PP Ed’s Blog: New Book from Jackie/ Minor Contests/ John MacDougall

There has been a very good response to yesterday’s post about minor band contests, in particular a comment from Andy Donaldson, whose letter sparked the interest. Good response too to the poll. Have your say below, but if you haven’t already read the first story you can do so here.[polldaddy poll=9462566]

Here’s a flavour of what Andy wrote: ‘I have played in every grade and it certainly wasn’t the norm to get on and off fancy buses like some kind of superstar footballer or boy band member. We jumped in our cars and got to parks the length and breadth of Scotland. Indeed I can remember one time in particular when I had to work on the morning of Inverkeithing games in the 70s. We (BP Grangemouth PB) were grade two, and all the cars were gone so I got there in full number one uniform including whitened spats and feather bonnet, on my wee Suzuki 100 motorcycle (crash helmet wasn’t compulsory back then). And I made it just in time to catch the band in the final tuning…..’

Ah they don’t make them like you any more Andy…..Read the full comment here.


Thanks to those who responded to the ID question of the piper pictured at Braemar. Both Gordon Walker and Hugh MacCallum believe it to be a young John MacDougall in his Army days (below). That’s good enough for me. John is pictured below and if you want to hear what a great player he was click here. There’s a good track from Hugh there too. By the way, it would be great to have something from you too Gordon so if you’ve a performance you’d like to share please pass it on.

braemar-3
John MacDougall pictured at Braemar Gathering

New letter on bass drumming posted following my comments recently. Read it here.


Jason Lafferty is the man who does such a marvellous job in getting the results of the majors out as they happen via Twitter. Jason, of Scotia Wed Design, has been in touch: ‘Just been reading the piping press and your article on Juv bands at Forres.

‘The RSPBA Twitter feed has vids of all the bands in the Juv grade if you wanted to link and mention. Pretty much top of the feed https://mobile.twitter.com/rspbahq.’


Breton piper, teacher, composer and collector, Jackie Pincet, has a new book of Breton piobaireachd out. It is beautifully laid out as you can see here: Jackie Pincet Book. Jackie has taken songs and airs from the region and formed them into piobaireachd with some very interesting and musically worthwhile results. A CD accompanies the book. Have a listen to track 3:

And here is the blurb:01_book_pincet_presentation

To buy the book go to the Paker Prod website.