by Craig HarrisA skilled Scottish piper and pipe maker, Hamish Moore has consistently explored new avenues of musical expression. While he fused Celtic music and jazz in a duo that he shared with saxophonist Dick Lee, Moore has increasingly incorporated the musical traditions of Cape Breton. In 1994, he recorded an album in Cape Breton, Dannsa'Air An Drochaid (Stepping on the Bridge) with pianist Paul MacDonald.
Although he began playing the highland pipes as a youngster, Moore became fascinated by the sweeter tones of the Scottish small pipes in 1980. Assembling a small pipe based on a 19th century set, Moore found a ready audience for the instrument. Launching a company with David Moore, he began to make copies of his small pipes available. As of 1999, the company had sold more than 600 sets to customers around the world.