Cristiano Bicudo - The Early Years
Chapter 1 His interest in the pipes started in 1982, when he was 14. This is more or less the age when teenagers decide to try some instrument to play in a rock band. However, after digging for some vinyl in a record shop in São Paulo, something else captured his attention: an LP published by the Capitol International Series with the generic title “Scottish Pipes!”, including tracks with solos by P/M Donald Shaw Ramsay. Pipe Major Donald Shaw Ramsay This is Cristiano Bicudo's story, as related by himself, so read on! There were also tracks with pipe bands (City of Glasgow Police PB and 2 nd Batt. Scots Guards) in that same record, but those were not very catchy as the quality of the open air recording was not really good. However, P/M Ramsay’s solos, and in particular his Sean Truibhais, left such an impression on me that I was soon pressing my parents for some support to learn the pipes. Both mum and dad were supportive (lucky me!), but I would soon discove