ROSS AINSLIE
Pool
Right from the start, let me say that this album is a fabulous, quite glorious listen. Intended as a piece in a sequence, following two previous albums, Sanctuary and Vana, it does stand alone as well as a work of both quality and interest.
Ross is a world class piper, but Pool is not just a reflection of his playing prowess but also of his musical vision, an innovative composer and arranger, with the vision to integrate a diverse set of instruments into a challenging, yet satisfying whole.
His eclecticism may be a reflection of his musical adventures with celebratory ensembles, The Treacherous Orchestra and Salsa Celtica, along with frequent collaborations with a stellar cast such as the mercurial Tim Edey, fellow piper (and more, Ali Hutton, fiddle wizards Duncan Chisholm and Charlie McKerron, plus the phenomenon that is Dougie McLean – and the list goes ever on.
Perhaps the most notable development that Pool offers from previous outings is the addition of a string quartet and a brass section, offering drive, excitement and sheer exuberance to the tracks they embellish whenever they appear – Ross is canny enough not to overdo even a very good thing. With the backing of his Sanctuary Band and a considerable cast of guest musicians, the 18 strong assembly provide a diverse set of sounds, from the tradition of the pipes and the fiddle to the synth and Moog, all assembled into a more than satisfying whole.
There is no better demonstration of the above, opener High Place Phenomenon, where the rhythmic Doobie Brothers style intro gives way to sweet Philly soul stylings and a groove around which Ross weaves whistle magic, a description that suggests that it shouldn’t work, but it more than does, there’s even room for congas and bongos to help things move irresistibly along.
If the first few tracks mean that at the very least toes are tapping, and following the celebratory Karmatic, keeping the surprises coming with a banjo/whistle interplay. All My Years noticeably changes the mood, subtitled ‘A Lament For Ukraine’ there is a pipes led mournful quality to it that it seems is found deep in the heart of so many of Scotland’s finest. The reflectiveness is followed by the up-tempo ‘Call Of The Void’ led by Ross giving us what can best be described as blowing a capricious dance through and around a number of themes, as the different instrumentation each gets their moment in the sun.
Again the uplifting energy of ‘Rat Horns’ is followed by the gentle yet rich depths of ‘Sync Or Swim’. With an almost ballroom dance feel at times, it’s not hard to imagine couples gliding elegantly around a polished floor, at least before yet another surprise, as towards the end, there is the interjection of a spoken, poetic contribution from Jock Urquhart, having previously appeared on both Sanctuary and Vana.
Slow Down is perhaps the most cinematic of all the tracks here, the presence of the pipes within rather than dominating proceedings gives the Scottish feel to a sweeping and at times ethereal tune.
While the album does give rein for Ross to demonstrate his performing skills, all set against a glittering array of players, the real star here is his imagination, offering us unavoidably infectious grooviness, interspersed with both emotion and constant interest.
The sleeve info encourages us to listen to the album as a whole piece, in a similar vein to its predecessors, yet the 3 singles from the album, High Place Phenomenon, Karmatic, and Rat Horns are all worthy of individual enjoyment.
The album can be found on Bandcamp as well as download outlets and is well worth the time taken to investigate prior to a potential purchase.
