I am currently listening to allsorts of pipers,in preparation for when my practice set arrives,and this week I got my mits on the above album.Wow! What an ear-opener! Right from the opening notes,a flying second octave run up to ‘D2’ on the jig ‘Coppers and brass’ the playing just astounds! Johnny’s playing is constantly inventive and so ‘alive’.This playing has everything-the regs playing is amazing,rhythmically adventurous,fantastic chanter work-I’ll run out of adjectives before I’m finished! Pat Mitchell, in his sleeve notes, compares Johnny to jazz great Charlie Parker-I know what he’s getting at-it’s just like hearing ‘Bird’ or country bluesman Robert Johnson for the first time.No doubt this is old hat to some of you experienced pipers,who have previously heard the tape version of this album,but I would highly reccommend this album to anyone interested in Irish music-correction,make that MUSIC per se.! One of my ‘essential albums’
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Hi Kevin, I’m also listening to Clancy,Ennis(‘harder work’ than Clancy,I find at the moment,is this just me?),Rowsome,both Leo and Kevin,Ronan Browne(both albums with Peter O’loughlin are great),Robbie Hannan,Sean og Potts…these are all names that come straight to mind.Also Liam O’Flynn’s more trad. stuff,Paddy Keenan’s ‘Doublin’ album,a little Moloney(the Chieftains’ first 4 albums)Leo Rickard’s album,a single track by Tommy Reck(!). Am I listening to the ‘right’ stuff? Do you have any recommendations? As you can see,I’m tending to go for the older players and their ‘disciples’,rather that yer ‘crossover’ D**** Sp****** type stuff!
Kevin,
I agree that the Doran CD is a cracker, and definitely worth buying even for those who already have the tape. The remastering was well worth doing.
That being said, I’d caution you against trying to imitate it in your “formative years”, there’s too much temptation to cut corners.
At the risk of boring others who’ve heard me say this before, the piping record which I recommend above all others for beginners is Brian McNamara’s solo album - exquisitely tasteful piping, all the techniques are there (except maybe the rather vulgar rubbed back D), all played at a stately pace, and you can hear absolutely everything that’s going on in his playing.
Hi Roger,O.K., I’ll take your advice and try not to imitate Doran straight away 
- Give me another thirty years or so! For what it’s worth,I’m already two years older than our man when he died-By the time I’ve put in my ‘21 years’ I’ll be ready to retire! 
How did I forget Brian McNamara? I was just listening to that album on saturday morning.I agree that it’s very good and you can clearly hear what he’s doing,but you’ll have me listening out for those back D’s now!
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I did think about getting the Touhy tape,but hoped that it might be on the NPU agenda for re-release as a digital c.d. Oh,by the way-HONK,HONK! -just saw your signature,What with Tyghress on the whistle forum,This should be called ‘Chiff and Fipple,incorporating the Borges fan club’! I think our man was probably more of a Tango Bandoneon fan rather than pipes,though he did write a story cum essay on the Battle of Clontarf! *edited due to spelling the ladies name wrongly 
Great suggestions all…my only advice is to just listen. Listen listen listen. it should be playing in your ears as you fall asleep, and you should be humming a tune as you awake. ..I once tried an experiment. I made an entire tape of just ONE tune…and listened to it every chance I got..I had 4 seperate recordings of the tune..played in slightly different ways by different pipers. I played it in my 1 hours worth of commute all week, when in the workshop at the lathe, while at my desk correcting student papers. When I FINALLY sat down after 1 week to practice I was able to play the entire tune (with some fumbling) from memory clear through..and I hadn’t known the tune before…then again I no longer play this tune as I now HATE it. 
..heh.. 
As they say on T.V. Davey -“Name That Tune!”. 
No,seriously,I think you have a good point-I do try to consciously LISTEN to the music,but I suppose that even having it playing in the background means that it might permiate my brain on a subconscious level.Maybe I should play tapes whilst I’m asleep (the ‘unconscious level’?) 