bestuileann piper

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: GUEST,Mrs g
Date: 28 Nov 05 - 02:33 PM

There's no doubt Jarlath is an amazing Player, and singer. On his own his technique is brilliant. Amazing and inventive solo piping. Heard him at celtic connections with his border piper mate, Ross Ainsley. Amazing playing on stage and afterwards well into the next morning!!! Somr boys!They are supposed to be putting a cd out.

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 12 Nov 05 - 04:26 AM

Thanks for the reminder Gurney....age helps us forget who but it's good to have Folk to remind us. I could have course have got the old vinyl out and checked for myself I suppose. If anyone has not heard "The Fox Chase" by Finbar Furey and has a spare cassette tape...send it with SAE to me (PM for name and address) and I will tape it for you.
Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: Gurney
Date: 12 Nov 05 - 03:08 AM

Georgiansilver, it is Fin Furey who played the pipes when I knew them, years ago. He used to play the drones in some numbers, hands going like a bees wings.....

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 11:17 AM

Thanks for the info Kevin but it is definitely one of the Fureys that I have on vinyl. Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: Folkiedave
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 11:15 AM

Jarlath Henderson is amazing. When he won the YT Musician of the Year all the other performers thought he should have won.

Finbar is still one of the greatest exponent of the use of the regulators.

Davy Spillane really rocks.

Felix Doran (RIP) has a family member living near Leicester.

And then there was Willie Clancy.

www.uilleannobsession.com

is a good place for newbies.

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: InOBU
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 10:00 AM

Oh by the way, I also know a really fine bestuileann piper, and spent some lovely days in Bestuiliea. cheers lor

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 09:49 AM

.I also have some piping by a certain Irishman who has such a mastery of those pipes....he makes "The Fox Chase" sound real.

The late Felix Doran is one of my favourites and there is a live recording from the First Keele Festival in the mid 60's of him playing The Fox Hunt. It's on One Of The Voice of the People CDs if that's what your thinking off. If not, get to hear it anyway it's excellent.

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: InOBU
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 09:40 AM

Well... nice to see nice things said about Gerry O'Sullivan, I've known him since he was in his late teens, and a real gentle man he is... lovely fellow, and I haven't seen him enough in the past 20 years. As far as the best, a friend Ted Cleary introduced me to an Irish piper named, Drublumbndnead Burnsksdt. If you haven't heard him... well you should. I'd say, hands down... he's the best. I first met him in the early eighties and did not know he played anything. He rowed with my currach team one season and if you can find it, there is an RTE interview with my crew, in which they interview Dru, as we called him.
Cheers
lor

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: GUEST,Dáithí Ó Geanainn
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 04:25 AM

Had the surprise pleasure of playing in a session in Donegal (at Biddy's,Gleann Colum Cille, ) last year with John McSherry - he currently plays with Coolfin, was a founder member of Lughnasadh and has been described by Donal Lunny as the best living exponent of the uillean pipes.
Don't know about that, but I can say that if I'd known who he was before hand, I'd have left me whistles in me bag!
Adh mór!
Dáithí

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 03:22 AM

Of the 'most in the public eye' pipers..I have to say I really like to hear Davy Spillane play and have a couple of CDs of his.....BUT...I also have some piping by a certain Irishman who has such a mastery of those pipes....he makes "The Fox Chase" sound real.
Not sure if it is Finbar or Eddie Furey as my memory fails me these days but such brilliance!
Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: GUEST,pipes42
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 12:06 AM

I think this thread should possibly get an airing again, as five years on the play list of 'young uilleann pipers' has changed once again!
Jarlath Henderson, Dungannon, co Down only aged 19 years old and a BBC young musician of the year winner, five times 'All Ireland Champion' under the age of eighteen years old.
Sean McKeown (Gay's son), Dublin, an amazing piper
Dickie Deegan, North London ? (I think) plays mostly in Australia I believe, an amazing piper, great regulator as well as chanter work. (cd: an phiob) well worth buying

I'm sure some of you mudcatters know of more Young Uilleann pipers who are up and coming 'BIG NAMES@ in the near future.
pipes42

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: GUEST,jtm
Date: 25 Nov 00 - 11:35 AM

larry he did behave while i was there. i had to leave after the first set to get my son home you and others were right "best" was not the best word----other good pipers would have been better or anything that just said how good he was jtm

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: GUEST,Yum Yum
Date: 25 Nov 00 - 08:51 AM

Chantyranger is right in saying all are individual and all are excellant in their own right. I've been playing the pipes since 1975 (with breaks for lunch etc) and I have seen lots of new faces appear over the years. One young piper from Newcastle In County Down, N.Ireland is one of the best I have ever heard. His name escapes me at the moment, he's only about fifteen years old and plays with so much feeling it makes the hair stand on the back of your neck. He was playing at the Cultra Folk Museum last year arranged by N.P.U. (NA Piobairi Uilleann) They say an uilleann piper has to serve his/her apprenticeship of twenty-one years, seven learning, seven practicing and seven playing. This kid must have played in a former life.I will enter his name later when it comes to me (---me thinks---- I must lay off the Bushmills so early in the day) slan Yum Yum.

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 25 Nov 00 - 02:34 AM

Yeah, Sorcha, that O'Sullivan is a powerhouse on the Hoover! Oughta hear him play a Sunbeam. :-)

Yes -he's on my list too. I heard him at the Plough and Stars in San Francisco about 12 years ago, and he really is a powerful player.

-chanteyranger

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: Big Mick
Date: 25 Nov 00 - 02:27 AM

You would have a hard time not adding Pat Broaders to the list of current pipers. Greatest ever..............shit...........I don't know how one would measure that...........I can tell you this, it is definitely not THE FAIR ONE, she needs to just quit and sell that full set to me...............LOL.

Big Mick

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: Sorcha
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 09:41 PM

And Jerry O'Sullivan is where on the list? (Well, I like him.......)

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: okthen
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 08:51 PM

you learn so much here

wet reeds, off the knee.

when i saw mr. doran he did indeed play the pipes into his knee, but i was way back at the manchester free trade hall, and couldn't really see.

cheers

bill

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: GUEST,chanteyranger
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 05:06 PM

Felix Doran passed away in 1972. He played a set of pipes given to him by Leo Rowsome. Yeah, naming THE best is a hard task, and probably a fruitless one, given, as noted above, different styles of playing. One can make a list of great pipers, though, and to add to the list here: Tommy Keane. Ah, there are many great pipers these days. American-born Todd Denman is not too shabby!

-chanteyranger

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: InOBU
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 05:00 PM

Well, I'm not much for so and so is the best, though at one time, I would have not hesitated in saying that Paddy was the best. Having to do not at all with the fact he got the date of my wedding wrong... but rather another incident entirely made me much less sure. I play the Uilleann pipes, myself, and one day, I was at a sessun, and there was a young fellow there, who was astounding... I had heard that one of the many Vallalee's was a great piper, so when I we introduced ourselves to each other, I was not surprised to learn that he was Killian Vallalee. Now, I would certainly add him to the list of best living pipers. It is very hard to judge one against the other though, for example - Ronan Browne has such a unique style, and even makes such unique reeds - which he plays wet, so that he can play off the knee, as it were, it is almost a differnent instrument - and if he is better or different than Paddy is a matter of taste. As long as no one is offering a million dollars to the best, thank god, we don't have to get into the American mania of who's best, I hope.
Cheers,
Larry
PS I was going to go to hear Paddy that night, but I was a bit under the weather, So Paddy was good, Eh? Is he behaving himself?

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 04:14 PM

You may have been a little under the weather first time round, guest, but you might have put something in the "from" box second time round! Or are you never sober?

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 04:08 PM

mcmoo and others thanks. knew some of the names but others were new.

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: GUEST,Den at work
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 10:55 AM

Are we talking best living or all time. IMO Liam og, he was lucky to have learned from the masters. Leo Rowesome, Seamus Ennis and Willie Clancy. Den

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 09:31 AM

Not heard of Felix Doran for twenty years or more. Last I saw of him was at a gig in Birmingham with the Campbells and Nigel Denver. I think he features on one of Denver's albums ("Rebellion"?).

I agree there's not much milage in putting these guys (do any women come into the reckoning?) in order, but surely Davey Spillane deserves a mention. I think it's going to be even more of a subjective thing than with most instruments, because of the huge scope offered by the regulators. Maybe my own number one would have to be Liam O'Flynn.

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: okthen
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 04:33 AM

first time i ever saw/heard this instrument, it was by a guy called Felix Doran. He was at the time all Ireland champion pipe player. I have not heard of him since.

Anyone got any news or heard of him?

cheers

bill

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: Lady McMoo
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 03:31 AM

Oh heavens! Paddy Keenan, Liam og O'Flynn, Joe McKenna, Michael McGoldrick, Ronan Browne, even relatively unknown pipers like Michael Horgan (Shantalla). The list goes on and on. I like them all, they all have their distinct styles and the question is IMHO as irrelevant as the recent "who is the best guitarist" one. I would never try and classify any particular musician as "the best" when they're all so good!

mcmoo

Subject: RE: bestuileann piper
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Nov 00 - 09:32 PM

Joe McKenna, in MY humble opinion....wish he was around more often....

Subject: best uilleann piper
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Nov 00 - 09:13 PM

i took my son who has no interest in irish or folk music to hear paddy keenan and tommy 0'sullivan last night at the blarney star in nyc, and i thought keenan was wonderful.my son, who is 15 and plays the guitar and knows nothing of irish music, liked the performance and in his understated way said that the instrument was interesting.h also said that o'sullivan was very good.(we missed the second performance because i had to get him home).

i loved the show, thought keenan was wonderful and that the sound of uilllean piper in a small room is much more interesting and enjoyable than that which you hear on a disk.

i am typing too much.who is the best uillean piper, keenan orn liam oflynn? too much wine and too many martinis to make sense out of this.keenan was great last night and he won a fan in a 15 year old i