Jackie Latin is an old tune that spans many piping traditions. I, however, only ran across it listening to PM Ben Duncan playing at The Masters Solo Piping Competition as a part of Piping Live! week at the National Piping Centre. You can hear him play his MSR starting at 11:36:40 with the tune starting at 11:39:39. He is essentially playing the 6 parted version published in Willie Ross’ first book with slightly different rhythm in places. The tune has been published many times with a few available online, though they vary in the number of parts (and the name of the tune: Jacky Lattin, Jackey Layton, etc.). Traditionally, the tune doesn’t really fit as a competition style reel, but Ross’ version fits the mold very well. If you haven’t picked up the Pipe-Major W. Ross’s Collection yet, shame on you; you should have bought it right after acquiring Donald MacLeod’s Collection (no sheet music this month as I don’t want to infringe on Ross’ copyright of the arrangement). The tune itself is relatively easy; there’s a throw at the end of each line, a B –> C grip in the first part, a few doublings scattered around, and that’s it aside from timing issues. GDE and GD gracenote rhythms in reels is essential to getting the flow. I hold the first note of GDE patterns, DOT cut dot: look for this in the 5th and 6th parts. This tune also has the GDGD, cut dot cut dot, rhythm most associated with the reel The Smith of Chilliechassie; in this case I make sure to hold the second note, cut DOT cut dot = tach-ummmmmmmmmmm da-daaa: look for this in the 4th part of my recording. And while I was thinking about those things, I should have held the D on the throw a little longer at the end of each line and held those DOT cut dot, ABC and ABE, patterns in the first and second parts, respectively. Doh! Well, that’s why I record my practices…I’ll update with a new recording after I no longer have to sight read the tune.
Jacky Latin (mic in front, rightish side) – same audio as the video above (recorded 2019-08-14)
Below are several recordings made over several days of most of my collection of bagpipes. Which of the setups do you like?
Jacky Latin (mic off to the left) – not the audio from the video above (Pipes are Colin Kyo with Ackland Overtone drone reeds = why you get two sound perspectives. Chanter is Colin Kyo with Shawn Husk chanter reed.) (recorded 2019-08-14)
Jacky Latin (Gellaitry + original Kinnaird tenors and regular X-TREME bass, Colin Kyo + Sound Supreme reed) – mic off to the left (recorded 2019-08-15)
Jacky Latin (David Glen + original Kinnaird, Colin Kyo + Husk) – mic off to the left (recorded 2019-08-16)
Jacky Latin (Glencoe drones, Canning reeds with carbon fiber bass, Colin Kyo chanter + Husk reed) – mic off to the left (recorded 2019-08-19)
Jacky Latin (Henderson + X-TREME drone reeds, Shepherd MK3 Classic + Shepherd Bb reed) – mic off to the left (recorded 2019-08-20)
Jacky Latin (Kron standard + Ackland Overtone drone reeds, Kron Medalist + Gilmour reed) – mic off to the left (recorded 2019-08-21)