Yorkshire based Teacher of Celtic and Traditional Folk Music, Specialising in Uilleann (Irish) and Northumbrian Small Pipes, Fiddle and Tin Whistle. Uilleann/Northumbrian Piper & Multi-Instrumentalist for hire.
Due to the ongoing pandemic situation all traditional music lessons continue to be delivered online. Face-to-face lessons will resume when restrictions allow and I am confident it is safe to do so.
It’s International Uilleann Piping Day 2020, an unusual one this year because of the global pandemic restrictions. As many events are happening online, I thought i’d share a video I did earlier this year for Na Píobairí Uilleann’s ‘piping from the parlour’ series.
I was super excited to be playing with Atlas Bridge at a couple of upcoming festivals, but unsurprisingly due to the current situation with Covid-19 all live events have been cancelled or postponed for the foreseeable future. More updates as I get them.
The award-wining Hebden Folk Roots Festival in May 2020. This year they have their most exciting line up yet! From celtic rock to trad tunes, and everything in between. I will be there with Atlas Bridge on Saturday the 9th at the fantastic Trades Club venue.
And I am delighted to announce that Atlas Bridge will be opening the afternoon on Sunday the 14th June, 1pm, at the inaugural Tradfarm Traditional Music Festival.
We are honoured to be playing alongside an absolutely world class line-up, in the stunning settingofbodafon farm park. A fabulous rustic venue serving excellent food from a full menu including wood-fired pizzas and the circular-saw barbecue, real ales, fine wines, interesting gins – all a stones-throw from the sea, over-looking Llandudno Bay and The Great Orme, with camping available on-site! Be sure to book your tickets early – quick link here
Many thanks to Bright Young Folkfor publishing this reviewof the ‘TuneChaser‘ EP. They are busy “Keeping a beady eye on the traditional folk music scene of the British Isles”. Check out their website for a host of reviews, interviews and other interesting stuff.
“an evocative and uplifting listening experience“ “a kaleidoscopic mix of both traditional tunes from the British Isles and original compositions” Bright Young Folk Feb 2020
1. Bright Slide Set (4.23) Johnny O’Learys (Trad. Arr Taylor) Bright Slide (Taylor) Baile an tSamhraidh (Trad. Arr Taylor)
Becky Taylor – Uilleann Pipes and Fiddle Steve Lacey – Guitar
4. The Hairy Slip Jigs (4:18) Comb your hair and curl it (Trad. Arr Taylor) Comb your hair and curl it again (Taylor) The long and the short of it (Taylor)
Becky Taylor – Uilleann Pipes, Anglo and Duet Concertina, Low and High Whistle Steve Lacey – Guitar Hugh Bradley – Fretless Bass
5. Heed the Call (Taylor) (3:57) Becky Taylor – Uilleann Pipes in B
Recording, mixing and co-production by Steve Smith @ Smithsound Sowerby Stewart Shearer – co-production and part recording on Roadfrog Mastered by Sam Proctor Music Production Cover photo by Keelan T Scott
At long last, after several attempts at recording a follow-up to ‘Ireland Bridge‘ over the last few years (which have mostly ended in disaster – story to follow!), I am delighted to say that the new 5 track EP ‘Tune Chaser‘ will be out on the 1st February 2020!
“an evocative and uplifting listening experience“ “a kaleidoscopic mix of both traditional tunes from the British Isles and original compositions” Bright Young Folk Feb 2020
A mix of five varied traditional and original tracks featuring Uilleann Pipes (Flat set in B and concert set in D), Anglo & Duet Concertinas, Northumbrian Smallpipes, Fiddle and Whistles accompanied by Steve Lacey (Guitar), Hugh Bradley (Fretless Bass), Stewart Shearer (Banjo, Mandolin, Electric Guitars & Piano), Leigh Stothard (Drums). Recorded, mixed and co-produced byl Steve Smith of Kimbers Men fame up at Smithsound Sowerby, who also contributed some American Reed Organ to the mix, and mastered by Sam Proctor Music Production. Cover Photography by Keelan T Scott.
AVAILABLE FROM BANDCAMP and CD direct from our online shop (Paypal) here
1. Bright Slide Set (4.23) Johnny O’Learys (Trad. Arr Taylor) Bright Slide (Taylor) Baile an tSamhraidh (Trad. Arr Taylor)
Becky Taylor – Uilleann Pipes and Fiddle Steve Lacey – Guitar
4. The Hairy Slip Jigs (4:18) Comb your hair and curl it (Trad. Arr Taylor) Comb your hair and curl it again (Taylor) The long and the short of it (Taylor)
Becky Taylor – Uilleann Pipes, Anglo and Duet Concertina, Low and High Whistle Steve Lacey – Guitar Hugh Bradley – Fretless Bass
5. Heed the Call (Taylor) (3:57) Becky Taylor – Uilleann Pipes in B
Recording, mixing and co-production by Steve Smith @ Smithsound Sowerby Stewart Shearer – co-production and part recording on Roadfrog Mastered by Sam Proctor Music Production Cover photo by Keelan T Scott
A few action shots of Steve, Steve (it gets confusing!) and Hugh while they put down their tracks… Our executive producer Callydog is also snapped in her favourite pose, catching a few zzz’s after a busy day Tune Chasing!
Delighted to be playing out again in Hebden Bridge this coming Sunday 8th December, where I shall be playing a few tunes with ace DADGAD guitarist, singer and fellow Atlas Bridge bandmate Steve Lacey at the White Swan.. We shall have an array of pipes, whistles and songs to entertain you with. Kicks off at 8.30 with floor spots, so get down early if you would like to play or sing! More info at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/folkrootsattheswan/
To give you an idea, here’s a little clip of us playing an old favourite up at Wadsworth earlier this year.
I had a fabulous day on Saturday 2nd November – IUPD2019 (International Uilleann Piping Day), leading a workshop/pipers therapy session with Des Hurley, put on by the Leeds Irish Arts Foundation.
Our venue was the superb ChapelFM in Seacroft – what an amazing space, and complete with a fully functioning and restored pipe organ! We couldn’t have asked for a better venue.
Many thanks to everyone who came along and contributed tunes, tips and techniques and stories about their piping, and great to see the Doonan pipers (Michael Doonan and Seanna Cait Doonan) out in force. It was followed by a traditional music session in the nearby Cricketers Arms which seemed to please the regulars there who didn’t bat an eyelid when we descended upon their Saturday afternoon. Many thanks for the picture courtesy of Seanna Cait Doonan’s mum!
Informal workshop and recital with Becky 1pm -2.45pm. Chapel FM, Seacroft, York Road, LS14 6JB
Followed by an Irish Traditional Music Session (all instruments including pipes welcome!) 3pm -4.30pm session The Cricketers Arms, Seacroft Green, Leeds LS14 6JW
Supporting Gilmore and Roberts at Wadsworth Community Centre, Hebden Bridge, presented by BGR Events.
Thanks to Les Gillon for this review of our spot up at Wadsworth, 18/10/19
Last night to Wadsworth Community Centre in Old Town to see Gilmore and Roberts, which was a really enjoyable gig, but for me the highlight of the event was a blistering support set from Becky Taylor and Steve Lacey. I’ve been lucky enough to play with Becky in the past, so I know what a phenomenal musician she is. She was out of action until recently due to a medical problem affecting her hand, but I can report that she is now truly back on form. After struggling with a set of pipes that had developed a problem of their own, she plucked another set from the substitute’s bench and breathed life and fire into them. The duo line up with Steve Lacey works brilliantly – don’t miss out on seeing them if you get the opportunity. https://beckytaylor.info
Also a shout out to BGR Events who put on these acoustic music shows at Wadsworth Community Centre. They’re a great example of a not-for-profit organisation that creates and promotes these events purely for the love of the music . They put on artists of the highest calibre throughout the year, so do check out their programme and get on their mailing list if you’re not already on it. https://bgrevents.weebly.com/about.html
Les Gillon is a musician, writer and academic based at UCLan. He’s worked as a guitarist, bassist, vocalist, composer and songwriter since the 1970s and has taught performance and composition to young musicians for over twenty years. He records and performs regularly in a variety of ensembles, playing types of music that range from experimental improvisation to traditional British folk music. This site features his current projects Fez, Fire Tower 4 and Ghost School.
Together with Professor Ewa Mazierska and Music Industry Consultant Tony Rigg he is a Co-Director of the Music Research @UCLan, which has published a series of edited collections on the future of the music industry and been involved in organising conferences featuring international panels of academics and industry professionals.
In addition to his research in the field of music, he also writes on aesthetics and the visual arts. His recent monograph The Uses of Reason in the Evaluation of Artworks: Commentaries on the Turner Prize (Palgrave, 2015) uses the Turner Prize as a case study, in order to explore fundamental questions about the nature, purpose and value of art. He is also active in practice-based music research that explores composition and improvisation techniques, the use of non-western music traditions and interdisciplinary collaborations with dance, moving image and spoken word practitioner.
