Donald Lindsay, the Scottish piper who is now domiciled on a small island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, yesterday releasesd his latest recording. The History of Sleep, recorded with Richard Youngs, a Glasgow-based “experimental” musician.
The album utilises Lindsay’s free-ranging, improvisational Lindsay System smallpipes chanter accompanied by Richard’s rare Rickenbacker 480 guitar. Donald told us: “The album was actually recorded in one day in Glasgow last summer prior to me coming to Ascension but it’s taken until now for it to be released.
“The whole album was recorded live, just Richard and me.”
The recording, released through Good Energy Records, comprises four improvisations – three original, the last based on and beginning with a 20-minute long interpretation of Dorrington Lads from the William Dixon manuscript of 1733-1738.
Lindsay, ex-Convenor of the Lowland & Border Pipers’ Society has long been interested in pushing the musical boundaries of the Scottish smallpipes and has produced his own chanters – using 3D printing technology – for a few years. Prior to relocating to Ascension Island he was the principal teacher on the smallpipes class run by the National Piping Centre. Two of Lindsay’s smallpipes designs are on display in the museum of the National Piping Centre.
Go to https://goodenergy.bandcamp.com/. A review of the album on Bagpipe.News will follow in due course.