Enjoy Your Piping! With Gary West

Gary West
  • 4.9 (55)
  • MUSIC COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The very best of bagpipe music from Scotland and beyond. With live sessions, news, reviews and chat.

  1. 2H AGO

    Episode 139 - Moments of Light

    Send us Fan Mail This week's music of the bagpipe takes you to Ireland, New England, Washington, New Zealand, Brittany - and Scotland.  Playlist Arise and Go with The Beekeeper, The Pipers of Roguery and the Floating Crowbar from Moments of Light Angus MacColl with Donald MacLellan of Rothesay, Capt Colin Campbell and Fiona MacLeod from A Tradition of Excellence   Iain MacInnes with The Ewe wi the Crookit Horn, Sweet Molly, MacPhee’s Reel, Malcolm Currie, Inver Lasses, Buntata ‘s Sgadan and Cabar Feidh from The Pipers’ Gathering: Live from North Hero    New Zealand Police Pipe Band with The Smiler, The Braes of Mellenish, Miss Mathers of Wyvis, Jennifer Finlayson, AA Cameron, Cecily Ross, John MacKenzie’s Fancy and The Seedling from World Pipe Band Championships 1998 Vol 2.   Gwir with MacDonald Brothers, The Skye Dance and MacKerron’s Reel from Liamm Keltiek   Alasdair Gillies and Alasdair Fraser with Hi Ho Hirum, The Wee Man from South Uist, Kenny Gillies of Portnalong, the Hen’s March, Donald Willie and his Dog, The Foxhunter, The South Georgia Whaling Song, The Gravel Walk and the Cape Breton Fiddlers’ Welcome to Shetland from Masters of Scottish Arts Live at Benaroya Hall   Cillian Vallely with Cnocan an Teampaill, Star Above the Garter, Stormy Hill from The Raven’s Rock Support the show

    52 min

  2. MAR 11

    Episode 138 - Cuckoos and Penguins

    Send a text In this week's piping journey Gary takes you to Scotland, England, Brittany, Canada and Australia. Playlist Eabhal with Am Port Falach, Ian Skippinis of Tiree and The MacSim from This is How the Ladies Dance Major Gavin Stoddart with The Highland Wedding, Blair Drummond and The Sheepwife from The Piping Centre 1997 Recital Series Steven Bodenes and Sylvain Hamon with Konskried Plonevez Gavotte from Daou Don Dans Chris Ormston with The Flower of the Quern from Time Out of Mind   The Queensland Police Pipe Band with Copper Top, Speyside, Airhythmic, The Cuckoo, Flew Over the Nest, Scirocco, Kruger’s Dance and 5 Alive from David Barnes Presents – Pandora’s Other Box   Blowzabella with Jan Mijne Man and Go Mauve from Vanilla   Bruce Gandy with Frances Gandy’s Diamond Year, Major William Dearborn and Nixon Wedding March from My Father’s Son   Ron Jappy with Tactical Nuclear Penguin, Kirsty’s and Miss Meghan Harrington from Vincular    Links Blowzabella   Bruce Gandy Support the show

    55 min

  3. MAR 4

    Episode 137 - Ladies from Hell

    Send a text Gary brings you more top quality music including that of the 'bagless' bagpipe of Sardinia. Playlist Chris Armstrong with Iain MacPherson’s Reel, The Broken Chanter and Loch Roaig from Notes in Ma Heid.   Roddy MacLeod with Tatties and Herring, Balmoral Castle, Captain Jack Murray, Lochan Duin, Captain Duff, Traditional Reel and Calum MacKay’s Reel from Pipers of Distinction   Jerry O’Sullivan with Introduction, The Shepherd’s Hornpipe, Lady Harriet Hope and The Humours of Castlecomber from O’Sullivan Meets O’Farrell   Band of the Black Watch with the Massacre of Glencoe Glasgow City Police Pipers, The Gold Ring, Auckland City Police and Maxwell’s Bonnet from Ladies from Hell   Fred Morrison and Jamie McMenemy with The Ladies from Hell, Carlos Barral of Oviedo and Lochaber to Argyll from Up South   Franco Melis with Processione e a seguire Elavazione from Launeddas   Griogair Labhruidh with Norman MacLean and Morven from Dail-Riata   78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band with She Walked Through the Fair, My Laggan Love, Foxhunter Jig, Foxhunter Hornpipe from Live in Canada   The Kathryn Tickell Band with The Wedding and Because he was a Bonny Lad from Debateable Lands     Support the show

    55 min

  4. FEB 25

    Episode 136 - Hidden Treasures

    Send a text Gary finds some hidden gems under a layer of rock. Tune in to find out what on earth he's talking about! Playlist Elias Alexander, Eamon Sefton, Kathleen Parks and Patrick Bowling with Grammy’s Trip to Oregon, Antrim Rose and The Knowledge Drop Karate Chop from Bywater Metro Toronto Police Pipe Band with Bonnie Dundee, Steamboat, The Bugle Horn and the Atholl Highlanders from On the Beat.    Berroguetto with Vilalbalcan II from Navicularia    Donald MacPherson with Donald Gruamach’s March from Donald MacPherson: a Living Legend.  Fraser Fifield and John Mulhearn with The Ardoch Polka, EYP Live Recording University of Edinburgh, February 2026.   Tony McManus with Inveran, The Devil in the Kitchen and Locheil’s Awa Tae France from The Maker’s Mark Hamish Moore with Mrs Hamilton of Pencaitland from Stepping on the Bridge     P/M Alasdair Gillies with The Miller of Drone, the 74th Highlanders, the Rusty Gun, Alex Currie’s, The Road to Balquhidder, the Lintie, Molly on the Shore, Rossie Castle from the Winter Storm Festival Concert, 2009   Nuallan with Donald James MacDonnell, P/M Donald MacLean of Lewis, Alice and Grace Twa and The Swaggering Jig  from Nuallan: Piping from Cape Breton Island.    Links Elias Alexander Tour Dates        Support the show

    54 min

  5. FEB 18

    Episode 135 - Deirdre's Dream

    Send a text This week's journey in piping takes you to Scotland, Brittany, Cape Breton, USA and Australia. Playlist Eddie and Luc with How Old are You my Bonnie Lass, Jimmy MacGregor and John MacDonald’s Exercise from Tirade Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band with The First One Hundred, Showboat, The Curlew, Cabar Feidh, The Bells of Dunblane, Smith’s a Gallant Fireman, Puirt a Beul, The Judge with a Grudge, Legless in Lisburn from World Pipe Band Championships 2000 Slainte Mhath with O’Rourkes, Joan Beaton’s Reel and Red Herring from Va   Patrick Molard with Dusgadh na Bainnse from The Waking of the Bridegroom   Taliska with Song for the Smallpipe, Malts on the Optics and Miss Girdle from Celtic Café Menu   Victoria Police Pipe Band (trio) with the Hellbound Train from Uphold The Right   Margaret Stewart and Ewen Henderson with Bruadar Dheirdre from The Piper and the Maker 2: Celebrating C   CAF Winter School Folkies (Finlay MacDonald, Ailis Sutherland, Gary West, Alasdair White, Megan Henderson, Katie McNally, Ross Martin and Murdo Yogi Cameron) with Braes of Melinish and the Lark’s Ascension Live EYP Recording, Seabeck WA, February 2026           Support the show

    55 min

  6. FEB 4

    Episode 134 - Time to Spare

    Send a text Join Gary for more quality piping including musical trips to both the USA and Canada Playlist Fras with Flylo from Flinne Los Angeles Scots Pipe Band with Los Angeles Scots Pipe Band and Bruce Gandy’s Farewell to the Iron Horse from At the Beach Duncan Johnstone with Duncan Johnstone, The Judge’s Dilemma and Donella Beaton from Bows and Drones. Jeremiah McLane and Timothy Cummings with Laride 6 Temps and Pixel from The Wind Among the Reeds Brian Donaldson with Lord Alexander Kennedy, Bob of Fettercairn and Mrs MacPherson of Inveran from Glenfiddich Piping Championship Ceol Beag 1990.   Ann Gray with the Starcraft Trip to Glencoe, White Balloons and Black Leather, Kelvinhaugh Street Spirits and The Convoy to Oban from Shouting at Magpies Muirhead and Sons Pipe Band with Colin Thompson, Caledonian Society of London and MacAllister’s Dirk from 25 Years of World Pipe Band Champions John Walsh with Time to Spare, Barney’s Balmoral, Sleepy Maggie, Archie Brown, Piper’s Despair, Poor Man am I, Korgie from Time to Spare Daimh with The Hag at the Churn, Fosgail an Dorus, Zito the Bubbleman and The Wise Maid from Moidart to Mabou Support the show

    57 min

  7. JAN 28

    Episode 133 - Windy City

    Send a text Gary explores his CD shelves to bring you an eclectic range of music from the world of piping. Playlist James Harper with Cladach Uaine, Sultans Reel and Montelago Madness from Culzean   Dr Angus MacDonald with When the Night is Falling, Crossing the Minch and I Laid a Herring in Saut from The Piping Concert Celtic Connections 1997   Stephanie Makem and Tiarnan o Duinnchinn with Ril an Eargail from Ceol is Piob   The Clan Gregor Society with Lord Alexander Kennedy, Dora MacLeod and John Morrison of Assynt House from World Pipe Band Championships 2006   Winter Storm Pipers (led by Jack Lee) with Andrew MacNeil of Colonsay from Winter Storm Concert, Kansas City 2026.   Brian Lamond with Windy City and Eddie the Penguin from Another Day at the Office    Patrick Molard with Suite de Loudeac from The Piping Concert Celtic Connections 1997   Sketch with Out of My Cage from Shed Life   Support the show

    53 min

  8. JAN 21

    Episode 132 - In Conversation with Pipe Major Matt Wilson

    Send a text Gary brings you an extended interview with Matt Wilson, following his debut season as pipe major of the Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band. Playlist Hamish Hepburn and Jack Houston with The Archina MacLennan Twoscore, The West Highland Liner and Lady Francis from Afore We Go Ben Duncan with The Duchess of Edinburgh, Thoughts of Burns and the Little Cascade (Ben Duncan Private Recording) Dollar Academy Juvenile Pipe Band with Donald MacLellan of Rothsay, Susan MacLeod and Lt Col DJS Murray from Scottish Pipe Band Championships 2023 (private recording)   Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band with The Richard Parkes Tribute Medley from European Pipe Band Championships 2025 (private recording)   Matt Wilson with the Cameronian Rant Jig from The Eagle Pipers 2010   Matt Wilson with The Argyllshire Gathering, Cabar Feidh and Lt Col DJS Murray from Winter Storm Gold Medal Contest 2023.   Links  Stirling Junior Solo Piping Competition Saturday March 8th 2026 https://stirlingpiping.weebly.com/#/  Craig Muirhead   craigmuirhead90@hotmail.co.uk King Robert Hotel, Stirling 01786 811666 Support the show

    51 min
See All (139)

4.9
out of 5
55 Ratings

About

The very best of bagpipe music from Scotland and beyond. With live sessions, news, reviews and chat.

Information

You Might Also Like