Winter Storm's a-comin'!

[Leel]

Hi Everyone - looky-looky

http://www.winterstorm.net/index.html

Right in my back yard!

I'm going to sign up for the small pipes workshop with none other than FRED MORRISON!!!

Anyone else? We should hook up.

LEE

[Ciarameddaru]

Would this be worth going to for a Zampogna player who has never touched a Gaelic bagpipe pipe in his life? I live in KC but I see the performance is 30 dollars, which seems kind of steep (no student discount!). I like to live vicariously though the Scottish piper's scene and pretend that I'm not the only lunatic playing the Zamp in Midwest. Maybe I'll introduce them to the Zampogna by marching in during the middle of the show (perhaps during Fred Morison's gig) playing Piva Piva and see how many Scotch-Irish guys with hyper inflated senses of cultural identity I can piss off. Or would a tarantella be better?

[AaronMalcomb]

Maybe I'll introduce them to the Zampogna by marching in during the middle of the show (perhaps during Fred Morison's gig) playing Piva Piva and see how many Scotch-Irish guys with hyper inflated senses of cultural identity I can piss off. Or would a tarantella be better?

You do realize that these guys stash knives in their socks, right?

As for the $30 dollar ticket price... that's at least as much as a ticket for a popular, mainstream act would cost. The pipers and drummers that play at the Winter Storm concert are some of the most accomplished in their art (whether or not you appreciate it) and are flown in from far afield. Nobody's getting rich off of this.

[Baglady]

I went to Fred's class last year. He's a good man, very patient with everyone. Some good craic. He spent the whole weekend trying to teach improvisation and interperetation and finaly one of the students asked "If you could just write that down for me." Fred was non-plused, as were the rest of us. He is also a sublime piper. Get him to play a piob. for you on the reel pipes. Fan man. Have to miss it this year.

Playing with Twin Peaks was fun too.

[Ciarameddaru]

Well I did end up going to Winter Storm this weekend for their big public performance. I was impressed with the level of musicianship, not just the pipers but the drummers as well. It was all GHBs except for Fred Morrison on the small pipes and whistle which was a nice change of pace during the performance. Man that guy's fingers move fast! He had about 10 microphones all around him. I turned to my friend and said "I think they need to put another microphone on him."

The piping I enjoyed the most was when they would have 2 or more guys that would harmonize together. Coming from the Zampogna piping tradition I like to hear the harmonies and interaction between two or more chanters. My only criticism of the event is that I think they could have had a little more variety of pipes. I would have liked to seen/heard an Uilleann piper or zampogna or something to change it up. GHBs are all in the same key and hearing that same drone pitch for 3 hours straight started to wear on the audience a bit towards the end. But over all it was a good performance and I'm glad I got to witness it.

[Pipezilla]

Has any of Fred's performances been posted on youtube?

[BigDavy]

Hi Pipezilla

Here he is at last year's Winter Storm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWdrJf-Ncig
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGB6QaDRi7E

Transatlantic Sessions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVztCC37wlc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7zmd4rYh1o

With Jarlath Henderson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ead9uQx8My0

In Lorient
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKWzyU5FEp4

David

[AaronMalcomb]

The piping I enjoyed the most was when they would have 2 or more guys that would harmonize together. Coming from the Zampogna piping tradition I like to hear the harmonies and interaction between two or more chanters.

Might I direct you to this video clip? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umuYhfpTLXk

I'm glad you went and enjoyed it. The event will probably always be a primarily GHB and drumming event. It's been a successful event as such since it began. GHB playing will always be a little austere and a little inaccessible. It's just one of those traditions. But it is diversifying and and expanding thanks to players like Fred (who is a prize-winner in competitive GHB playing too) and the composer of that music in the YouTube clip above, Michael Grey (who also has a respectable competitive record). Michael Grey has done some pretty experimental recordings with the GHB. If you liked the clip, find out more here: http://www.dunaber.com/dunaber-music/