This self-titled CD, produced by Simon Thoumire, is a compilation of traditional and original pieces, showcasing Finlay MacDonald’s admirable skills as a bagpiper [Highland and Lowland] flute & whistle player and tune-writer. Young though he may be, this man clearly has much to offer the music world, and that of piping in particular. The album starts off at a blurring speed with two great pipes tunes The Plagiarist and The Night We had the Goats learned from inspirational pipers Allan MacDonald and Duncan Johnston. But it’s not all fast and furious; there are beautiful, tender moments in such offerings as the self-penned Cowden Hall, inspired by the area around Finlay’s home and Lake Ochrid, named for a little town on the Serbian border, with delectable piano accompaniment from Brian Kellock. Finlay dips into the old piping manuscripts and comes up with some real treasures such as the quaintly named I Would Have Preferred Thee at First, but not now Sir from the Gunn Collection and The Mountain Dairymaid from McPhedrans’s. There is even a song The Hump Backed Whale sung by Back of the Moon’s Findlay Napier. The musicianship on this CD is exemplary from all concerned and the arrangements on both traditional and contemporary sets demonstrate a pleasingly youthful diversity. Highly recommended.
Musicians:
Finlay MacDonald - highland and border pipes, flute and whistles Iain MacFarlane - fiddle Chris Stout - fiddle Kevin MacKenzie - guitar Brian Kellock - piano and keyboards John Rae - drums Fraser Fifield - sax Findlay Napier - vocals
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Media Reviews
Finlay MacDonald is an extremely gifted artist, and one to be enjoyed. This disc is one of stellar musicianship, passion, and beauty
Finlay's playing is bang up to the minute....
Finlay's playing is bang up to the minute, as are a fair proportion of the tunes, many of them self penned. This is a treat for fans of exemplary solo piping, whether traditional or jazzed up with contemporary accompaniments, and there's even a vocal spot, too, from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama's first-ever traditional music graduate. The Scots Magazine
The diversity is to be applauded, and should ensure that the CD reaches a broader audience than simply bagpipe fanciers.
Thumbs up for Finlay MacDonald!
Thumbs up for Finlay MacDonald! Fluid and energetic flute and whistles, speedy, well-accompanied pipes, good instrumental arrangements, talented guest artists, and catchy compositions! Now I'm going to have to look for a recording from his band
The band is part of a growing set of young musicians, who are absorbing a wide spectrum of influences and integrating them into the tradition to produce an exciting Scottish contemporary sound.
This seriously together five-piece outfit, led by Finlay on highland pipes, lowland pipes and whistles, takes off at a pace with a set of contemporary tunes. The album is not all quite so swiftly executed, however, and there are some dazzling gentler tunes. I particularly like My Mighty Friend and Alasdair’s vintage Bar, which features a beautiful duet between Chris Stout on fiddle and the excellent guitar of Kevin MacKenzie. The pipes feature on most of the tracks, but other lead instruments come through as in Macedonian Tune where the lead is taken in turn by fiddle, pipes and low whistle. Underpinning all is a strong and sometimes syncopated rhythm section provided by Fergus MacKenzie on percussion and Quee MacArthur’s bass. They finish strongly with the title set which starts relatively gently, before roaring off with awesome technical prowess, then taking a slight breather before racing to the end, as if they were indeed Pressed for Time. Pipe music may not be to everyone’s taste but, if you’re not an aficionado, this album may be the place to start. The band is part of a growing set of young musicians, who are absorbing a wide spectrum of influences and integrating them into the tradition to produce an exciting Scottish contemporary sound.
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