41 - Making Peace With What Is: Chris Amer

At Celtic Connections 2026, Chris launched his debut album - ‘Making Peace With What Is’ - a collection of musical sketches inspired by a library of film photographs taken by his Orcadian grandfather, Danny Nicolson.

After investing in a film camera in the early 1960s, Danny Nicolson captured moments of daily life over many decades - landscapes, objects, people - building up a unique visual record of life in mid-century Orkney. When the photographs were digitised by one of his sons, Chris was one of the family members who saw them for the first time as a complete collection.

One of the most interesting and original new voices on the Scottish music scene today, guitarist Chris Amer has established a reputation for his uniquely thoughtful sound and playing style. With a background in traditional Scottish music and jazz, Chris numbers among the new generation of Scottish musicians continuing to explore the possibilities of improvised music in Scotland.