Chiff and Fipple Forums

buskerSean wrote:That evocative hum of the drones really got me into piping

The bewitching effect of three simple notes constantly played has seduced may of us.

Jim McGuire wrote:Dave Page, the retired Marine, learned and played with Leo Rowsome.

Why do you say that Dave was a retired Marine? I knew Dave, and never heard anything like that. Perhaps you have him confused with Seamus Taylor, who also lived in San Diego for a while. Seamus is, if I remember correctly, a retired marine, and studied the pipes with Tom Standeven.

Regarding Dave Page: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... 3&start=23

Jonathan

I first met Dave Page and his wife Bridey, at Dan Sullivan's summer house in Sonoma, California, in July 1977. He was playing a E flat Kennedy set from Cork, and he also played the 2 row (old style) melodeon. He at one time, worked in the same Dublin shoe factory along side Leo Purcell (father of Al Purcell). Dave had lots of stories about playing with the quartette and quintette of Uilleann Pipers, led by Leo Rowsome, on RTE broadcasts in the late 1920s to 40s. Leo Purcell, Tommy Reck,Jack Wade, were some of the pipers in those groups.
Dave lived in San Diego till his death in the 80s. John Touhey was a very close friend of his and has the set of pipes. That summer session was a good one with Dave, Denis Brooks, Pat Skye, and myself. Dave was a great musician and a great man as well, fun to be with. I don't think he was in the Marines, he didn't mention it to me. Seamus Taylor lives in Newport, Oregon. He is definitly a retired, but still feisty, Marine. He got his start in UPs with Tom Standeven, in Philly. Sean an Piobaire

Thanks Jim, for reminding me it was David Page. I heard him on Folk Scene, the KPFK folk music show in L.A. hosted by the Larmans in 1978,1979 or 1980. He had a band with him, Siamsa Gael- some where in the closet is a reel to reel of that show.

[Thread revival. - Mod]

How did I possibly miss this one?
A gentleman never tells....

oleorezinator wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 11:47 pm How did I possibly miss this one?

Maybe you were busy learning to walk.
RORY

1977. I turned 20.

There was nobody playing in the area, so I learned on my own. (No internet back then!)

I didn't know about Dave Page down in San Diego, or John Touhey.

I did meet up with Leo Purcell in Los Angeles, who wasn't playing at that time, but who made a couple reeds for me.

I had started Highland pipes in 1974, but when I saw The Chieftains on television I was hooked.

I had no idea what instrument Paddy Moloney was playing! But I could see that it was a sort of bagpipe much better suited for playing in a group with fiddle etc than the Highland pipes. I didn't know about Scottish Smallpipes then.

You didn't know about Scottish smallpipes in 1977 because they were just being invented.

rorybbellows wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 8:23 am

oleorezinator wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 11:47 pm How did I possibly miss this one?

Maybe you were busy learning to walk.
RORY

Walk upright?!?!? Rory please!
I am, like you, a proud knuckle dragger!

elbowmusic wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 4:11 pm You didn't know about Scottish smallpipes in 1977 because they were just being invented.

Right enough, in the late 1970s or perhaps around 1980 somebody loaned me a Burleigh catalogue and it was interesting to see keyless chanters designed to use "Scottish fingering" being offered, I think it was the first time I'd seen such things for sale.

As I recall these chanters in the usual NSP key of F, and were played with ordinary NSP drones (the simple ones).

Ten years ago now, on and off, mostly off.

But I finally got a full set on the way

Today!!!

I just received my (used, but almost new) practice set, made by Brian Bigley, and crowed out a few notes! This is going to be a long journey, but at least I got over the first "7-years to find a set" already!

Hopefully the 10 years to find a set for me shaved off a year each for practicing and playing