It’s a pretty futile discussion, but one person who is being overlooked is Pat Mitchell, who was extremely influential through his teaching of the more advanced classes in NPU and through his careful analysis of some of the old recordings. Unfortunately he stopped playing pipes for a number of years, and his one and only album - pure piping, not a screed of accompaniment - exists only in vinyl, so many of the people who frequent C&F have probably never heard his playing. Even if you don’t want to imitate him, you should certainly hear him. So maybe you should all start an e-mail campaign (you can reach him at NPU headquarters) to demand a re-issue of the album in CD form and a follow-up new recording.
Gotta give some props to Mitchell. I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out his WCSS class. He’s certainly one of the foremost scholars of the instrument and its repertoire.
If he’s still teaching, I recommend his WCSS class to pipe owners who who really want to learn to articulate cleanly, but caution them to come prepared to work their kiesters off.
I agree that there certainly is no objective “top 8”. Surely, my biggest influence is the LOF style of piping. Just to add to the confusion, two pipers I adore are Maire NiGradha and, just recently discovered, Mick O’Brien’s little brother John. Very nice guy and very tasteful and witty pipering.
Christian
Stew , I agree with you . If the tunes are played too fast , it takes the music out of them .
tok .
p.s . worst case senario , like listening to a piping tape on fast forward . lol
Ok , I think the list is up to ten now , this incluides Tim Britton . Definitely one of the best ever .
tok .
I can say for the 1/2 dozen or so of the “name” pipers that I’ve heard on CD and/or in person - such as O’Flynn, Keenan, Hannan, Potts, McKeon, Smythe, is a fellow by the name of Pat Broaders, late of Dublin but now living in Chicago.
He used to play a regular gig at Kitty O’Shea’s Pub in the Chicago Hilton Towers - I was making frequent business trips there about 5 years ago, and I can tell you that his piping had a big influence on me then and still.
From what I’ve heard he’s also quite a fine instructor of the pipes, and that has to count for something, I think - in that he’s giving back to the music something equal or more in what he’s taken from it.
Stay tuned,
Brian
JOE SHANNON
TOMMY KEARNEY
PADDY MOLONEY
LIAM O’FLYNN
PADDY KEENAN
MICK O’BRIEN
JIMMY O’BRIEN-MORAN
ROBBIE HANNON
Hi Jim…welcome to C&F. Do you know Mick? I think he told me you were the one who told him about the old “Rousome” bellows I had for sale last year.
Anyway, it’s good to have you around. Enjoy.
Kieran O’Hare, Isaac Alderson, and Ronan LeBars are all pretty amazing too.
Hi
Okay here’s my top 5 (in no paticular order):
Paddy Moloney (am I the only one who mentioned him 
)
Paddy Keenan
Liam O’flyn
Brian McNarma
Mikie Smyth (doesn’t over do the regulators 
).
It would be nice of Paddy Moloney to do a solo album, as he’s getting older (like the rest of the groupe) and It would be nice to hear him just on his own.
L42B
Don’t forget Seamus Ennis, Willie Clancy, Leo Rowsome etc…
They may be gone physically, but their spirit is still very much alive.
Mukade
All of you still haven’t heard Fred Morrison, have you? Have you, now?!
Oh, you poor fools. You don’t know what you’re missing…
In retrospect, I really should’ve added Ronan Browne to my list. You know that clip of him playing “The Flax In Bloom” at WCSS 2003 that’s on Patrick D"Arcy’s site? Oh man…the regulator playing on that just kills me…
Man, could this get any geekier?
I must add Leo Rickard to the list…My teacher from Wilile Week. I’ve never heard triplets like that!
Justine
I’m thinking Cillian Vallely ought to be added to the lists. A fine piper.
All of the above and:
Sean McKiernan
Geoff Wooff
Peter Laban
Emmett Gill
PD.
Watch out for Tim Dowd Jr, he’s nipping at their heels! (Check http://www.misemusic.com)
Alan
Let’s face it, this will go on forever.
However, after hearing this,
I would have Mikie Smyth in my top eight.
Mukade
Wow, what a beautiful-sounding set! Never heard a C# Wooff before…
Not to mention incredibly beautiful playing as well!
Great player’s all , I’d like to ad Dennis Brooks.