Enjoy Your Piping! With Gary West

Latest Episodes:

Episode 94 - Celtic Spring Mar 19, 2025

Show notes

Gary brings you more highlights from Angus MacColl's recent recital hosted by the MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band, and invites you to eavesdrop on a couple of sets from the Celtic Spring Festival Tour in Austria

Playlist

Angus MacColl with the Cowal Highland Gathering, Maclean of Pennycross, 71st Highlanders, The Pap of Glencoe and The Highland Wedding from the MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band Recital Series 2025

Angus MacColl with Gaelic Airs from the MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band Recital Series 2025

Angus MacColl with Strathspeys and Reels from the MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band Recital Series 2025

Heart of Italy Pipe Band with Farewell to Cetine and Castle Dangerous from Heartbeat

25th Guinness Celtic Spring Tour Musicians with The King's Shilling, The Ass in the Graveyard, Scarce o Tatties, Hag at the Churn and Pressed for Time Live in Austria

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Episode 93 - Oh Vienna! Mar 12, 2025

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Gary reports in from his tour in Austria with some more great bagpipe music, old and new.

Playlist

Gary West with The Fourth Floor (private recording)

Will MacMorran with Scott MacMorran’s, Trip to Nanjiang and Holston Ridge from Smallpipes Big Tunes

Angus MacColl with Billy Connolly’s and the Hard Drive from MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band Recital (private recording)

Sgoil Bhágh a’ Chaisteal with Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships Freestyle Entry

Angus MacColl with Glengarry’s Lament from MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band Recital (private recording)

Donald Lindsay with The Grinder, Hardiman the Fiddler and Blythsome Bridal from Two Boats Under the Moon (pre-release track)

Wind and Wire with Cornwall my Home (Youtube release)

Links

Sgoil Bhágh a’ Chaisteal Video version

Will McMorran on Bandcamp

Will McMorran Website

Donald WG Lindsay

Donald Lindsay Two Boats Under the Moon Crowdfunder

Wind and Wire 'Cornwall my Home' Music Video

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Episode 92 - Tunes and Chat with Finlay MacDonald Mar 05, 2025

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Gary visits the National Piping Centre to catch up with Director of Piping, Finlay MacDonald. And of course there's plenty of music along the way.

Playlist

Brighde Chaimbeul with Doronoch Links, Catriona Bheag’s and Bonnie Bonnie is the Lass from The Piper and the Maker 2: Celebrating C

Finlay MacDonald and Chris Stout with Border Crossing from The Cauld Wind

National Youth Pipe Band with 400% from Thunderstruck: Live from the Perth Concert Hall

Masters of Scottish Arts Folk Group with Elliot Fin MacDonald from Westering Home

Pipe Major Angus MacDonald with Wiseman’s Exercise, The Fiddler’s Joy, The Smith’s a Gallant Fireman, The Laird of Drumblair, The Brolum and Kalabakan from The World’s Greatest Pipers Volume 1.

Breabach with Lochanside from Fàs

Links

National Piping Centre

Brighde Chaimbeul Tour Dates

Breabach Tour Dates

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Episode 91 - Brave New Music Feb 26, 2025

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With the recent publication of his new book, Brave New Music, Gary explores the life and music of the piper, classical violinist, composer and DJ, the late Martyn Bennett, and also pays tribute to the late Bill Livingstone who sadly passed away this week.

Playlist

78th Fraser Highlanders with Competition Medley, World Pipe Band Championships 1987

Martyn Bennett with Swallowtale, from Martyn Bennett

Martyn Bennett with Mary Kelly's, Glesga Tabla and Belle's Fancy from the Grand Concert of Scottish Piping

City of Edinburgh Music School with MacKay's Memoirs

Kathryn Tickell with Our Kate and The Welcome Home from The Best of Kathryn Tickell

Links

Buy your signed copy of Brave New Music: the Martyn Bennett Story here

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Episode 90 - Ferrules and Ferries Feb 19, 2025

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More great music and chat from the world of bagpipes, as Gary pays another visit to the bagpipe factory of RG Hardie, and explores a lovely piece of brand new music composed to celebrate the recent launch of the latest addition to the Calmac fleet, MV Glen Sannox.

Playlist

Ann Gray with Dirty Little Harry, The Memphis Rendezvous, The Wise Maid and A Cup of Tea from Tales of Magpies and Ravens

Iain Speirs with The Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society and The Edinburgh City Police Pipe Band from Music from the Spirit of Scotland

Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band with 2008 World Pipe Band Championship Medley Set from Music from the Spirit of Scotland

Angus MacColl with Sine Bhan, 3 x Trad Reels, Liberton Pipe Band from Lord Todd Challenge, 2007

Connor Sinclair with Major Manson at Clachantrushal, Susan MacLeod and Broadford Bay from Glenfiddich Championship 2019

Tim Cummings, Pete Sutherland and Brad Colodner with Donny’s in the Shop and Katy Bess of Tennessee from the Birds’ Flight

Eriska and the Isle of Arran Music School with MV Glen Sannox.

Links

To Win a Deluxe RG Hardie Pipe Case Click and Enter Here

Isle of Arran Music School feat. Eriska with MV Glen Sannox Video

Cairdeas Winter Gathering

please note - Tim Cumming is not teaching this time - it's Michael Roddy - my mistake!

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Episode 89 - Focus on Duncan Nicholson Part 2 Feb 12, 2025

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Gary brings you the second instalment of his chat with Duncan Nicholson, touching on his time as pipe major of the Strathclyde Police and exploring some other musical projects he's been involved with over the years.

Playlist

Strathclyde Police Pipe Band with Dolina MacKay, the Goatherd and the Shepherd, The Gathering, Ho Ro 's Hug Oro Eile, Rodney Hull QC, Tulloch Gorm, The Lads of Mull, Ridhle Mo Nighean Donn from World Pipe Band Championships 2011.

Greater Glasgow Police Pipe Band feat. Rachel Walker with The World War 1 Set from Ceolry

Duncan Nicholson with the Mermaid's Song (private recording)

Duncan Nicholson and Mick MacNeil with Belfast Cascade (private recording)

Duncan Nicholson with Chief Superintendent W S Carle (private recording)

Duncan Nicholson with Kenneth MacKenzie (private recording)

Duncan Nicholson with Pitlochry High School Centenary (private recording)

Link

Video of Belfast Cascade

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Episode 88 - Focus on Duncan Nicholson, Part 1 Feb 05, 2025

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Gary catches up with one of the great players of the pipe band and folk scene, Duncan Nicholson, who shares with us his music and memories. We chatted for so long, look out for Part 2 next week!

Playlist

Duncan Nicholson with He Ho Hi Rum, The Wee man who went to Stornoway, Duncan Nicholson – Private Recording

Train Journey North with Skyeman's Jig, Skyelark Ascension, Alex MacDonald and Echoes of Oban from First Tracks

Duncan Nicholson, Allan Henderson and Ingrid Henderson with 6/8 marches from Tuning Phrases How did it come about that you joined Tannahill Weavers?

The Tannahill Weavers with Good Drying, MacFarlane’s, The Whistlebinkies Reel and Mulhair’s Reel set from Leaving St Kilda

Duncan Nicholson with the Gaelic Marches (Morag Leat Shiubhlainn, Mal na Marra, Thug Oran o Ro) – private recording

Links

Balvenie Medal Nominations

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Episode 87 - After the Storm Jan 29, 2025

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Gary brings you more top notch music from the world of bagpipes.
Playlist
Simon Fraser University with Beaches of Harris from Affirmation

Andrew Carlisle with Raigmore, Donald Maclean, Jig of Slurs, Donald Cameron’s Powderhorn and Donella Beaton from The Young Ones

Iain MacDonald and Iain MacFarlane with The Snuff Wife, Humours of Whisky, The Clumsy Lover from The First Harvest

Niteworks with Dookin from Air Fàir an Là

John Finlay with El Veleta (Listener’s Corner)

Greg Wilson with Parker’s Welcome to Perthshire, Bob of Fettercairn and Duncan Lamont from the 25th Glenfiddich Championships

Ross Miller with The Drunken Man from Kalabakan (single)

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Episode 86 - Winter Storm, Kansas City Jan 22, 2025

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Gary reports from his first ever trip to the Winter Storm gathering in Kansas City, including a chat with the most successful pipe major of all time, Richard Parkes MBE.
Playlist
Vale of Atholl Pipe Band with Il Paco Grande by RS MacDonald from Live n Well
Murray Blair with Marlu
Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band with the Hard Drive by Fred Morrison
Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band with the Fiddlers' Rally Medley
Faculty Members of Winter Storm in rehearsal with Crossing the Minch
Faculty Members of Winter Storm in rehearsal with Lament for Mary MacLeod

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Episode 85 - Too Long in this Condition Jan 15, 2025

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Gary lends an ear to some of the great piping on offer at this year's Celtic Connections in Glasgow.

Playlist
Ross Miller with Richard’s Gone Bananas, That Little Bit Extra, Ton Double and Laurie the Blaster from The Roke

Inveraray and District Pipe Band feat. Murray Henderson with Too Long in this Condition from A Night in that Land.

Inveraray and District Pipe Band with John MacColl,’s March to Kilbowie Cottage, The Cameronian Rant and the Little Cascade from A Night in that Land.

Malin Lewis with the Old Inn from Halocline

Ross Ainslie and the Sanctuary Band with All My Years (Lament for Ukraine) from Pool

Martyn Bennett with 3 Sheeps to the Wind (Part 2) from Martyn Bennett

Alasdair Gillies with The Miller of Drone, the 74th Highlanders, the Rusty Gun, Alex Currie’s, The Road to Balquhidder, the Lintie, Molly on the Shore, Rossie Castle from the Winter Storm Festival Concert, 2009

The Lonely Busker with the Gravedigger's Suite (Listener's corner feature)
Arise and Go with O’Neill’s March and the Dusty Miller from Meeting Place

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