The North American Uilleann Pipers Scene
- travhicks
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North American Pipers
To follow up on the comment about WFUV...I'll add that for those of us who are not geographically blessed, you can access the WFUV archives online at www.wfuv.org. It's a great resource, one worthy of my support (and yours). Now where's my checkbook....
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Although not on the scale of others mentioned, Portland's very own Tom Wilsbach deserves some credit. Tom grew up in Philadelphia, first playing the fiddle. He's been playing pipes for almost 30 years now. He learned form a fellow, who's name I forget, who learned from Patsy Touhy. So, he has a great "bloodline". He was friends with Eugene O'Donnell and other notables. He also made field recordings of Seamus Ennis on one of Ennis' visits to the states in the 70's. His master's thesis was on the vibrational modes of the UP reed. Closer to home, he frequently plays for school groups and others at the city library where he works. I'd say quite a few people were exposed to the pipes over the years here who perhaps never would have seen them otherwise. He's also been a teacher for many years. Oh, and he plays a Leo Rowsome chanter that kicks butt.
Corin
- travhicks
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North American Pipers
Willie Kelly, Boonton, NJ. Better known as a fiddle player, Willie is a fine piper as well. He gave me my first lessons on the pipes, and I owe a great deal of any piping skills that I have to him and his wife Siobhan, who taught me on the whistle while I was waiting for a practice set.
- feadogin
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West Side!!!Lorenzo wrote:Glands, there was a thread last year, or the year before, called Tom Creegan (and other little known great pipers). As with many of the names you mentioned, it's always good to remember that there's still a huge crowd of good uilleann pipers that don't do pipe forums. And some of these guys are really good. Phil White, Pete Heelan, John Pederson, Kevin Carr...just to name a few from California who spent time with Denis Brooks. And they were pretty good 20 years ago.
And Conall O Raghallaigh.
J.
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Pat Sky certainly deserves mention for his long and ongoing contributions, having published the first ever reed-making booklet, making pipes and encouraging many. Shawn Folsom got me going in reed making and reeded many chanters in the early 70's and beyond. He and Denis Brooks were the reason I moved to Calif. from Idaho in 1977. Although Denis now lives in Cork, he looms large as the spark plug behind the modern revival of the San Francisco Piper's Club with it's newsletter, and getting many players their start on the pipes. After moving to Seattle, Denis expanded the club and got things moving there. He taught the first modern UP tionol in Mendocino, CA in 1977, before the club was reorganized. Also, the late Leo Purcell, Al's father, taught me much about reeds. The late Dave Page, whe played in the quartets with Leo Rowsome, influenced a number of pipers, including John Touhey in San Diego. The late Dan Sullivan got many pipes to pipers from the San Francisco area, and was the bridge from the earlier days into the present scene. The late Paddy O'Neill, of San Francisco also influenced me and taught other present day pipers. The singular contributions of the late Tom Busby should not be forgotten, nor should Patrick Hennelly of Chicago. These are pipes active or alive during the present revival. I forget the name of the piper in No. Carolina who produced a newsletter in the early 1970's. There are others.
Ted
Ted
- brianc
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.............meemtp wrote:... Portland's very own Tom Wilsbach deserves some credit. ... Oh, and he plays a Leo Rowsome chanter that kicks butt.
Allow me to provide a 'double ditto' to the above statement. I met Tom a few years' ago, and was kindly welcomed to join himself and his session mates at "Brian Boru" pub in Portland. Not only is he an outstanding piper, he is a genuinely good man, salt of the earth type.
What I didn't know at the time that we'd played a few tunes was that he had a Rowsome chanter. As I recall, he let me try his set, and he sat out for a little while... I didn't realize I'd been allowed to put my monkey paws on such a work of art!
Thanks, Tom!
- fel bautista
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Ted- see Par Darcy's site. I sent him a copy of THE invitation that I had from way back when. Kinda scary that we bumped into each other then.Ted wrote: He taught the first modern UP tionol in Mendocino, CA in 1977, before the club was reorganized.
Ted
Don't forget David Page, transplanted from Ireland via San Diego. Michael Eskin may be able to shed some light. I heard him on the Larman's folk music show in 197x on KPFK after I aquired a Matt Kiernan chanter from Denis Brooks at the aforementioned proto-tionol.
I remember Kevin Carr playing GBH in the redwoods and thought that was just amazing- the notes were bouncing off the top branches and going everywhere.
- Jumper
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Dave Page had a huge impact on those of us fortunate enough to know and play with him. His style and repertoire are still strongly felt in the San Diego Irish music community. He set a brilliant example of how this music should be approached, performed, and enjoyed. Most of his family still lives in this area, and they are deeply involved in Irish music, dance, theater, language, and culture.
I don't think John Tuohy would mind if I repost an article he wrote in 1989 for publication in Folk Notes, the journal of San Diego Folk Heritage.
Herewith:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave Page: Memories of a Premier Irish Piper by John Tuohy
It was June 1974. We were having our end-of-the-school-year potluck and contra dance. One of our friends brought along some uninvited guests: an elderly Irish gentleman, his wife, and two of their friends. The Irishman, a musician, had brought his instrument in a long, narrow, grey case. He sat on our front porch, set that strange looking case next to him, opened it and slowly assembled what appeared to be a most complex intrument, and then treated us all to some of the finest Irish music that we'd ever hope to hear. The gentleman was Dave Page. The instrument was the uillean pipes.
Dave Page was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1906. While in his early twenties, his father enrolled him in a piping school taught by the great piper Leo Rowsome. Dave proved to be a talented musician and was soon winning competitions and performing in a quartet with his teacher. During the early 1930s he was a member of the Siamsa Gael Celidhe Band. This was a 7-10 piece band consisting of fiddles, piano, drums, piccolo, and of course, the pipes. The band, led by Tom Page (Dave's brother), was one of Ireland's most popular dance bands. In the late 1930s, Dave gave up the pipes and took up the piano accordion. The pipes at the time were considered to be "old fashioned." During this time Dave and his wife Bridgie moved to London where they lived for twenty years, working and raising their four children. Dave became a well known figure in the Irish music scene in London. In the 1950s, the Pages were persuaded to move to Chicago where they lived and worked for another twenty years. In the late 1950s Dave got the chance to acquire another set of uillean pipes. He became well known as both a piper and a fine accordion player.
In 1974 the Pages vacationed in San Diego, liked and it and decided to retire here. Dave soon grew tired of musical retirement, went looking for music, and ended up at our potluck party. He became an integral part of the San Diego traditional music culture and a cornerstone of the Irish music scene. The interest Dave generated in Irish music soon led to the formation of a San Diego incarnation of the Siamsa Gael Celidhe Band. It was Dave's support and encouragement that led a number of us "young Americans" (in particular Judy Lipnick, Ian Law, and me) to seriously pursue Irish music in all of its intricacies and subtleties. In the late 1970s, Dave decided to "retire" from piping and offered me his set of pipes and his tutelage. Dave died in 1987, after several years of ill health.
Simply put, Dave Page was one of the finest people I ever met. The impact he has had on me and on others cannot be overstated. The major component of good traditional music is integrity. When Dave played, his music became an extension of his personality and there was no lack of integrity in his personality. There was no nonsense or flash in his style, just solid, thoughful playing (this should not be confused with lack of humor).
When Dave played in informal situations amongst friends his music would take on the finest qualities of his personality, a lack of ego, a kindness, a fine sense of humor, and a deep understanding and love of his musical tradition.
I remember one of the last times I heard Dave play. We were at a party and it was late. Towards the end of the evening an accordion was handed to Dave and he was asked to play an air. Dave had been in ill health and had not touched the accordion in months. With shaky hands Dave took the accordion and, after several false starts, played one of the most beautiful rendition of the ancient air "The Coolin" that I had ever heard. The notes that he played were simple but I'd trade all my "advanced" technique to be able to play that tune the way he did.
It is now February 1989. Dave has been gone for almost two years now. Judy and I are sitting here knocking out a few of our favorite tunes. That long narrow, grey instrument case now sits by my side. We've just finished playing a medley of one of Dave's airs and two of his favorite reels. We are both silent for a few seconds and then Judy says, "Dave would have liked that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jonathan
I don't think John Tuohy would mind if I repost an article he wrote in 1989 for publication in Folk Notes, the journal of San Diego Folk Heritage.
Herewith:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave Page: Memories of a Premier Irish Piper by John Tuohy
It was June 1974. We were having our end-of-the-school-year potluck and contra dance. One of our friends brought along some uninvited guests: an elderly Irish gentleman, his wife, and two of their friends. The Irishman, a musician, had brought his instrument in a long, narrow, grey case. He sat on our front porch, set that strange looking case next to him, opened it and slowly assembled what appeared to be a most complex intrument, and then treated us all to some of the finest Irish music that we'd ever hope to hear. The gentleman was Dave Page. The instrument was the uillean pipes.
Dave Page was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1906. While in his early twenties, his father enrolled him in a piping school taught by the great piper Leo Rowsome. Dave proved to be a talented musician and was soon winning competitions and performing in a quartet with his teacher. During the early 1930s he was a member of the Siamsa Gael Celidhe Band. This was a 7-10 piece band consisting of fiddles, piano, drums, piccolo, and of course, the pipes. The band, led by Tom Page (Dave's brother), was one of Ireland's most popular dance bands. In the late 1930s, Dave gave up the pipes and took up the piano accordion. The pipes at the time were considered to be "old fashioned." During this time Dave and his wife Bridgie moved to London where they lived for twenty years, working and raising their four children. Dave became a well known figure in the Irish music scene in London. In the 1950s, the Pages were persuaded to move to Chicago where they lived and worked for another twenty years. In the late 1950s Dave got the chance to acquire another set of uillean pipes. He became well known as both a piper and a fine accordion player.
In 1974 the Pages vacationed in San Diego, liked and it and decided to retire here. Dave soon grew tired of musical retirement, went looking for music, and ended up at our potluck party. He became an integral part of the San Diego traditional music culture and a cornerstone of the Irish music scene. The interest Dave generated in Irish music soon led to the formation of a San Diego incarnation of the Siamsa Gael Celidhe Band. It was Dave's support and encouragement that led a number of us "young Americans" (in particular Judy Lipnick, Ian Law, and me) to seriously pursue Irish music in all of its intricacies and subtleties. In the late 1970s, Dave decided to "retire" from piping and offered me his set of pipes and his tutelage. Dave died in 1987, after several years of ill health.
Simply put, Dave Page was one of the finest people I ever met. The impact he has had on me and on others cannot be overstated. The major component of good traditional music is integrity. When Dave played, his music became an extension of his personality and there was no lack of integrity in his personality. There was no nonsense or flash in his style, just solid, thoughful playing (this should not be confused with lack of humor).
When Dave played in informal situations amongst friends his music would take on the finest qualities of his personality, a lack of ego, a kindness, a fine sense of humor, and a deep understanding and love of his musical tradition.
I remember one of the last times I heard Dave play. We were at a party and it was late. Towards the end of the evening an accordion was handed to Dave and he was asked to play an air. Dave had been in ill health and had not touched the accordion in months. With shaky hands Dave took the accordion and, after several false starts, played one of the most beautiful rendition of the ancient air "The Coolin" that I had ever heard. The notes that he played were simple but I'd trade all my "advanced" technique to be able to play that tune the way he did.
It is now February 1989. Dave has been gone for almost two years now. Judy and I are sitting here knocking out a few of our favorite tunes. That long narrow, grey instrument case now sits by my side. We've just finished playing a medley of one of Dave's airs and two of his favorite reels. We are both silent for a few seconds and then Judy says, "Dave would have liked that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jonathan
- djm
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I would have to mention Chris Langan in Toronto. Well respected in Ireland (where there is now a summer festival in his honour) and in Canada (where there is now a winter festival in his honour), he was a close friend of Brendan Breathnach, and a regular at WCSS for years. A more in-depth biography is in the collection of his tunes called "Move Your Fingers".
I never met the man personally (I didn't know he was just up the road), but I am now learning from Chris' students, who can't say enough good about him.
djm
I never met the man personally (I didn't know he was just up the road), but I am now learning from Chris' students, who can't say enough good about him.
djm
I'd rather be atop the foothills than beneath them.
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I've traded a good deal of music with Tom Wilsbach over the years, he's a great guy. He wrote a paper on piping in America, also - in 1976. About the lineage there - his teacher was Tom Standeven, who learned from Tom Busby who learned from Michael Carney who learned from Patsy Touhey. I believe that's a Leon Rowsome chanter he plays, also.
Mattie Connolly of Monaghan/New York is another great old-time piper. Haven't had the chance to hear Mike Rafferty on the pipes, just the flute - he's a helluva flute player though. And New York also had the great Andy Conroy for years and years - he taught Bill Ochs for a while there.
Paddy Keenan's in Boston, too. Don't get much better than that. The fellow who put out the Uilleann Piper journal in the mid-70s was Rev. James MacEnzie, I think. Hats off to all the editors of the Piper's Review - Denis Brooks. The 5 or 6 poor Basmatis who tried to keep it going after Denis. Then Wally - many hale and hearty years to ya, Wally.
Mattie Connolly of Monaghan/New York is another great old-time piper. Haven't had the chance to hear Mike Rafferty on the pipes, just the flute - he's a helluva flute player though. And New York also had the great Andy Conroy for years and years - he taught Bill Ochs for a while there.
Paddy Keenan's in Boston, too. Don't get much better than that. The fellow who put out the Uilleann Piper journal in the mid-70s was Rev. James MacEnzie, I think. Hats off to all the editors of the Piper's Review - Denis Brooks. The 5 or 6 poor Basmatis who tried to keep it going after Denis. Then Wally - many hale and hearty years to ya, Wally.
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Tom IS a great guy! I've known him for about 5 years now. He was very supportive when I first began attending our local session. I could play decently enough at home, but would get nervous playing out and mess stuff up. He was one who encouraged me and complimented my playing anyway. Definitely one of the people who kept me going when playing music didn't come as easy as it does now. I've gotten a lot of tunes and wisdom from him since. He's got some great stories as well.
Corin
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