Moving Pictures

This piece is by a French group named Keltic Tales. The lead instrument is a very evocative 17th century relative of the bagpipe known as a Uilieann Pipes. They are actually the national pipe of Ireland and are not blown, but powered by a bellows strapped at the waist. They have a sweeter, more flexible and expressive sound with much more rainge than a traditional bagpipe.

The group Keltic Tales has recorded 2 cds and I saw them perform in a live setting. The music is progressive jazz with some very interesting rythmnic interplay. The pipes are played by Gildas Bocle and his brother Jean-Baptiste is the keyboard artist who plays vibraphone as well. 

The Celtic music traditions are very much a part of the music of Northern France. Every year there is the worlds largest gathering of celtic traditions from throughout Europe in L'orient in Brittany, where the Freres Bocles come from.  Here, as well throughout the south, there is aa strong Celtic tradition in the traditional Occitanian Music still played. Here, the instrument is a Cornus, which is more like a small traditional bagpipe and the Veille, which is wooden instrument with wooden keys and a cranked disk which creates a drone. I will try to find some examples of Traditional Occitanian Music. I have some friends here who are Occitan scholars and musicians.