pipes|drums review of Stuart Cassells' Blown Away

Stuarts CD, which features some of my music, got a good review on the pipesdrums web site from Matt Pantaleoni.

Every once in a while, one has the good fortune to stumble on a truly enjoyable album, an album that is a pleasure to listen to from start to finish. Blown Away, Stuart Cassells' debut solo album, is just such an album.

This CD has something for everyone. Strathspeys, reels, and jigs form the bulk of the album, but there is also a slow air, a 4/4, and a song (Ross Kennedy singing "The Terror Time") that round things out nicely. Some tracks feature electric guitar and drum accompaniment while others let the softer bouzouki and bodhran work their magic. Whatever mood strikes him, Stuart brings a certain freshness and youthful energy to the table that pervades the whole album and lets his sterling musicality shine.

Three tracks were particularly grabbing. The first is a jig set early in the album featuring two recent compositions, Lorne MacDougall's "Kirsteen's Jig" and Don Bradford's "The Isle of Jura." Lorne's tune is one of those wonderfully lyrical melodies that would be just as much at home on a fiddle or in a session as it is here on the pipes. He contributes some clever tunes to this album and will certainly be a musician to watch in the future.

The seldom-heard 4/4 march, "The Hills of Argyll," was another favourite. The liner notes state that George McIntyre (composer of "Lucy Cassidy") made this tune while in a POW camp during the war. Stuart clearly has fun exploring this tune. He starts with a pipe solo of this beautiful melody, followed by piano and guitar solos and culminating with a mini-band rendition from the Red Hot Chili Pipers, Stuart's band.

The album closes with a moving track called "Just for Gordon," a tribute to Stuart's mentor, Gordon Duncan, to whom Blown Away is dedicated. The track gets underway with two traditional jigs accompanied by bouzouki and bodhran. Then, with funereal synthesizer accompaniment, Stuart suddenly breaks into another Lorne MacDougall composition, "Grey Daylight." Stuart's fingers glide effortlessly over the notes in this tune in a style reminiscent of the man himself. Then suddenly, the requiem is over and we are back in ceilidh mode. The set finishes on a bright note with one of Gordon's most well known tunes, "The High Drive," with a surprise or two thrown in for good measure. A fitting tribute, indeed!

It should come as no surprise that Stuart won the 2005 BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year award. His debut solo album continues the well deserved momentum generated by the award. If this is the future of traditional Scottish music, then the future looks very bright.

Red Hot Chilli Pipers Review

I found this review, from Scott MacLellan, came from a post on the BobDunsire.com forum.

Red Hot Chilli Pipers - 2006 - RHCPCD01 (self-released)

Pipers Stuart Cassells, William Armstrong and Kevin MacDonald; Percussionists Malcolm McEwan and Steven Graham

Guests musicians: Stevie Lawrence, Lorne MacDougall, Simon Moran, Douglas Millar, and Steven Black
Engineered by D.P. Johnson, Produced by Lorne MacDougall

Track 1: The Crooked Bridge
After an energetic percussion and string intro, the pipes kick in into a glorious sound, then suddenly there's a solo piper playing it in a minor key. Goosebump time when the rest of the band kick back in for one final round, back to the major key with wonderful harmonies. What a wonderful start.

Track 2: La Boum / Jack Daniels / Barney's Balmoral / Electric Chopsticks
"La Boum" has been a favourite of pipe bands for several years now, but never played quite like this! A bit up-tempo and full of driving drumming. The following reels are all played very well and build to a nice finish.

Track 3: Tag Team Jigs: Out of the Air / Gingerhogs / Atlantic Bridge / Glasgow City Police Pipers
Each piper takes a turn showing his "jig-ability" before the three come together for Glasgow City Police Pipers. The addition of a pipe band snare drum and harmonies during the final tune helps add a bit of spice to this track.

Track 4: Highland Cathedral
This begins with a solo piper, playing the tune about as you're accustomed to hearing it. Before long, though, some tastefully done slides and vibrato appear, and on the second go-around, additional pipes add harmony and a snare drum adds a little rhythm. But then hold onto your hats for the third time, as it transforms into a majestic rock and roll extravaganza, complete with electric guitar, bass guitar, and drum kit. One could easily envision Wolfstone or even Runrig giving this tune this kind of treatment.

Track 5: Drum Fanfare
I recognize that much, if not all of this, comes from the genius of the late Alex Duthart. Very well done - the lads are having fun, and it comes through.

Track 6: Border Pipes: The Banshee / Lexy McAskill / The Ramnee Ceilidh / The Ale is Dear / Break Yer Bass Drone
A bit of a different sound here, as the track starts off with a fiddle and piano. Then the border pipes kick in and carries the set through a number of blistering reels and hornpipes. This track reminds me of something I'd hear from a Nova Scotian band such as Slainte Mhath.

Track 7: Stuart Cassells Solo: The Terror Time / Fleshmarket Close / The Antrim Rose / The Wisemaid
Stuart gets the spotlight here, performing "The Terror Time" with a soft, tasteful keyboard accompaniment. He adds just enough slides and vibrato to enhance the tune, without over-doing it. Then into three unaccompanied reels, which amply displays he can play at very fast tempo while still maintaining a high level of musicality and technical accuracy.

Track 8: Hornpipes: Train Journey North / Tam Bain's Lum
Train Journey begins with a solo piper accompanied by a pipe band style snare, then after a wee percussion brige, the other pipers, bouzouki, and more percussion join in for Tam Bain's Lum. Both are great, fun tunes, and are presented as such here.

Track 9: Lochanside
First round is quite up-tempo, by the pipes and percussion, then, after a bit of an unusual break in the middle, the tune is played once again, and what a glorious wall of sound they provide. Harmonies throughout, and extra layers added by keyboards and bouzouki.

Track 10: Rory MacLeod / Molly's Jig / The Famous Baravan
Attractive harmonies during Rory MacLeod, though the pipes get just ahead of the drums at times. Molly's Jig, composed and played here by Stuart Cassells, is performed with tasteful bouzouki accompaniment, followed by the rest of the pipers and percussion to wrap it up with Gordon Duncan's "The Famous Baravan" with some pleasant harmony.

The Red Hot Chilli Pipers have become known in Scotland as an awe-inspiring stage act, and now, with this CD release, the rest of the world can find out exactly what they've been missing. This would be a great CD to give to someone who thinks the pipes are only for parades, funerals, and weddings.

My only complaint? The CD ends all too soon.

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and from Diego_Drum...

have only got one word to describe this cd AWESOME!!!

It is great to hear such a good cd, with nicest and known melodies such as glasgow police pipers, but with an innovative touch from this greatest musicians, Stuart shows off all his talent, Steven shows what he can do with a snare, the djembe is really well played, and the sound os the pipes is very good.
I would really reccommend this cd to anyone who wants to have a good time listening to pipes.

The only thing that i would change is the least of the recording, too short for me.

Anyway well done guys, i am looking forward for your next cd