Harmonica Night at the Piping Centre Monday 22nd January

Christina Byrne

Brendan Power and Donald Black played to a sell-out audience last night at the Piping Centre.

First off, New Zealander Brendan treated us to Didgerdoo Blues, a set where he displayed the versatility of the humble ?moothie.' It groaned and whined, soared and plunged to the depths, entertaining with musicality and humour and proving that a harmonica can tell a joke with the best of them. Progressing from there, we were treated to a range of styles drawn from sources as diverse as American jazz, Irish reels, even a composition from Bulgaria entitled ? what else but Sweet Bulgaria.

Guitarist Tim Edie joined him on stage and what a treat that was, as harmonica and guitar practically talked to each other.

As performers, Brendan and Tim were hard to beat, but in the second half of the programme Donald Black and Runrig's Malcolm Jones teamed up in an entirely different genre. Donald's specialty is bagpipe music played on the harmonica, whilst Malcolm accompanied him on accordion and guitar.

Donald is home-grown, hailing from Argyll and has played the instrument from the age of four. It shows, for there is nothing and no one to beat him. East coast, West coast, the Shetlands and the Highlands, his traditional musical repertoire comes from all over Scotland and he even threw in a few Irish jigs and reels for good measure.

As well as traditional pipe tunes, the duo performed many original pieces including one written by his friend Murdo McLeod. Murdo's wife loves walking and he composed Morag the Hillwalker especially for her.

Haste ye back, Brendan and Donald and more power to your moothies.

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