Just listened L.Barry’s(Mind the Pipes) version of it , ..nice variations , huge “drive”
trough the tune.
What’s your favorit version about Col.Fraser?
Cheers,
M
Jerry O’Sullivan does a very fast version on the Invasion. He starts with just the chanter and really attacks the tune. He adds drones the second time round and regulators the third time. It’s got great drive.
Ditto on JS’s version, sounds like a couple of guys playin’ at the end.
Breakneck speed. Mind blowin’ stuff. 
John McSherry’s version is fun.
The version that Jarlath Henderson played at the BBC Young Folk Awards is a fun one.
Removed the link I put up after checking it. Seems they changed the sound clip to something else. Oh well.
David Power does a pretty mean rendition himself. Very well timed and attentive playing. It would have been included as a video clip, but the lighting was horrible at the pub - so it’s audio only. From our summer tionól last June:
http://www.uilleann.org/Sound-Files/Session1.wma
from the page:
http://www.uilleann.org/Events-Tionol-2005-David-Power-Concert.html
Pat Broaders does this tune. He recorded it on a CD called “Moore & Broaders” back in the early '90s… it became a source of great inspiration for me. (And it remains so to this day).
Versions you might also want to check out are Johnny Doran’s, Seamus Ennis’s, Liam O’Flynn’s, Paddy Keenan’s, Eoin O’Riabhaigh’s & Patsy Touhey’s.
YES!
Patrick.
And Brian McNamara’s version - probably my second favourite version after Jerry O’Sullivan.
Agreed, and they couldn’t be more different from each other. Personally, I prefer the lyrical over the blazingly fast and crisp.
Indeed. It’s such a fun tune, it should be really lyrical.
i like ben walkers reel,played on his new galloway chanter,clips n snips!the first time i heard this tune it was played by jerry osullivan,and it blew me away!!this summer i was at a paddy keenan show,and he ask if anybody had a request ,i yelled, colonial fraser! he just laughed,and said not tonight, geeze, tuff bunch. he did say that it was a great pipe tune,one of the best.
Brianc wrote:
Pat Broaders does this tune. He recorded it on a CD called “Moore & Broaders” back in the early '90s… it became a source of great inspiration for me. (And it remains so to this day).
I agree, his version of Colonel Fraser is great. I also really enjoy “When Sick Is it Tea You Want” on the same CD. I listen to both of those tracks quite often on the way into work…still trying to play both tunes well (sigh)
Yes, good point there, John. Pat’s treatment of “When Sick…” is equally impressive. And like you, I’m still trying to get them down. sigh
Here’s Jarlath Hendersons version, recorded live about a minute after he’d been told he’d won the Young Folk Musician title… if I’ve got one comment, its just because he can play it this fast doesn’t mean he should!
http://www.lebascourget.co.uk/piping/colonel-fraser.mp3
there are a couple of ‘beeps’ on it that I can’t explain… I think they might be timing signals from the BBC???
Chris
Jarlath Henderson’s version is fast, no doubt about it. But where is the soul in his playing? The new style of piping has become cookie-cutter generic and has lost the individualistic styles of Ennis, Rowesome, Clancy and Doran.
The other possible reason is that maybe we don’t allow anyone to sound any different from Ennis, Rowesome, Clancy and Doran. No matter what someone plays, it is always compared to past styles, even though those styles were specific to the individual players. Perhaps judging people’s versions of tunes on that basis is what is leading us into a generic “cookie-cutter” style. Just a thought.
djm
I don’t care what anybody else says, I’ve got a style all my own!!!
Yes, you do. Good stuff! 
djm
Jarlath Henderson’s version is fast, no doubt about it. But where is the soul in his playing?
There is a lot more ‘soul’ in Jarlath’s version than some of those others mentioned.
The new style of piping has become cookie-cutter generic and has lost the individualistic styles of Ennis, Rowesome, Clancy and Doran.
Presuming your talking about Jarlath’s style, I’d disagree myself. I hear a very individualistic style emerging here. Theres the obvious Paddy Keenan influence but he’s throwing in some crisp, slightly staccatto runs too. Very like the more typical travellers style that you’ll hear in Finbar Furey, John Rooney and the current generation of Dorans.
I very much agree with DJM’s point about people constantly comparing others to the 3 or 4 big names.
lost the individualistic styles of Ennis, Rowesome, Clancy and Doran
Which Doran, Johnny, Mikie, Felix, Paddy, Michael Snr…?
Which Ennis, James, Christopher, Seamus…?
Which Rowsome…theres loads of them..
just my 2c’s worth.
Tommy