Mike Katz & Mike Whellans playing Scottish small bagpipes & harmonica

SCOTTISH SMALL PIPES & HARMONICA? WHY NOT...?

Recorded on a sunny afternoon at Temple Records, and sitting in the conservatory rather than the studio, this recording is really just a couple of friends playing a couple of tunes over a cup of tea. It sounded great so we put up a couple of mics and a video camera and thought we'd let a few more people hear it too. Enjoy!


ABOUT THE TUNES

Juan Martino's
The 'Juan Martino' referred to in the title of this reel is John Martin, fiddle player with The Tannahill Weavers. The tune was written by Mike Katz for his friend John, who is a great musician and tune maker, a 'weel kent' face on the Scottish traditional music scene, and an excellent man in a session

Tail Toddle
This reel is a very well known traditional tune. We think the tune was originally called 'Charlie's Muster Roll', a title which refers to Bonnie Prince Charlie mustering troops. It's now better known as 'Tail Toddle' and probably takes its name from a bawdy song of the same title which is often sung to this melody. There are several variants of the song, at least one of which may well have been written by Robert Burns.


ABOUT THE MUSICIANS

Mike Katz
A superb and versatile musician, bagpiper Mike Katz joined Scottish traditional music legends Battlefield Band in late 1997 and has contributed massively to the music and accessibility of the band. A multi-instrumentalist and 'musician's musician', with eclectic influences, over the years Mike has earned a deserved reputation as a truly excellent player and tunesmith.

Mike Whellans
Mike Whellans is best known nowadays as a master of the 'one-man blues band genre, the highly specialised blues tradition, following in the footsteps of forerunners like the great Doctor Isaiah Ross, Jesse Fuller and Tony 'Duster' Bennett. Traditional Scottish music is in his blood though; back in the early 1970s, Mike was a member of the legendary Scots-Irish band, Boys of the Lough, and also worked in a duo with fiddler Aly Bain, so he's more than happy to play a bit of 'moothie' rather than 'harp' when occasion demands!