Jack Armstrong (piper): Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
Mention album with Patricia Jennings [ rearrange some material |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
'''Jack Armstrong''' (1904–1978) was an influential performer on the [[Northumbrian smallpipes]]. |
'''Jack Armstrong''' (1904–1978) was an influential performer on the [[Northumbrian smallpipes]]. |
||
Born in [[Wideopen]], [[North Tyneside]], five miles north of [[Newcastle upon Tyne]], in 1904. He and his father, both coal miners, worked at [[Dinnington, Tyne and Wear|Dinnington]] colliery, but Jack managed to get a job as a chauffeur shortly after [[World War I]]. In 1926 Jack married, and he was living at [[Skipton]] in North Yorkshire when he taught himself to play the pipes. His style, influenced by his father's playing, was steady and controlled; he favoured slow airs, which he played on a set of pipes with a rich, resonant tone. This style was in contrast to the faster, more virtuosic playing of [[Tom Clough]] and his followers, exemplified by Jack's friend and contemporary, [[Billy Pigg]]. His repertoire consisted largely of simple dance tunes and slow airs, from Northumberland and elsewhere, the latter often being given local titles. |
Born in [[Wideopen]], [[North Tyneside]], five miles north of [[Newcastle upon Tyne]], in 1904. He and his father, both coal miners, worked at [[Dinnington, Tyne and Wear|Dinnington]] colliery, but Jack managed to get a job as a chauffeur shortly after [[World War I]]. In 1926 Jack married, and he was living at [[Skipton]] in North Yorkshire when he taught himself to play the pipes. His style, influenced by his father's playing, was steady and controlled; he favoured slow airs, which he played on a set of pipes with a rich, resonant tone. This style was in strong contrast to the faster, more virtuosic playing of [[Tom Clough]] and his followers, exemplified by Jack's friend and contemporary, [[Billy Pigg]]. His repertoire consisted largely of simple dance tunes and slow airs, from Northumberland and elsewhere, the latter often being given local titles. |
||
He also composed some tunes in traditional style, some of which are still played. |
He also composed some tunes in traditional style, some of which are still played. |
||
In an interview recorded in the 1970's, <ref>http://www.asaplive.com/archive/detail.asp?id=B1710000</ref>, he recalled regular dances at Powburn, led by ''The Northumbrian Minstrels'' including Jack on pipes and fiddle, [Will Atkinson (musician)|Billy Atkinson] on melodeon, Jack Thompson also on fiddle, and Bob Clark on drums. |
|||
These and others were involved in a concert in Alnwick, which was broadcast live to troops in 1942 - a press cutting relating to this is at [http://www3.northumberland.gov.uk/catalogue/dserve.exe?dsqServer=w2k3calm1.woodhorn.org.uk&dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=ImageView.tcl&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqImage=MU%20233-235.jpg Woodhorn Museum website]. Jack founded another regular band, ''The Barnstormers'' in about 1949. |
|||
In 1948 Jack was made official piper to the [[Duke of Northumberland]]. He held this post for many years, retiring in 1971. He was succeeded by Tom Matthews. During the 1950s Jack made many recordings, with The Barnstormers |
In 1948 Jack was made official piper to the [[Duke of Northumberland]]. He held this post for many years, retiring in 1971. He was succeeded by Tom Matthews. During the 1950s Jack made many recordings, together with The Barnstormers and solo, as well as many broadcasts for the BBC. He recorded a piping album with Patricia Jennings, side one consisting of his solo tracks and side two of pipe duets. Between about 1950 and the folk revival in the 1960's, he was perhaps the most widely known player of the Northumbrian smallpipes, and did much to raise awareness of the instrument. |
||
He taught himself to make pipes, and the reeds he made brought him a degree of international fame: they were used by [[Burl Ives]], who occasionally accompanied himself on Northumbrian pipes. Ives invited Armstrong to Hollywood, where they made an LP of music composed by [[Leonard Bernstein]]. Jack passed on his pipe making skills to the next generation of instrument makers. |
He taught himself to make pipes, and the reeds he made brought him a degree of international fame: they were used by [[Burl Ives]], who occasionally accompanied himself on Northumbrian pipes. Ives invited Armstrong to Hollywood, where they made an LP of music composed by [[Leonard Bernstein]]. Jack passed on his pipe making skills to the next generation of instrument makers. |
||
| Line 11: | Line 12: | ||
==Recordings== |
==Recordings== |
||
* [http://www.asaplive.com/FARNE/Home.cfm FARNE (Folk Archive Resource North East) website] includes several recordings featuring Jack Armstrong's playing. |
* [http://www.asaplive.com/FARNE/Home.cfm FARNE (Folk Archive Resource North East) website] includes several recordings featuring Jack Armstrong's playing. |
||
==References== |
==References== |
||
Revision as of 23:13, 21 February 2012
Jack Armstrong (1904–1978) was an influential performer on the Northumbrian smallpipes.
Born in Wideopen, North Tyneside, five miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne, in 1904. He and his father, both coal miners, worked at Dinnington colliery, but Jack managed to get a job as a chauffeur shortly after World War I. In 1926 Jack married, and he was living at Skipton in North Yorkshire when he taught himself to play the pipes. His style, influenced by his father's playing, was steady and controlled; he favoured slow airs, which he played on a set of pipes with a rich, resonant tone. This style was in strong contrast to the faster, more virtuosic playing of Tom Clough and his followers, exemplified by Jack's friend and contemporary, Billy Pigg. His repertoire consisted largely of simple dance tunes and slow airs, from Northumberland and elsewhere, the latter often being given local titles. He also composed some tunes in traditional style, some of which are still played.
In an interview recorded in the 1970's, [1], he recalled regular dances at Powburn, led by The Northumbrian Minstrels including Jack on pipes and fiddle, [Will Atkinson (musician)|Billy Atkinson] on melodeon, Jack Thompson also on fiddle, and Bob Clark on drums. These and others were involved in a concert in Alnwick, which was broadcast live to troops in 1942 - a press cutting relating to this is at Woodhorn Museum website. Jack founded another regular band, The Barnstormers in about 1949. In 1948 Jack was made official piper to the Duke of Northumberland. He held this post for many years, retiring in 1971. He was succeeded by Tom Matthews. During the 1950s Jack made many recordings, together with The Barnstormers and solo, as well as many broadcasts for the BBC. He recorded a piping album with Patricia Jennings, side one consisting of his solo tracks and side two of pipe duets. Between about 1950 and the folk revival in the 1960's, he was perhaps the most widely known player of the Northumbrian smallpipes, and did much to raise awareness of the instrument.
He taught himself to make pipes, and the reeds he made brought him a degree of international fame: they were used by Burl Ives, who occasionally accompanied himself on Northumbrian pipes. Ives invited Armstrong to Hollywood, where they made an LP of music composed by Leonard Bernstein. Jack passed on his pipe making skills to the next generation of instrument makers.
Recordings
- FARNE (Folk Archive Resource North East) website includes several recordings featuring Jack Armstrong's playing.