The sounds of ancient thundering war drums and skirling dual bagpipes like you’ve never heard before. Tribal warrior music at its best, the warrior music lives on through a new generation.  Viking. Pagan. Druid. Celt. Moor. Mongol. Sindhu. Satyr. Mystic. Raider. Lover. Fighter. Like a boot to the head: a thunderous crack with ringing demonic harmonies. Music for the warrior in all of us. The Old Ways are Back. The long boat is here. The wolves are loose.  The bagpipes will be used as instrument of War once again...

Cu Dubh / Koo-Doo / or /Koo-Dove/ -  Brought to you by musicians who have dedicated their entire lives to the study and performance of ancient music. Mike McNutt, Elijah Woolcott (World Championship Bagpiper) and David Macejka (performed on 2012 Grammy nominated recording) have brought together their personal influences to create dark original compositions played on the Highland Bagpipes and a barrage of drums from around the world. Influences from the Highlands of Scotland, Gaul, Galicia, Norway, Britney, Ireland, Wales, Germany, India, Arabia, Africa, and beyond, they call back the ancient tribes in all of us. The pulse is throbbing, the blood is screaming and the battle is good...

Cu Dubh’s first all original release “Order of the Owl” is the bands debut recording of it’s dark, all original sound that places the listener somewhere unspecifically ancient and timeless yet completely familiar and palpable. Hauntingly Middle-Eastern and Tribal, this album is a total submersion into the ritual of dance, pulse and vibration that exists in the minds of those who created it...You could be anywhere...and are.

Feel free to simply contribute to the project as well...we have big plans ;)

Cu Dubh’s second all original release “Walkin’ the Cinders” is a collection of light hearted, upbeat tune sets that draw on the more traditional Scottish Bagpipe sound that audiences expect, while still being original compositions. Delving into audio colorations and grooves that range from Steam Punk to Industrial and Dance Hall to Reggaeton, this album is fun, accessible and a guaranteed party starter. The addition of Indian Bansuri Master Steve Gorn is the icing on the proverbial cake that is already heavily leaning towards india.

Cu Dubh’s third all original release “ReOrder of the Owl” is an elecrtonica remix of our first all original release “Order of the Owl”. It’s ancient sounds have been processed through the ears and minds of some of the best modern DJ’s and Electronica Artists in their class. Drum and Bass, Dubstep and plenty of other electronic genres have been the medium for taking our sound to the dance floors of today’s most interesting venues. This is truly a unique compilation of talented artists rendering their spin on Cu Dubh’s bagpipes and drums.

Walkin’ the Cinders

Order of the Owl

ReOrder of the Owl

Cu Dubh’s fourth all original release “Dance of the Seven Deils” is a darker collection of artistic works inspired by a variety of Afro-Caribbean trance, dance and ritual music. The Electric Bagpipes (filtered through some effects typically reserved for electric guitar gods) make an appearance on this recording as well as Kalimba, Berimbau, Digeridoo (Dr. Didge) and a sea of Afro-Caribbean percussion. As usual, we take artistic liberties with adding samples and effects not typically heard in traditional Bagpipe and Drum music.

{Available Oct. 20, 2012}

Dance of the Seven Deils

Photos courtesy of Marika Koutsoliakou

Cu Dubh’s Fifth release “Live at the Black Friar 10/20/12” is an authorized bootleg of one complete set performed at the Black Friar Stage at the Maryland Renaissance Festival on 10/20/2012. Special guests on this recording are David Duncan (Bagpipes) and Michael Huebner (Tupan) from Wolgemut as well as Nezih Antakli (Tupan).  This recording IS an unedited stage set recorded with a stereo microphone in the middle of the audience so it is as close as it gets to sitting at one of our shows as it gets.

Live at the Black Friar 10/20/2012