Michael McGoldrick plays the Uilleann pipes for this set. This video was recorded during the first gig of Temple bar trad fest 2012. I've decided, I don't like Michael McGoldrick any more. He's just too good. :) Enjoy.
Speaking as a bodhran player, I can definitely hear him. He's in the mix with the others. The reason you don't think you can hear him is that (a) JJK is extremely good, so he's matching the guitar player perfectly and (b) the tipper isn't a traditional wood tipper, but a brush tipper, so the sound is different.
If your body doesnt naturally go into dance mode then youre not human. MM is so fluid and musical. He embodies the instrument and deep Irish culture so beautifully. Bravo!
Im from the states, have a degree in guitar performance, studied jazz, play bop mostly. This is so crazy and i love it. Maybe some day i can sit in with some of this type of playing.
As far as I can tell, Mike McG has got a serious pair of hands on the ends of his arms. I've got two useless apendages that aren't good for much more than excavating my nostrils. (And Mike can play so many instruments!)
i had the pleasure of playing with mike and another piper john mc sherry at the weekend it was a fantastic experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my life
Saw McGoldrick and John Doyle and Mccusker in the Delightful setting of the St Georges all in The 'Pool . The musical feast remains in my ears even yet . Mc Goldrick's playing was memorable.
Yes Michael is a beast on the Uilleann pipes, Irish whistle and Irish flute. He is an Englishman by Irish parents, but we won't hold that against him. Uilleann means elbow in Irish BTW. JJ Kelly's bodhran is hard to hear, but that instrument is difficult to record properly especially on amateur gear which I think is the case here. No drones or regulators on this one!
Look at his left arm. The pipes are attached to the black bag. It inflates with air when he takes his elbow off of it, and deflates when he presses his elbow back onto it. That's where the air comes from.
I recorded this set of a radio program on a tape (yes a cassette tape, a looong time ago :). I don't remember how these tunes are called. Anyone knows it?
Michael McGoldrick great musician seen him loads of times playing in da band Toss The Feathers in da Palace I’m Levenshulme Manchester back in da early mid nineties 👌👍
What is amazing is that McGoldrick, though at the absolute peak of the world's flute-players ( not saying he's the best, no such thing, but he's in the pantheon) is also a gun ( 'gun', that's Aussie for ' bloody good'. 'top class') piper. But .... I prefer him on flute. And yes Morning Rory is his best album I reckon.
Actually Uilleann refers to the elbow in Irish. The Irish prefer to call their language Irish or Gaeilge. The Uilleann pipes consist of an air bag which is pumped up by the elbow, cantor, drones and regulators. The drones are self explanatory and the regulators are notes or chords played with the heel of the hand. It is a very complicated instrument. Since Mr. McGoldrick is left handed, he pumps up the air bag with his left elbow. He is not using the drones or regulators in this piece.
