O' Gowrie’

Two Hours After Midnight is the new album by vocalist Louise Dodds (2022 Scottish Jazz Awards best vocalist nominee) and jazz pianist and composer Elchin Shirinov (Avishai Cohen). The recording presents eight traditional Scottish folk songs which have been rearranged by Shirinov, drawing influences from the traditional music of Azerbaijan form where he originates, along with the music of Keith Jarrett, Brad Mehldau, Ravel and Debussy. Each song has its own story, reimagined by the duo, covering such topics as love, heartbreak, and friendship.

“We were very tempted originally to record a whole album of Robert Burns songs as there are so many wonderful ones,” explains Shirinov. “But we wanted to show the world that there are many other beautiful songs by other composers in Scotland’s history.” ‘Lass O’ Gowrie’ was written by Lady Nairne, a contemporary of Robert Burns who was also known as Carolina Oliphant. She kept her identity a secret her whole life, and some of her songs are often mistaken for Burns’. “It feels that people are just becoming aware of her and her work now. Some of her songs are very well known and it feels right that she too becomes a household name,” continues Dodds. “We love this song and it was important to us that we include a female composer on the album.”

The album title was inspired by the last letter Mary Queen of Scots wrote before she was executed. It was signed: 'this Wednesday, two hours after midnight' (translated from the French – ‘ce mercredy a deulx heures apres minuit’). Dodds and Shirinov discovered the letter in a book titled ‘Her Story - the nation’s history by the women who lived it’ by Rosemary Goring who explains, “This final letter, written by Mary, Queen of Scots to Henri III, King of France hours before her beheading, is among the most powerful ever sent. In many ways it is a model of a historical document, conveying the authors personality - dignified, angry, sorrowful but neither remorseful nor afraid.”  Coincidentally, this year the code of Mary’s letters was finally cracked, the contents of which were believed to have been lost.

The duo launch the album at two shows: St Vincent’s Chapel, Edinburgh on 19 May and PizzaExpress Jazz Club, Dean Street, London on 23 May – see the video for ‘Lass O' Gowrie’ below.