First, get this out of the way. Everyone should own all these :
The records by Mick O'Brien and Caoimhin O Raghallaigh are at the top, and Mick O'Brien's solo album too. All of the recordings by David Power are amazing. And the records by Ronan Brown and Peter O'Loughlin (probably All the recordings by Cran too). Leo Rowsome's stuff (I am a huge Leo fan). Doublin' by Paddy Glackin and Paddy Keenan and The Whirlwind by Paddy Glackin and Robbie Hannan (and Robbie's solo album of course). Joey Abarta is near the top of my listening list always and that includes his solo album and the album with Nathan Gourely and Owen Marshall called Copley street. And please make sue you have The Wild Keys by Mikie Smyth.
Now that that's been said, here's my top 5 list of maybe slightly lesser known stuff, but not less amazing:
1) "All Covered with Moss" by Allison Perkins and Nicolas Brown (I adore this album. It is probably in my all time top 5)
2) "Traditional Irish Music on Flute and Pipes" - Brian Holleran and Brian Bigley (maybe I'm biased because I know these guys from when I lived in New York, but it's a great album!)
3) "Uilleannn Piping from County Waterford" by Caoimhin O Fearghail (New album. It's at the top of the charts right now in my shop. It's a real keeper though)
4) "Reeds and Rosin" by Todd Denman and Dale Russ (This one shows it's age a little bit. It's from 1997. But I think it holds up. One of the first uilleann piping albums I had.)
5) "Dublin Made Me" Sean McKeon and Liam O'Connor (I didn't want to like this album. I think because Liam O'Connor looks like someone who would beat me up in High School, but damn these are some fine players! The album is extremely good)
Honorable Mention:
"The Rookery" by Emmet Gill and Jessie Smith (Lovely stuff in C. This album never lets me down)
"Good Natured Man" by Preston Howard (I got this just recently. It's a great piping album on concert pitch and C# pipes)
https://prestonhowardwilde.bandcamp.com ... atured-man
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-Nate Banton-
Smallpipes and Border Pipes
http://www.natebanton.com