Rare Air

Rare Air, formerly Na Cabarfeidh, was a Canadian band that played an eccentric mix of instruments, including bagpipes, flutes, whistles, bombardes, bass, and keyboards. The group, founded in the late 1970s as a celtic folk music band, was originally led by bagpipe virtuosos Grier Coppins and Pat O'Gorman. Its first album was released under the name Na Cabarfeidh and the following five under the new name, Rare Air.

Rare Air toured the world, and was especially popular in the southern United States. Their early music took the sounds of Celtic music from Ireland, Brittany and North America and combined it with funky bass rhythms and driving Polynesian percussion. In 1990, two of the four founding members, Trevor Ferrier and Richard Murai, left to pursue their own musical interests, and the band changed musical direction with the addition of Christian Frappier, Jeff Gill and Rich Greenspoon. Rare Air's music became more jazz-oriented and it was soon tagged with the "jazz fusion" label.

After the last album, Space Piper, the group disbanded.

Discography

• Stick It in Your Ear (1981)
• Rare Air (1982)
• Mad Plaid (1984)
• Hard to Beat (1987)
• Primeval (1989)
• Space Piper (circa 1991)

References

• Gil, Jeffery: Album Art Cover Gallery.
• Pat O'Gorman's background.