Northumbrian Small Pipes CD - Import

The German word for bagpipes, dudelsack, would be absolutely fitting for the sound of the small pipes -- alas, it actually is the name for an instrument similar to the traditional great pipes of Scotland. The Northumbrian small pipes are part of a class of bellows-blown bagpipes that have a simple drone and a higher-pitched and far more reedy chanter sound (the Scottish small pipes are similar, but slightly less reedy, and the Irish uillean pipes have an overall less biting tone and a stronger drone). One of the more distinctive features of the latter-day Northumbrian small pipes is that the chanter is keyed, rather than using the open-hole method. This collection features many selections from the Cut & Dry Band and the High Level Ranters, providing examples of the pipes in group situations. Other tracks feature more traditional performances by top traditional players, drawn from several '70s compilations produced by A.L. Lloyd, following the death of Billy Pigg. As a result, the compilation gains in stylistic diversity what it may lack in terms of focus (even there, considering the single- instrument focus, the collection is hardly vague). The one real caveat to keep in mind is that Northumbrian small pipes can, taken in large doses, prove fatiguing. They can also prove quite entertaining. The recommendation, however, is to use a CD changer and shuffle mode just to break the cycle. ~ Steven E. McDonald

The Northumbrian pipes are a uniquely versatile and fascinating English instrument. In this unrivalled compilation the piper Colin Ross, of the High Level Ranters and the Cut & Dry Band, assembles a sound-library of piping styles and Northeastern melodie