Highlanders cut first CD

The Fort Frances Highlanders soon will be heard by ears much further away than Rainy River District after they recently cut a CD of pipes and drum music, which will go on sale later this year.
Funded through a federal Community Incentive Grant the group applied for through the Rainy River Future Development Corp., Dr. Bruce Lidkea of the Fort Frances Highlanders said the CD has been a long time coming.
“Certainly, we’ve travelled enough through Northwestern Ontario and northern Minnesota, and everywhere we go and everywhere we play, people ask us, ‘Do you have a CD?’
“We’ve always had to hang our head down, and say, ‘no,’” he added. “This summer will be different.
“It’s an exciting prospect,” Dr. Lidkea continued. “It’s going to allow us to be even better ambassadors for our community. And if I do say so myself, it’s a great product. It turned out really well.”
Entitled “Crossing Borders,” the CD is a collection of 14 tracks.
“Most of it will be traditional stuff, but we threw a couple curveballs in there. There’s some fun things there,” Dr. Lidkea remarked.
The CD was recorded in two sessions in October and November, and then mixed in December—all of which was done by musician and former FFHS music teacher Chris Denby, with input from several of the Highlanders.
“We’re in the process of production right now. It’s been a much bigger project than I thought it would be,” admitted Dr. Lidkea, adding that recording was a new experience.
He noted there are about 34 members on the Highlanders’ “roster,” and some of the tracks feature up to 25 of them playing at once.
“Obviously, we needed a big room,” said Dr. Lidkea. “It was recorded at the Masonic Lodge.
“The local Masonic Lodge has been very supportive of the band—that’s where we practice every week—and when we told them we needed the lodge room for a couple Saturdays, they were happy to donate that to us.
“They were two very long Saturdays,” he chuckled. “Your typical parade lasts a half-hour to an hour. When you play for three or four hours, you’re done.
“I’m normally in my best playing shape at the end of August, after all the parades are over. I’m certainly right back there now.”
Dr. Lidkea also said the whole CD recording process has been a “great learning experience for every single member of the band.”
“Everybody’s had to step up their game, and everybody’s had to put in a lot of effort to make it the recording that it is,” he stressed.
Dr. Lidkea said the next step in making the CD a reality is to bring a mock-up of the album art to the Fort Frances Times.
“Don [Cumming] has donated the graphics department to come up with the final product for the CD cover. We certainly appreciate the Fort Frances Times for their help on this project,” he noted.
Dr. Lidkea added that as part of the conditions of the Community Incentive Grant, Fort Frances will be promoted on the cover art and liner notes, and the RRFDC and Government of Canada will get their due credit.
Dr. Lidkea is hopeful the CD will be ready for sale by late winter, and ideally would like to coincide the launch during a concert by “The Mudmen” here on March 9.
“What an amazing band. They put on an awesome show,” Dr. Lidkea said of “The Mudmen,” adding it was unfortunate the band’s concert during last year’s Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship was not well-attended.
“For those of us that did go, everyone was really entertained,” he noted, adding the Highlanders have been in contact with “The Mudmen” since the summer and are setting up a show for March 9.
More details on that will be released in coming months.
“I would love to have CD launching for that same date. That would be ideal, but the first time through this process, it will happen when it happens,” admitted Dr. Lidkea.
“Minimal expectations mean minimal disappointment.”
Once they are ready, the CD will cost $10 each, and will be sold both through the Highlanders wherever they go and at local businesses.
Any businesses interested in selling the CD once it’s released can call Dr. Lidkea at 274-4295.
A total of 1,000 CDs will be available, but more can be made if these sell out.
All of the proceeds will go back into equipment and uniforms for the band members.
“Hopefully, this will work as a continued source of revenue for the band,” said Dr. Lidkea. “The band typically works between June and August, and then there’s no more parades.
“This gives us something else.”
In related news, Dr. Lidkea said the Fort Frances Highlanders always are looking for new members.
He noted the best way for people to get involved is to drop in on one of their practices Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. at the Masonic Lodge.
“We’ll walk you through all four different instruments that are played in the band—there’s three different types of drums and the bagpipes—and from there you can see what you’d like to try.
“If you find you really want to be in the band, but aren’t crazy about the initial instrument you picked, a lot of people cross over,” Dr. Lidkea noted.
“We want to be flexible, we want as many people as we can get to be part of the band,” he added. “The more, the merrier.”
Anyone with further questions can contact Dr. Lidkea at 274-4295.