UPDATE: Due to circumstances beyond his control, Doug MacLeod has been forced to cancel his UK dates. His performances will be rearranged, and I’ll update when I have more news.

One of the best-sounding releases of the year so far is There’s A Time, the latest set by blues singer/songwriter Doug MacLeod (above) – and now MacLeod is coming to the UK for a week of dates in September, playing intimate venues well suited to his storytelling and remarkable guitar and vocals.

There’s A Time, on the San Francisco-based Reference Recordings label, was made at Skywalker Sound and engineered by the legendary – and Grammy-winning – ‘Prof’ Keith Johnson.

It’s Johnson’s first blues recording, featuring MacLeod with his long-time bassist Denny Croy and world-famous blues drummer Jimi Bott, and the technique was typically innovative.

As MacLeod says, ‘They put Jimi, Denny and me on this huge soundstage at Skywalker Sound in Marin County and we sat around in a circle where we could see each other. We played live, no overdubs, just three guys playing some music together.’

The five dates in the UK are:

Saturday, 14 September
The Deck, Emsworth Boatyard, Emsworth, P010 8BP
01243 376161

Sunday, 15 September
Green Note, 106 Parkway, London NWI 7AN
0207 485 9899

Tuesday, 17 September
Mrs Yarrington’s Music Club, Senlac Inn, Station Road, Battle, E Sussex TN33 0DE
07794 821454

Wednesday, September 18
The Chichester Inn, 38 West Street, Chichester, PO19 1RP
01243 783185

Friday, September 20
Llanidloes High School
Llangurig Rd, Llanidloes, Powys, SY18 6EX (United Kingdom)
01686 411028

All these venues have very limited capacity, so probably best to get on and book ASAP – in the meantime, here’s a taste of MacLeod performing.