Partners In Crime

£12.00

All-Ireland Champion’ Uilleann Piper Jarlath and top Highland Piper Ross join together to explore the boundaries of piping. Traditional and new tunes given unusual treatments. A real feast of piping.

(1 customer review)

Description

Tracks

1. Old Bush
2. Break Yer Bass Drone Again
3. Jock Browns 70th
4. Turnberry Road
5. Jenna Drever of Kirkwall
6. Absynthe Makes The Heart Grow Fonder
7. No More Cages
8. Delboys
9. Breton Tune
10. The Slow Train
11. Return to Milltown

Musicians

Ross Ainslie – Border Pipes and Whitsles
Jarlath Henderson – Uilleann Pipes, Whistles and Vocals

Other Info

1 review for Partners In Crime

  1. Alex Monaghan

    Two frighteningly young pipers (at the time) who had already won prizes and international acclaim, Ross and Jarlath come from the Irish and Scottish piping traditions respectively. The combination of uilleann pipes and Border pipes is pure alchemy: there’s a risk it could blow up in your face, but on this occasion the result is rare and precious. The Old Bush kicks off with Jarlath’s solo skills, but soon shifts into a dazzling duet. The two instruments meld on The Jolly Tinker, and Richard Dwyer’s packs more punch than a boxing-glove factory. Jock Brown’s 70th, Good Drying and Maverick Angels represent some of the finest recent tunes from both piping traditions, and they’re rattled off flawlessly here. Ainslie and Henderson compositions can hold their heads up in such company; Dirty Bee and Absynthe from Ross, The Crackin Fiddle and Dudley Drive from Jarlath, are outstanding tunes.

    The lads shift to whistles for a few slower numbers, in particular the very pretty air Jenna Drever of Kirkwall and the Delboy set of slow jigs. More variety comes from guests such as Donald Shaw and James Mackintosh, with juicy guitar cameos from Ali Hutton (I think – Paul Meehan is also credited on guitar). The final couple of tracks return to traditional ground, Scots and Irish. Whistles and pipes combine on Timmy Clifford’s and Rev Bros, a pair of relaxed modal jigs bent slightly for the Border pipes. The last track is back to reels, a lovely slow opening to Return to Milltown and then full speed ahead on The Bird’s Nest, ending with a rapid-fire swagger through the piping reel Miss Girdle. This album starts good and gets better, the new tunes grow on you and the old ones dust off very nicely. Roll on the solo albums from both these excellent players.

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