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root salad
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Jarlath Henderson
& Ross Ainslie
Colin Irwin meets the demon pipers.
W
onderful annual event as it is,
the BBC Young Folk Award is
almost guaranteed to start a
row. Jim Moray should have
won, blah blah… Bella Hardy ought to
have got the prize, grumble grumble…
and how come Joe & Megan Henwood
did win, tra la?
In 2003 none of this happened. As ever
the standard was high, especially as the
finalists included future luminaries such as
Jackie Oates and Tom Kitching, but they
were all blown away by a dynamic perfor-
mance from a startlingly gifted, impossibly
shaggy-haired 18-year-old uilleann piper
from Dungannon, Co. Tyrone. Nobody
argued about the decision that year when
Jarlath Henderson was named the winner.
A few years on, you might be entitled
to wonder if an alien had swooped to
devour Jarlath Henderson on the way back
to Northern Ireland after his conclusive tri-
Photo: Judith Burrows
umph that night. The expected debut CD
that invariably follows these events didn’t
materialise, sightings were rare and, unless
want to jump up and down to making you in his cowboy hat with a thousand stories,
you were closely ensconced in the piping
want to lie down and there’s something you look at him and think, ‘Wow, he’s a
community, you might have assumed Jar-
uncomfortable about it keys wise. It’s great pretty cool symbol’. Liam O’Flynn is great
lath had been lost in action. So what the
watching people’s reactions because they too and Davey Spillane and Michael O’Brien
hell’s he been doing in the meantime?
wouldn’t have heard anything like it
from Dublin, so many great pipers. And
Well, studying to be a doctor for one before – we’re in uncharted waters.” then, of course, there are the Scottish play-
thing. “You’ve got to have a hobby, ers like Gordon Duncan. He tutored Ross
haven’t you?” laughs Jarlath. “I need
and he was a total inspiration – he played in
something to do between gigs.”
the top grade of pipe bands but he’d also
Now in his fourth year at the Universi- P
laying on stage together they are
something else again. Tearing up a
rare old storm at London’s Magpie’s
Nest, where they’re joined by sit in the back of the junior pipers bus, sit-
ty of Aberdeen – “and so far I haven’t had guitarist Ali Hutton, they deliver a ting around playing tunes and putting on
to repeat any years” – he’s at last prepar- heartbreaking slow air one minute and crazy music and getting everybody playing
ing to give music his best shot, having
then launch into a rip-roaring set along. Totally off the wall but a great guy
finally released that debut album last
completed by an outrageous
and one of the top pipers. It was him who
autumn. Recorded with the Scots border
interpretation of AC/DC’s Thunderstruck
got us into doing the AC/DC thing.”
piper Ross Ainslie – who’s also played with
the next, interspersing it all with hilarious
Now over 50% of the tunes they play
Salsa Celtica, Flook, Dougie Maclean and
banter. Since making the album, Jarlath
are self-written and Jarlath cheerfully
the Vale Of Atholl Pipe Band – it’s called
has even developed his talents as a
acknowledges that not everyone will
Partners In Crime and it has produced a
vocalist, unexpectedly delivering a
jaw-dropping reaction similar to the one
powerful cover of a Paddy Casey song
approve of the liberties they take with
that greeted Jarlath’s famous performance
with a voice remarkably reminiscent of
the music. “I’m sure a lot of people would
at those Young Folk Award finals. It’s
Paul Brady. “You’re not the first person to
disapprove because we are rubbing
groundbreaking stuff – perhaps even the
say that… and it’s a massive compliment.
against the grain but the world is a small-
first time Border pipes and uilleann pipes
I’ve always been a big Paddy Casey fan
er place and musical styles are coming
have been used together in this way.
too – in fact I nearly didn’t go to the semi-
together. That doesn’t mean we don’t
“There is a crossover between the two
finals of the Young Folk Award because it
love and respect the traditional stuff
instruments but from a physical point of
meant I’d have to miss a Paddy Casey gig
because we do.”
view everything Ross is doing with his
in Belfast.” They have a string of summer festivals
hands I’m doing it backwards. Ross’s pipes
Jarlath has an impeccable piping pedi-
this year and while Jarlath’s currently still
are pitched in a different key so we are
gree. Raised in a musical family, he was
juggling studies with gigging (and some
playing across each other. From a piping
playing piano at seven and by the time he
teaching) he has no doubts that music will
point of view I’m doing a lot of stuff that
was 10 he was a member of Armagh Pipers
take precedence once he qualifies.
wouldn’t be in the traditional style, same
Club, where he was tutored by Brian Valle-
“Although it might aid my studies if I
with Ross, but it’s not taking shortcuts, it’s
ly, among others. He was soon off to the
stayed in all the time, it would definitely
more about trying to imitate the other per-
Isle of Skye to play at the feis there and
damage my mental health if I wasn’t able
son and doing things in reverse. It’s pretty
went on to win three All-Ireland titles
to play music. It’s a good release. As soon
physical as well and that comes out at the
between the ages of 12 and 15. as I finish studying I want to play music
other end. What we do isn’t exactly subtle “Paddy Keenan was always a great
whenever I can. Medicine is a lot of fun
and sometimes it’s pretty much in your inspiration for young pipers,” he says.
but I won’t sacrifice my music for it.”
face. It can move between making you “When you see Paddy Keenan sitting there
www.myspace.com/rossandjarlath F
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