A folk revival only goes so far as an artist's understanding — and adaptation — of tradition. What themes and melodies spoke to the past can easily echo into the present, but come alive through the personality of its interpreter. Brìghde Chaimbeul expands the language of the Scottish smallpipes behind the Desk with a quiet, yet demonstrative presence.
Chaimbeul grew up on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, speaking Gaelic and learning the Highland pipes before falling in love with the bellows-blown bagpipe she plays today. Drones are forever with this instrument, but Chaimbeul amplifies, manipulates and darkens the harmonics and frequencies of these pipe drones with effects pedals and contact mics that capture her percussive tapping on the chanter. The effect is mystic and ancient … completely transfixing.
The rhythm of language permeates the songs chosen here — deeply knitting untranslatable wordplay into the drones and melodies. Chaimbeul explains that the opening title, when said in Gaelic — which roughly means "sound of drones beginning to be tuned and sound of drones almost tuned" — sounds like "the rhythm of the words sound like the pulse of drones tuning." "She Went Astray," a song found by Scottish folklorist Peigi MacRae in 1934, is awash with a tonal cluster of tidal chords by Shahzad Ismaily, who, on synths, is naturally attuned to Chaimbeul's pipes throughout this performance. When she sings on "Pìobaireachd Nan Eun," it's to mimic the sounds of birds and swans — and in concert with drones that buzz and trill, it's a musical reminder of just how sublime and unknown the animal kingdom can be.
For Chaimbeul, tradition is transformative. And that's none more apparent than in this version of "Bog an Lochan." The Scottish reel has several names and a long history, yet in her ecstatic repetition and ethereal ambience, Chaimbeul opens a gateway to another dimension.
SET LIST
- "a bhò a bhò, a dhuine dhuine dhuine"
- "She Went Astray"
- "Pìobaireachd Nan Eun"
- "Bog an Lochan"
MUSICIANS
- Brìghde Chaimbeul: Scottish smallpipes, vocals
- Shahzad Ismaily: synths
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Lars Gotrich
- Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
- Audio Director/Mix: Josh Newell
- Creative Director: Bobby Carter
- Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Kara Frame
- Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
- Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
- Photographer: Vanessa Castillo
- Copy Editor: Hazel Cills
- Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
- Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton
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