Customer Reviews

Scottish Rant

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The quality of playing and the diversity of instrumentation are some of this CD's greatest strengths. While it's not fair to compare this to a pure pipe and drum recording, it does have exceptional sound quality as far as pipe and drum recordings go. Too often, such recordings suffer from poor balance or tones that are either too tinny or too muted.

Bonnie Rideout's playing is always impressive - check out her other recordings if you haven't already. She gives the music a sensual quality that it would otherwise lack. She also has a fiery intensity that combines nicely with the pipes.

If you like percussion, you will appreciate this CD. The drumming is an interesting blend of traditional pipe and drum drumming with marching snares, bodhran and dombek. The drum break, Captian Chops, is a particular treat, combining marching snare drums with the traditional ensemble of pipe drumming.

The more common traditional songs benefit from original arrangements, and they are still great songs despite their popularity. If you like both pipe and drum music and celtic music, you will most certainly like this CD.

my good fortune put me in Wash,DC on saturday, saw the concert poster, and went. The Masonic Temple was a perfect setting for such fun,foot tapping music. The award winning Pipe band is something we can be proud to represent America. Watching the flurish drummers twirl the drum sticks adds to the great pipe music. Then to listen to Bonnie fiddle, accompanied by her drummer and guitar player for several tunes was wonderful. The end of the concert featured the The Pipes and Bonnie. The CD is this music since you missed the concert.

Simply the finest single album of bagpipe music I've every heard. The amazing thing is they're even better live!

This CD is great! CoW is America's best pipe band and it shows here in this CD. Even though I didn't like the fiddle messing up some of the tracks, it was a very cool mix most times and the music really rocks! And, of course, they are very very cool to see live. I saw them before they went to Worlds last year and wow! City of Washington is great!

This is an incredible CD. I defy anyone not to be moved when they hear track # #, the Gospel Version of Amazing Grace, with the violin opening, followed by one, then a whole band, of pipers.

The tune "Dunblane " is equally as moving, the the old standby's such as Mist Covered Mountains and Scotland the Brave are great.

If you love bagpipes and celtic music - you will LOVE this CD. The tracks provide a great combination of traditional bagpipes, fiddles and various percussion instruments. The recording quality is excellent. Don't pass this one up!

"Scottish Rant" will have you tapping your feet and dancing from the very first tune. Bonnie Rideout's wonderful talent on the fiddle and viola shine throughout the entire CD, and the precision and high quality sound of the Pipe and Drum bands add nothing but beautiful music throughout. I listen to the CD in its entirety just about every day, or at least parts of it whenever I can. I have the pleasure of knowing the Bonnie Rideout Scottish Trio and I know how much heart and soul they put into their music. I highly recommend this CD, for you or for a gift for someone else.

Scottish Rant(MM223), Washington Post review, Maggies Music new release-Sept 22,2000 THE CITY OF WASHINGTON PIPE BAND AND BONNIE RIDEOUT "Scottish Rant" Maggie's Music By Mike Joyce

Friday , September 22, 2000 ; N14 Just how do the Scots define a "rant"? According to one dictionary, it's a form of "boisterous and riotous merry-making," and thus would seem an apt title for a new recording by the City of Washington Pipe Band and champion Scottish fiddler Bonnie Rideout. Turns out, it is--at least part of the time. The pairing of Rideout with the CWPB--an award-winning pipe band and drum corps, 26 members strong--certainly generates plenty of spirit, especially when the troupe infuses a surprising variety of tunes with all the rhythmic drive and vitality it can muster. Whether opening ears with a set of Spanish reels and jigs or sticking closer to home with the "Congressional Reel Set," the sound of Rideout and the CWPB, alone or together, often makes for inspired ranting. Yet by the time the third track, "Amazing Grace," rolls around, it's clear these musicians are capable of playing deeply soulful music as well. In fact, among the highlights here are "Mist Covered Mountains," a melancholy air performed at President John F. Kennedy's funeral, and "Dunblane," an elegiac ballad inspired by the 1996 massacre of 16 Scottish schoolchildren and one teacher. Moving and heart felt, these performances are among the reasons why "Scottish Rant" doesn't merely live up to its title, it ultimately transcends it. Appearing at George Washington Masonic National Memorial on Saturday. Call 703/739-2302. * To hear a free Sound Bite from City of Washington Pipe Band with special guest Bonnie Rideout, call Post-Haste at 202/334-9000 and press 8122. (Prince William residents, call 690-4110.) © 2000 The Washington Post Company

NOTE: see our new address & phone below: Maggie's Music PO BOX 490 Shady Side, MD 20764 office: (410) 867-0642 (10-4 EST) fax(410) 867-0265 maggie@maggiesmusic.com

NOTE: see our new address & phone below: Maggie's Music PO BOX 490 Shady Side, MD 20764 office: (410) 867-0642 (10-4 EST) fax(410) 867-0265 maggie@maggiesmusic.com

Great CD with a wide variety of music types including fiddle and other percussion. Nicely done and fantastic musicians

A lot of people who know me know that I have been heavily involved in pipe band playing for over 30 years. Often, when it comes to gift-giving time (eg., Xmas, my birthday, etc), many of these people, at least those who aren't themselves involved in pipe bands or have any pipe music knowledge, will often give me one of those generic "Scotland's Greatest Hits" CDs. I smile, say "thank you", and throw the CD away when I get home (or use it as a coaster). "Rant" is very nearly in that category.

Mind you, City of Washington is a fine band (and I am friends with a number of them), and I wish they would have instead put out an album of real pipe music instead of trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator with schlock tunes and cuts of Bonnie Rideout sawing away on her fiddle -- again, she is a fine musician too, but why does her stuff have to be interlaced with that of a pipe band (answer: to sell more copies, period)?

A couple other comments: first, the "Mist Covered Mountains". Well that is a beautiful tune on its own. Why COW feels they have to put seconds, thirds (ie. harmonies), counterpointing, bongo drums, symbal crashes and such in bewilders me. It is kind of like taking the Venus DeMilo statue (perfect by itself), and then pouring pancake syrup on it, then a sprinkling of sequins, then maybe dumping blobs of hot fudge all over it. Why?

I also have several deal-breaking rules (at least now I have) when deciding to buy a pipe band CD:

1) If the album includes other instruments like fiddles, tom toms, tambourines, etc ... DO NOT BUY

2) If it includes "Scotland the Brave" ... DO NOT BUY

3) If it includes "Amazing Grace" ... DO NOT BUY

These opinions only hold for experienced listeners who are into pipe band music, and should not necessarily apply to new learners or those who simply want their listening experience "lite".