Fred Morrison READ BIO
The Sound of the Sun Review
The
Sound of the Sun
Red Alert--Warning: In this recording, Fred Morrison has laid down
his set of Highland pipes entirely, in favor of the Uilleanns and Border
pipes, plus the low
whistle. Not to worry; the album is superlative,
conveying nearly as much of the flavor of South Uist, Scotland, as if the
Highland
pipes had been employed throughout.
Formerly a player with Clan Alba and Capercaillie, Morrison remains one of the greatest living pipers on any apparatus. His technical brilliance is well-utilized in this collection of rapid-fire traditional and contemporary dance tunes, and he is ably assisted by guest musicians including Will Lamb, bouzouki; Deirdre MacLullich (who married Fred in 1998) and Kenny Fraser, fiddles; and Ross Martin, guitar.
This disc features many standout tracks, including a definitive version of Alick C MacGregor, the G.S. MacLennan classic, and the last track, Drumbuie, a gorgeous tune dedicated to Fred's late father, who grew up in the town of that name on South Uist, a region famed for its strong piping tradition.
Up South Review
Up South
For this recording, Fred Morrison plays a variety of instruments: Great
Highland Bagpipes, Border pipes, Uilleanns, and the low whistle. He
is accompanied by two world-class players on the strings: Jamie
McMenemy, bouzouki player from the Battlefield
Band and Kornog,
makes appearances throughout the album, while renowned Celtic guitarist Tony
McManus plays on three of the tracks. Pairing pipes with the bouzouki may
seem initially to be a strange artistic choice, but the combination, in the
capable hands of these players, succeeds here beyond all expectations.
Through slow airs and uptempo reels, the musicianship is astonishing,
culminating in the final track, a wondrous rendition of the classic
Ceol Mor piece Earl
of Seaforth. This piobaireachd is one of Fred's favorite pieces of
music; his father used to play it around the house when Fred was growing
up, and Fred won a gold medal at Inverness playing this very tune.
As is usually the case with a Fred Morrison album, Up South displays Fred's composing and arranging talents as prominently as his performing skills; most of the tunes are original compositions by Morrison himself. In the final evaluation, this is an essential recording.
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