Fred Morrison is a top piper and composer from Scotland. He has mastered the Great Highland pipes, Scottish smallpipes, Border pipes, low whistle, Northumbrian Smallpipes, and the Uillean pipes from Ireland. The Scottish pipes have enough similarities that one can master them all but the Uilleans are a completely different animal. It has always been said that you choose Scottish or Irish and master that but you can't do both. Well, Fred proved them wrong. Several years ago, he released an album that explores the connections between the Scots-Irish music and American Bluegrass. Who knew that the pipes work so well with the banjo? That right there is probably the stuff of nightmares for some people.

Here are two of the tracks from that album. The first one features Fred on the Uillean pipes. The second one features him on the Border pipes, I believe. The Border pipes chanter has nearly the same sound as the Great Highland pipes but the drones are completely different, as well as a bit quieter, and you can't hear the drones in this track. This one starts out pleasantly enough but at around the 1:20 mark, he kicks it into overdrive and proceeds at about double tempo. As a former piper, I am amazed by his speed and precision.





Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaAF2lZXSRU






Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOSfO3SUYig

Well bluegrass and appalachian music is a direct descendant of Scotch Irish music, so it makes a lot of sense. Pretty cool.

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
Well bluegrass and appalachian music is a direct descendant of Scotch Irish music, so it makes a lot of sense. Pretty cool.

The mountain/Appalachian music came from Scotch Irish, as well as other European and African (blues) influences. It was the first, appearing in the 1920s. The Grand Ole Opry featured many traditional musicians (such as Uncle Dave), long before bluegrass. Bluegrass is just a different instrumental adaptation of the same music, appearing in the 1940s, first with Bill Monroe's influence. One could say bluegrass's origin was the already well-established mountain music. Bluegrass tunes early on were just adaptations of mountain music being played in the "hill and hollers", and at hoedowns, square dance, etc. So, yes, the ultimate origins are the same, but mountain music pre-dated bluegrass by a couple of decades.
 
I still prefer the mountain style of playing (frailing banjo, for example). Bluegrass sounds too "busy" to my ears.

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
Well bluegrass and appalachian music is a direct descendant of Scotch Irish music, so it makes a lot of sense. Pretty cool.

The mountain/Appalachian music came from Scotch Irish, as well as other European and African (blues) influences. It was the first, appearing in the 1920s. The Grand Ole Opry featured many traditional musicians (such as Uncle Dave), long before bluegrass. Bluegrass is just a different instrumental adaptation of the same music, appearing in the 1940s, first with Bill Monroe's influence. One could say bluegrass's origin was the already well-established mountain music. Bluegrass tunes early on were just adaptations of mountain music being played in the "hill and hollers", and at hoedowns, square dance, etc. So, yes, the ultimate origins are the same, but mountain music pre-dated bluegrass by a couple of decades.
 
I still prefer the mountain style of playing (frailing banjo, for example). Bluegrass sounds too "busy" to my ears.

was forced to listen to Bluegrass as a kid, (uncle played Dobro in a local band) and did not care for it,

of course at that time I was into Devo, Pistols, etc etc,


friend later got me hooked on Dave Grisman, and eventually I wanted back to Bluegrass and it stuck,

I kinda think of it as Acoustic Jazz or Country Punk,, depending on the song and artist,

I'll give the above a listen this evening, my work computer does not play well with youtube,

Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed it.

Like this one too. I've enjoyed many of the Transatlantic Sessions recordings.

^^^

Good tune!

The pipes almost mimic a fiddle...so it works.

I love pipes...and bluegrass.

Uillean pipes are Irish bagpipes

Good stuff, all.

I’m lovin’ it thank you!