I read a mention on here a few weeks ago about this book and the notes on Johnny Doran.
I don’t know PJ, but he is literaly a friend of a friend so i contacted him about the book. It would appear the publishers have knocked it back and he now has a loft full of copies.
He suggested that he’s willing to supply copies to anyone on the chiff who might need one.
Oh this is my first post although I’ve lurked for a while now
The name’s Jim Thornton and I’ve had sets of pipes of various qualitys since 1983
The handle is pronounced jimbo, in the fashion of the word djinn
You already have a jimbo
Hello Jim, please say hello to PJ from me, Thomas Johnson, when you see him and I hope he is well. “Notes from the heart” is a very good book, well worth getting hold of. Off topic: I’m from Lincoln originally and used to play guitar in a blues and soul band in the 1960’s. We often played in and around Scunthorpe. Did you ever meet up with pipemaker Dave Williams?
Hiya Thomas.
I’ll mention you to PJ, although I don’t see him much, our communication is mainly e-mail.
Yes I knew Dave for many years, he supplied me first with a two key concert chanter whilst in Newark, then a flat (B) half set when working from the bus out the back of the old school house and finaly a set of concert drones from the unit in the shopping arcade.
I’m not sure from your request if you are aware, and if not, I hate to be the one to tell you, but Dave was tragically killed in a car accident earlier this year. I KNOW he’s missed by everyone on the chiff.
Small world, I picked up my half-set with tenor reg from Dave in 1980 from Dave’s workshop in Newark. The next year I ordered a Bb chanter which I picked up in 1982, then ordered a 4 key flute. I remember seeing John Rooney’s set in pieces in the Newark workshop just back from the silversmith’s. Rose Barton made my pipe’s bag cover and the flute pouch. Both still going strong. Dave’s workshop/bus at Spilsby was cool. We went with Dave to a session on the Fossdyke one evening. Back then I was really struggling with the pipes, no teacher and the reeds didn’t like the Swedish climate, and I didn’t know how to adjust them. Dave made a baritone reg for my set in 1998
Yes, I heard the day after that Dave had died, also had a message from Simon Tophler, the Louth fiddler, explaining the circumstances. Dave crafted the best concert pipes ever made, so it is truly a tremendous loss.
