Articles include those on consultative judging, playing in a circle, ensemble, and a review of Reid Maxwell’s new drumsticks.
The latest issue of the Musician’s Union magazine records the passing of drummer Andy White aged 85. Andy was born in Glasgow in 1930 and learned to play in a Boys Brigade pipe band aged 12. He migrated to the full drum kit and moved to London where he gained a reputation as a first-rate session drummer.
When the Beatles arrived in September 1962 to record Love Me Do, producer George Martin expressed doubts about Ringo Starr’s drumming. Martin turned to pipe band boy Andy to anchor a new version – the version that became the Beatles’ first big hit.
Andy emigrated to New Jersey in 1983 where he became a drum tutor.
Pipers of the Jewish faith, and others, may be interested in this story from The Scotsman newspaper: ‘Jews around the world with a love of all things Scottish will now able to dress in an official kosher tartan. The distinctive blue and white design was created by Mendel Jacobs, the only Scottish-born Rabbi living north of the border, and has been registered with the Scottish Tartans Authority. The tartan, featuring distinctive tones of navy and burgundy, is a kosher non wool-linen mix which abides by shatnez – the Jewish law prohibiting the mixture of wool and linen in garments. ‘A friend of mine told me about a Polish tartan and a Sikh tartan had been registered, so why not a Jewish one?’ said Mr Jacobs, from Glasgow.
‘Jews have always enjoyed a positive relationship with Scotland. It’s one of the few countries where there is no history of persecutions. There are also a lot of Jewish ex-pats around the world with links to Scotland.’
Mr Jacobs worked with Mike Wilson of the Scottish Tartans Authority to finalise the design. ‘I chose blue and white as the colours of both the Israeli and Scottish flags,’ he said. ‘The central gold line represents the gold from the Ark in the Biblical Tabernacle and the many ceremonial vessels. The silver is to represent the silver that adorns the Scroll of the Law and the colour red is for the traditional red Kiddush wine.’
Mr Jacobs, who is minister of an independent Orthodox congregation in Glasgow, has produced a variety of prayer shawls, skull caps and other items in the new tartan.’
Jews have been living in Scotland since at least the late 17th century. The majority of Scottish Jews today are descended from immigrants who arrived in the late 19th century, mainly settling in Glasgow and Edinburgh. For more information, visit www.jewishtartan.com
Welcome on board to our two newest advertisers Jim Murray Reeds and Piping at Forres. Jim has made quite a reputation for himself since moving to Perth, Western Australia where he is P/M of the police band. Jim will be over in Scotland this summer to compete for the Gold Medal at Inverness. He won the Oban medal in 1997. Here he is pictured on the front of Piper Press, the paper forerunner of Piping Press, with his medal:
