I’ve been reading lots of stuff on percussion lately.  I’ve been looking to educate myself further on what makes percussion what it is, why it is, and how a deeper understanding can help create great melodies.  I came across this youtube mini-documentary and thought you might enjoy. The message here is about drumming, yes, but also about music and musicians: “great chops” [wrists, fingers] may be great to have, but we still have to entertain and move listeners – the audience:
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Here’s a great photo of Christian Mehat, composer of Concerto Ascenseur (Elevator Concerto), taken this month while on tour in China. Christian is a member of Brittany’s Bagad St Nazaire, one of the best bagads anywhere.

“This is a great pic for a lot of reasons”, said G1 band P/S Michael Grey, “It’s got Christian mugging with the band’s latest T but, funny to me, because when I first started corresponding with Christian he would always sign his name, ‘Xian’. I asked a Breton piper I knew if he was Chinese. Christian got wind of this and laughed his ass off”.

Most would know that ‘Xian’ is only a short-form of his given name. But that’s our clever Pipe Sergeant.

You can hear Concerto Ascenseur on the band’s new CD, “Live at the el Mocambo“.

The Toronto Police Pipe Band’s new recording, “Live at the el Mocambo”, is now available for downloading from iTunes. Over the coming days other major international download sites including puretracks.com, napster.com, etc will also host the record.

Here’s an interesting “panorama” shot of the grades one and two band playing together at Fergus Highland Games, Saturday, August 14, 2010.
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An interesting view of an army pipe band in Rome, 1944.  This is the regimental band of the Seaforth Highlanders of the Canadian 1st Division marching through Rome.  While the landmarks haven’t changed the sounds of pipe bands sure have.  

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The Toronto Police Pipe Band grade 3 won the day at Saturday’s (July 10) Oshawa International Festival.  The band was placed first ahead of the 400 Squadron band of Downsview, Ontario and Rob Roy of Kingston, Ontario.  Pipe Major Brian Urkosky and the band are showing fine form and gain solid momentum heading into the season’s final events.  Onwards and upwards!

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The band’s recording of their May 15, 2010 show at the el Mocambo club in Toronto is ready for sale now and officially released July 14, 2010. 

New music, old music, good music; there’s something on Live at the el Mocambo for everyone.  The crowd’s a big part of the production; have a listen, it’ll be like you were there on the night!  

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The band launched their own youtube channel today. First video up is the grade one band’s show at Georgetown games. Subscribe and you’ll get the latest news and videos from the bands shows and travels.

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The kind of drone reeds a piper plays is always a topic for discussion – between pipers. Some like the traditional cane reeds, some like the more reliable synthetic inventions.

Here’s a humourous take on one piper’s passion for cane reeds – courtesy of Bryan “Huddy” Huddleston, an excellent piper in the grade one band.
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