Worlds Week

The week of the World Pipe Band Championships has turned into a week filled with the best piping, drumming and celtic music going...thanks to the Piping Live - Glasgow International Piping Festival. With venues all over Glasgow and the music going at virtually any time of the day, it's hard to fit it all in between that and band practices...
Luckily enough, I was able to catch the CD release of Daimh's new-ish album, Diversions. These guys combine the Scottish, Irish and Cape Breton traditions creating a musically tight ensemble that is a such joy to listen to. So glad that I was able to see them perform live at The Piping Centre before heading to the Silver Cap Invitational contest at the Todd Bar to see James P. compete with the big boys (see previous pipes|drums article, James P. Storms into Silver Cap competition).
Organized by Richard King and Steve Foley of the Los Angeles Scots Pipe Band, this solo piping invitational is quickly becoming a popular event. Boasting some great prize money, all of the competitors have a chance to present a medley of tunes, one of which must be currently unpublished. This year's contest was adjudicated by P/M Iain MacLellan who was positioned behind a screen so as not to know who he was listening to. Eight contestants and eight very good performances with the outcome as follows:

1st Angus MacColl
2nd Stuart Liddell
3rd Willie McCallum
4th James P. Troy
5th Gordon Walker
6th Bruce Gandy
7th Jack Lee
8th Ken Sutherland

Way to go James P! Rob Wallace of the Piping Times gave a full review of each competitor (a little harsh on Bruce Gandy....) Read what he had to say.
And thanks to Jason Briscoe who managed to get a great recording of James P's performance. The unpublished tune Jamie chose to play was a hornpipe written by our uncle, Colin Magee (famous for composing Troy's Wedding) for the late and great Highland Dancing teacher, Mrs. Adeline Duncan. Download JPSilverCap.mp4 from our space on Box.net. Safe and easy to use!
More to follow...
-JLT