Wirral International Guitar Festival remembers Brendan McCormack

Oct 29 2009 by Laura Davis, Liverpool Daily Post

WIRRAL hosts its 21st International Guitar Festival of Great Britain next month, with concerts by some of the world’s top classical, jazz, blues, folk and rock players.

John Williams, Martin Taylor, Ralph McTell, James Burton, John Etheridge, Woody Mann and Andy Fairweather Low are among the line-up.

The opening concert on Tuesday, November 3, at Pacific Road Arts Centre, Birkenhead, has special significance.

The Brendan McCormack Celebration Concert, in memory of the Merseyside guitar, lute and bass virtuoso, who came up with the idea for the festival back in 1988.

McCormack died early this year and his daughters, Frith and Ana, have organised a memorial concert in his honour.

Appearing are Blue C, John Harper and Les Bolger, Anne Jackson Quintet, Modjango, Capo Fiasco (featuring Carl Chase, Ches and Al Cherry, and Brian “Saxophone” Jones) and Ricki and The Redstreaks.

Raphael Callaghan, of blues duo Blue C, says: “Brendan and I were friends since school days – he was a prefect and he remembers taking my name when I was a first year for being late.

“Years later, in 1991, he gave me my first break on the guitar festival with a solo concert at Birkenhead Town Hall.”

A commemorative CD of some of Brendan’s guitar pieces has also been produced and these will be on sale on the night, with proceeds going to Claire House.

Concert tickets are £10, box office 0151 666 0000 or book online at www.bestguitarfest.com

The festival runs from November 3-28 at various Wirral venues.