That’s Celtic Connections done and dusted for me. It wasn’t the usual manic run around as previous years, enough though to feel like I need a couple of days under the duvet. It began with a lovely Old blind dogs concert on the 16th. This was a really nice night in which we were joined by ex doggies Rory Campbell and Finlay Macdonald. Too many bagpipes…… NAAAAAAA!!!!!!! Actually the first gig i played on was the Chieftains gig on the 15th ( Sorry the CC hangover has washed away a few brain cells). Myself, Finlay Mac (of the Finlay pipers), and a few other sqwuakers had the honour of guesting with the global, celtic phenomenon , The Chieftains. How could i forget!!!! Then a few days, nights, mornings of oblivion pass and i was performing the beautiful music written by Sarah Hayes (not the body builder). This was the return of her new voices piece, Woven. It’s a really beautiful, and very well thought out piece of writing. You can check her out at http://www.sarahhayes.net. Then came the beast………………Myself and Ross Ainslie had were gifted the opportunity to MD a gig in the main auditorium of the Concert Hall. We were to put together a tribute gig for our mentor, the late, great Gordon Duncan. This was Just for Gordon, on the 24th. Now if any of you know myself and Ross, the thought of us organising such an event might have had you in a state of shock, it certainly shocked us. So fast forward through rehearsals, fear, pipes not going, rehearsals, fear, trying to remember tunes, more fear, we ended up with a beautiful concert. We couldn’t have expected for it have gone any better. We had an amazing bunch of some of the best musician and folk on the planet! The band consisted of the finest, Duncan lyall – Bass, Aaron Jones – Cittern, Innes Watson – Guitar, Fiddle, Angus Lyon – Keys, and Fraser Stone – hitting Shit………These guys, i can’t stress enough are THE BEST!!! The main performers were Duncan Chisholm and Susana Seivane, who did the most heartfelt rendition of Gordon’s Sleeping tune, the lovely, gaelic goddess Julie Fowlis, the Tannahill weavers with Ross Kennedy, Gordy Duncan jr with Calum Ingram, the legend Davy Spillane with Donal O’Connor, the finest pipers known to man, Stuart liddell, Angus MacColl, Gary West, Ian Duncan, Alex Duncan, Allan MacDonald, Lorne MacDougall, and the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland……..if I’ve forgotten anyone, i apologies, my brain is sludge just now. Anyway, A MASSIVE THANK YOU to everyone on the gig. You all made it a really special event.

Now back under the duvet!!!!!!!!!!

See yis soon. Ali