Troy Donockley's new album

maw · Post by **maw** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 2:03 pm

The new album from Troy and Dave Bainbridge (from the band Iona) will be available in the next few days! Armed with only their instruments and no idea what they were to play, ‘From Silence’ was recorded live in Lincoln Cathedral at the end of October. Details and soundbytes are in the Discography section of Troy's website here's a snippet, I kinda got a lump in my throat when I heard it

http://www.troydonockley.co.uk/music/part3.mp3

MikeyLikesIt · Post by **MikeyLikesIt** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 4:15 pm

Dionys · Post by **Dionys** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 5:38 pm

I hope they were smart enough to use Willis's organ or one of the other organs in the cathedral instead of solely depending on Juno style synth-pads.

Dionys

goldy · Post by **goldy** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 6:47 pm

Nice...it sounded very Spillane. Does Donockley happen to play a Spillane chanter? - it had that very mellow tone to it that Davy's chanters have.

MikeyLikesIt · Post by **MikeyLikesIt** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 7:11 pm

I was thinking the same thing. Very muchlike Spillane's Riverdance(yuck!) solo.

maw · Post by **maw** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 2:22 am

I understand that he plays a Dave Williams set but I may be wrong...

kenr · Post by **kenr** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 2:23 am

Goldy,

as far as I know Troy plays a Dave Williams full set. His style is not to my taste so I haven't bothered to listen to the link.

Ken

Edit: sorry I've just been repeated what maw said.

reedman · Post by **reedman** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 5:00 am

goldy wrote, Very much like spillane's Riverdance(yuck!)solo.

Two points here.

1. It ain't Spillane's Riverdance. :roll:

2. Don't criticize other musicians till you can play any better your self.

If it had not been for Davy Spillane in Riverdance there would not have been so many young and older persons who have taking up the Uilleann Pipes in the last few years.

I regard Davy Spillane as a great musician both in Uilleann Pipes and Low Whistle is also a great music composer who has writing some great tunes,
not unlike some of his critics who sit playing some painful olde tunes.

Time to come into the year 2004 not 1904.

maybe you could send some samples of your playing in to clip & snips.

AlanB · Post by **AlanB** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 5:11 am

Ooops, quick Reedman, Goldy didn't write that!!!

It's cool to bash Spillane these days,...................allegedly...........

I remember when Spillanes Shadow Hunter came out, I would go fishing off Mousehole listening to my personal stereo, very pleasant times. Didn't improve my catch though.

Reedman wrote:
<Don't criticize other musicians till you can play any better your self. >

My sister taught me the opposite, and I agree with her, there's many a player without an ear and many an ear without an instrument, if you follow my meaning.

Alan

reedman · Post by **reedman** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 5:32 am

Yep' Sure Doooo.

Clips & snips spring to Mind

Hmmm, Mickey Likes IT, Doe's He, So He's the Guilty One.

Sorry Goldy,

Alan, Never let your sister teach you anything unless its getting pist.

Davy Spillane is Extra Cool like Guinness.

ausdag · Post by **ausdag** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 5:41 am

When I read Mickey's post my impression was that he was saying 'yuck' to Riverdance rather than Spillane given that he was agreeing with the previous post by Goldy who said 'Nice.....'.
I personally like Spillanes tune but loath Riverdance.

Cheers,

DavidG

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 5:58 am

Davy Spillane's piping is excellent in my book...but I will confess that I appreciate an 'old style' approach toward piping.

When Riverdance first came out in the 'States'...prior to the the huge production it would later become...I was absolutely blown away. It inspired a generation of children to listen to Irish music and learn Irish Dance and for that I consider it wonderous thing. Again, not exactly my taste in Irish music, but that doesn't make it any less great.

Personally, I find Donockly's style of piping to be expressive and pleasing to the ear, and I really can't find anything wrong with it, though my preference is to listen to folks like W. Clancy, L. O'Flynn, S. Ennis... etc ...etc.

One shouldn't be too quick to knock another's playing style simply because it isn't 'their way', or simply because knocking it is the 'in' thing to do.

djm · Post by **djm** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 6:47 am

Perhaps this wouldn't get so many people upset if people were to clarify what it is they don't like about a particular piper. To say Davy Spillane or Troy Donockley are poor pipers would be a serious error. However, if you were to say that the particular style of music these pipers may have chosen to play is not to your personal tastes it should be less objectionable to others. If they still complain after that, f*** 'em.

djm

maw · Post by **maw** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 12:12 pm

Joseph wrote:

Personally, I find Donockly's style of piping to be expressive and pleasing to the ear, and I really can't find anything wrong with it, though my preference is to listen to folks like W. Clancy, L. O'Flynn, S. Ennis... etc ...etc.

Tucked away in some of Troy's work particularly on the Iona albums is a fair bit of trad simply named 'reels' or 'jigs', such as Rip the Calico... Maid at the Spinning Wheel... etc And he's a pretty mean player too but I admit he does lean towards expression

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Thu Nov 25, 2004 1:09 pm

Maybe Riverdance got/gets young people into a certain brand of Irish music and dance, a brand of it that is well outside the interests of most of the very good musicians that I know (although some will 'take the shilling' and do the circus gig if it is shiny enough). I personally have yet to see 'this sort of thing' imporoving the fortunes, transmission, recording, *integrity* etc. of the music as I know it best. Some would have us believe that the dance shows have youngsters beating down the doors of the great musical stylists thirsting for knowledge in the same way they would thirst for a Pepsi during a particularly well mimed "Riverdance", I can assure you that this is not happening. What it is doing is making young and not-so-young people more concious of the commercial possibilities of Irish traditional-ish music. "It makes money now"=cool apparently, and it must be cool if they buy it in The States... does that seem like a particularly healthy self confidence to you? More would have us believe that people will get into traditional style through 'this sort of thing' ...again, given the relatively hugh numbers now playing ITM, I have yet to see (or rather hear) the significant results (bearing in mind that some of us don't judge ITMs health simply by the numbers playing it (or something like it) but rather treat it as a recognisible set of modes of expression that are inherently unique, expressive, intricate and prone to an individual's inspiration).

Conflict will arise in blurring the distinction between piping as a dignified and enduring artform (that has always relied on the inspired input and innovations of individuals) and piping as a part of a commercial arts package designed to explode the senses, give you an erection, make you by the CD, video and T-Shirt, and make all involved a nice few pennies.

Yet again I think that the bar has been lowered where solo playing, style and musicianship are concerned here. Yet again transient 'pop' sensibilities are being applied to the music and dance and are being arrogantly overstated and lauded as 'a development' by those who don't display any great knowledge of the artform. Yet again it is selling like hotcakes... it always will. I only hope there will always be a few around who will recognise it for the rediculous sh*t that it is.

Regards,

Harry.