New album commemorates 50th anniversary of the Great Mull Air Mystery

by Democrat reporter

Acclaimed Scottish music figures Donald Shaw and Greg Lawson have unveiled a new album, Night Flight ’75, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Great Mull Air Mystery.

The album, recorded earlier this year on the Isle of Mull, marks the 50th anniversary of the mysterious disappearance of Peter Gibbs, a celebrated pilot, war hero and accomplished musician.

On Christmas Eve 1975, the former WWII Spitfire pilot and a renowned first violinist in the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, took off on a solo night flight from Glenforsa airstrip on the Isle of Mull and vanished.

His body was discovered four months later on a remote hillside lying over a larch tree, but the plane – a Cessna F150H call sign Tango November – was never conclusively found, his body carried minimal injuries and the circumstances of his death remain a mystery.

A tale of Scottish lore which has never been solved, the disappearance of Peter Gibbs continues to puzzle people five decades on.

Donald Shaw and Greg Lawson, inspired by Gibbs’ story, came together to honour his life through music, crafting a deeply evocative new body of work. The album, which blends traditional, classical, ambient, and cinematic influences, is out now exclusively via BandCamp and label website.

Night Flight ’75 features Donald Shaw on piano and accordion, Greg Lawson on violin and mandolin, and Sorren Maclean on guitar.

Donald Shaw is a founding member of the band Capercaillie, an award-winning composer, and the Artistic Director of Celtic Connections. Greg Lawson is a celebrated violinist and arranger who has played with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Royal Scottish National Orchestra and is known for leading the GRIT Orchestra’s acclaimed performances of Martyn Bennett’s music.

Together, they recorded the album during a series of atmospheric – and typically wet – days in Tobermory, capturing the spirit of Mull’s rugged beauty and the haunting allure of its most famous mystery.

Donald Shaw said: “Peter Gibb’s unexplained disappearance has become one of Scotland’s most intriguing unsolved mysteries, and one which inspired us deeply. The project revealed layers of coincidence and synchronicity that were hard to ignore. Through Greg’s years performing with national orchestras, he had heard stories about Gibbs, and I actually lived in the same Glasgow flat that previously belonged to Peter Gibbs, while Sorren himself is a Mull musician. It felt like we had to commemorate the life and legend of this musician with some specially recorded new tunes. What really happened that day can only be guessed at, but let’s raise a glass to high flying musicians everywhere.”

Greg Lawson said: “Peter Gibbs was a respected figure in the orchestral world, not just for his talent but for his character. We’ve heard stories of him flying his own plane to concerts and even flour-bombing the orchestra bus below! This album is our way of remembering a unique character and paying tribute to his extraordinary story. The tale is one that continues to fascinate and inspire, and Night Flight ‘75 aims to reflect the mystery, beauty and emotion of this modern-day legend.”

The recording includes original compositions inspired by the events of that fateful night, alongside excerpts from J.S. Bach’s Violin Sonata No.1.

The album’s standout track, Tango November, is a compelling piece that encapsulates the album’s unique blend of styles and its cinematic storytelling approach.

Night Flight ’75 is released on Vertical Records and now available as a limited-edition CD and for digital download on Bandcamp and Vertical Records.

Visit www.verticalrecords.co.uk/products/night-flight-75 and donaldshaw.bandcamp.com.

Label information and track list

The catalogue number is VERTCD134.