Box and Fiddle Year 01 No 01
October 1977
Price 10p
8pages
Editor - Ian Smith, 50 Mount Vernon Road, Stranraer Tel Stranraer 4098
Treasurer - David Ross, 8 Manse Street, Kilmarnock Tel Kilmarnock 28642
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE FIRST CLUB WAS FORMED BY MAX HOULISTON AT THE HOLE IN THE WA', DUMFRIES, IN APRIL 1965. THE N.A.A.F.C. WAS FORMED IN 1971, BUT BY THE TIME THE BOX AND FIDDLE WAS STARTED IN 1977, 12 YEARS OF OUR HISTORY HAD GONE UNRECORDED. BUT ALL CREDIT TO IAN SMITH OF STRANRAER ITS FIRST EDITOR. I IMAGINE IT MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE A JOB TO PERSUADE A RATHER CAUTIOUS COMMITTEE TO BACK SUCH A VENTURE AS THE ASSOCIATION'S OWN NEWSPAPER. HAD THEY GONE THE WHOLE HOG AND APPOINTED EVEN A PART-TIME, SALARIED EDITOR WHO KNOWS WHAT ARTICLES WE MIGHT HAVE HAD ON RECORD. AS IT IS MANY OF OUR 'WRITE-UPS' ON KEY PERSONALITIES ON THE SCENE WERE TO BE IN THE FORM OF OBITUARIES.
Editorial Comment
It is perfectly true what Robert Burns said about the ‘plans of mice and men gang aft agley’. Everything was set for the countdown to get the paper off the ground when I was suddenly taken ill with a stomach complaint and before I knew what was happening, I was being rushed to Dumfries Hospital for an emergency operation, which was, thankfully, successfully. This took ten days. Now that I’m back this edition is being edited from the sick-bed. My apologies to everyone, but the first edition will now be a week late. Therefore for the rest of the season the new date will be the end of the first week of each month and the deadline will be extended to the 30th of the month. I know this will please some clubs who were having difficulty with the original dates.
My congratulations to all the clubs who made the effort to support the paper, which is your paper, it’s just a pity that more clubs didn’t join in, it would have been much better. Those clubs that did made an excellent job, they got the advertisers, sent in their club reports and some even managed short articles. It is to be hoped that other clubs will come in, now that they see what can be done. Remember the more information about your club, the more publicity your club gets. A wee note to club secretaries, please let me know more of your dates, guest artists and venues.
It has come to my notice that there are a few clubs who genuinely can’t get advertisers. I recognise this fact and I’d be obliged if these clubs would participate in the ‘Box and Fiddle’ anyway. I’m looking forward to hearing from these clubs, about their activities, their guest artists and dates etc. After all, they are members of the Association.
A special welcome to a new club, the Cumbria Accordion Club, secretary Mr David Bell, ‘Sikeside’, Kirklinton (Tel. 213), Carlisle, formed from the ashes of Gretna Club, which was disbanded through lack of support. The new guest artist list is as yet incomplete but should be ready for the next issue.
A note to advertisers! The printers have installed new machinery which does away with the old-fashioned method of using specially-made blocks etc. If any advertiser wishes to use his own motto or emblem, all that is required is a billhead or something which incorporates the motif. The printers then photographs it and that’s it. The method of printing the newspaper is called web offset and the initial stages are solely photographic.
Ian Smith (Editor)
From the Chairman…
DEAR EDITOR – Congratulations on your first edition of ‘The Box and Fiddle’. I wish it every success, and I am confident that it will go from strength to strength.
It is my sincere hope that this Club Magazine will further promote the interest in accordion and fiddle playing, in our endeavour to keep this music, our heritage, alive.
Yours sincerely
Jimmy Blue (Chairman)
National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs
How it all Began
by Ray Milbourne
In the spring of 1971 I received a letter from Mrs Joan Blue, the Secretary of the Perth Accordion and Fiddle Club, inviting me, as representative of Newcastleton Accordion Club, to a meeting in Perth in order to discuss the possibility of forming an organization to represent the interests of the rapidly growing number of clubs.
New clubs were springing into existence in some areas at an alarming rate and it was obviously only a matter of time before saturation point would be reached somewhere or other. The players who form the backbone of any club were then already saying that they were finding it impossible to attend all the club meeting that were going on in any given area. Those other important stalwarts, the audiences, were making similar noises.
Dilution of audiences and players could only have a deleterious effect on all the clubs, no matter how successful or how long they had been established and there had already been one or two cases of clubs in close proximity trying to run their meetings on the same night! This sort of thing was destined to lead to animosity and ‘bloody mindedness’ on the part of the organizers with a resultant lowering of the standard of service offered to the public.
Growth of Interest
The avowed aim of any responsibly minded Club Committee was to promote the growth of interest in Scottish traditional music, more or less along the lines originally developed by Max Houliston at the Hole in the Wa’ Club in Dumfries in the 1960’s. The almost overnight appearance of a number of clubs, especially these almost on top of one another in what seemed to be favourable areas, smacked heavily of commercialism and that, if true, could not possibly be good for either music, musicians or public.
These and a number of other reasons were undoubtedly in club secretaries’ minds when they agreed to meet in Perth on June 6th, 1971, at the Salutation Hotel in order to discuss the formation of an Association.
Representatives from
Dundee
Galston
Gretna
Milngavie
Newcastleton
Perth
Straiton
Clubs were present at the exploratory meeting and following an afternoon’s discussion it was agreed by all 17 people present to form an Association.
It was not considered necessary at that stage to form a large Committee, but Mr Mick Ainsworth was elected Chairman and Mr Ray Milbourne was elected Secretary.
The list of decisions taken at the initial meeting was not a large one, but it was significant in that it formed the basis for the subsequent rules of the Association. The list is also revealing in that it shows quite clearly what people were aiming to do and what not to do at that time.
This meeting looked in detail at the decisions and plans laid at the Perth meeting and agreed, amended or rejected as is revealed by the Minutes. It may be appropriate here to mention that Club Secretaries can obtain copies of the Minutes of all past meeting from the Secretary of the Association.
Aims and Objectives
At the second AGM, the Aims, Objectives and Rules of the Association were presented and adopted and it is from that point in time that the Association became a properly constituted organisation.
Much has been achieved by the Association since its formation and I find it a matter of regret that some Club officials still do not appreciate the true function of the Association. It is to be seriously hoped that the launching of this newspaper will illustrate further the usefulness of the Association. It is a co-operative effort which has made it possible, in exactly the same way that the Annual Festival is possible because of co-operation. This co-operation is manifest in many other ways and it springs from the principles of the Association. The Aims and Objectives of the Association are printed in this edition of our newspaper. Many people will be seeing them in detail for the first time and it must be remembered that they alone form the answer to the often-heard question “What is the Association for and what does it do?”
As with any other democratic organisation, amendments will be made to the existing Aims, Objectives and Rules, that is how it should be, as time alters circumstances, but the original principles of fostering co-operation between all members whilst maintaining a policy of non-interference in individual clubs’ affairs, must always be the unfailing yardstick to apply if we are to maintain credibility. Young people, particularly players of instruments, must be able to look at the movement, which is now the cradle of living Scottish music, and see that it is a responsible and worthwhile movement of which they can be proud to belong. That is the way in which the Association’s principal aim, that of nurturing and maintaining the tradition of ‘the music’ can be realised.
It is hoped that this will give the reader some idea of how it all started and also what it is all about.
Association’s Inaugural Meeting at Ayr
Club Representatives in Agreement
Minutes of the inaugural meeting held at the Station Hotel, Ayr, on Sunday, 4th July, 1971. (Host Club ; Straiton Accordion Club).
Chairman M. Ainsworth Esq. ,
Secretary R.A. Milbourne Esq.
Representatives from the various Clubs present were as follows :
Dumfries ; M. Houliston, A. Little
Dundee ; A. Spink, J. Cooper
Galston ; W. Stewart, D. Ross
Gretna ; H. McKean
Newcastleton ; R. Milbourne, A. Atkinson, W. Porter
Perth ; M. Ainsworth, J. Blue, Mrs J. Blue, Mrs Ainsworth, J. Brown, Mrs Brown
Straiton ; J.Loch, F. Loch
The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming all present and said that he was particularly pleased to see that representatives from both Langholm and Dumfries Clubs were present ; these Clubs not having been present at the exploratory meeting held in Perth (Salutation Hotel) on June 6th.
Mr Ainsworth gave a recapitulation of all that had been said at the Perth meeting and asked the Secretary to read the Minutes of that meeting for the benefit of those who had not been present. He laid emphasis on the point that the Association would in no manner attempt to dictate policy, or otherwise interfere with the running of individual Clubs, this having been a fear expressed by some Club Committees. Following reassurance on this point, Mr A. Park of Langholm Club, said that the Langholm Committee would be in favour of joining the Association.
Mr McKean, the Gretna Club, representative, said that he and Mr J. Norman had reported to their Committee the proceedings of the Perth meeting and that the Gretna Club was in favour of joining the Association.
The Chairman expressed his satisfaction that all the Clubs represented were now in agreement and, since this was so, it was in order to go ahead with the formation of the Association along the lines suggested at Perth. He then asked the Secretary to read the points listed in Mrs Blue’s Minutes of the Perth meeting one by one, so that a full discussion could take place.
Point 1 - Members of a club may show their own Club’s Membership Card when visiting other Clubs belonging to the Association and thereby gain admission at members’ rates instead of visitors’ rates.
After some discussion on the problems involved, e.g. some Clubs not having membership cards and the system not allowing for unexpected visitors arriving at Clubs with limited accommodation, Mr Spink suggested that the Association should print it’s own membership cards. These would be issued to individual Club Secretaries who, in turn, would issue them totheir members upon application. These membership cards would allow visiting members into any other Club in the Association at their own Club’s entrance fee.
It was pointed ouit that such a system still did not allow for the possibility of a number of visitors presenting themselves at a Club with strictly limited accommodation. After some discussion it was agreed that any intending large party of visitors, say six or more, should notify their Club Secretary or the Secretary of the Association so that adequate provision could be made for them. There still being some doubts about the matter, the Chairman put it to a vote. This gave a result of sixteen in favour and 1 against Association cards. The Secretary was duly instructed top obtain membership cards which carried a list of names and telephone numbers of Club Secretaries and also the dates of their meetings.
POINT 2 - The Association to be called ‘The Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs.’
This was unanimously agreed,
POINT 3 - Clubs run by hotels purely for profit not to be recognised by the Association.
In view of Max Houliston’s special position with regard to the Hole-in-the-Wa’, his own licensed house, it was agreed to change the wording to “Anyone organizing and running a Club for personal gain only not to be recognised by the Association”. It was to be written into the Constitution that all applications for membership of the Association should be vetted before membership was granted.
POINT 4 - Each Club to pay a subscription of £2 per annum to the Association to assist with the cost of postage etc. The subscription rate to be reviewed after six months.
Mrs Blue proposed that the fee payable to the Association by clubs should be increased to £5 p.a. After discussion it was decided to leave the matter as per original proposal, i.e. £2 p.a. to be reviewed after six months.
POINT 5 - different venue for each Association meeting - local club to play the role of host.
Some members felt that a single, central meeting place would be preferable and Edinburgh as a possible venue was discussed and finally rejected. Mr Houliston suggested that the Sunday following the Perth Accordion Championships might be acceptable, but this was rejected owing to the likelihood that the previous nights festivities would interfere.
In a vote on the matter clearly indicated that there should be a different venue each year, the local Club to be host.
At this point it was agreed that the 1972 meeting should take place in Dundee on July 2nd, the actual time and place of meeting to be notified at a later date.
POINT 6 - Circular to be sent out monthly to Club Secretaries re what is going on at other Clubs.
Point unanimously agreed. Secretary instructed accordingly.
POINT 7 - Clubs to run from September to May.
Agreed unanimously. This is the ‘official’ Club season. There is, of course, nothing to prevent Clubs having ‘unofficial’ meetings outside these months.
POINT 8 – Purpose to encourage members to visit other Clubs.
This was agreed by most present, but Mr Houliston felt that the purpose of the Association should include the fostering and even instruction of young, up-and-coming players. He also believed that the musical scope of youngsters and other should be broadened to include the playing and appreciation of material outside the traditional repertoire. Mr Blue and others, however, were against any such movement which might interfere with the natural development of musical expression and appreciation in an individual.
Mr Houliston finally appealed for ideas which might help young players to become more proficient.
POINT 9 - A quorum of a minimum of five clubs to be present at Association meetings.
Point agreed unanimously.
OTHER POINTS ARISING
It was suggested feelers should be put out now to the artistes it was hoped to bring in from far afield, who would be guest artistes during the coming season. This to apply in particular to artistes coming from abroad (Shetlands, Ireland and the Continent e.g.) who would be offered to the Clubs, at part of the total cost of bringing them to the country either for guest artistes spot at their regular meeting or at concerts which they may arrange specially. This was left to the Chairman and Secretary to discuss further.
The Chairman and Secretary also agreed to draw up a list of players of guest artiste standard, so that same can be duplicated and sent out to Club Committees. Club representatives were urged to send in their nominations for this list to the Secretary as soon as possible.
A further suggestion was made that an exchange system of local artistes, acting as guest artistes, should be set up between the Clubs.
The Chairman asked the Secretary to ascertain the possibility of the Association becoming a legally registered organisation.
At this juncture the Chairman brought the meeting to a close and expressed that thanks of all those present to the Committee of the Straiton Club for their hospitality and his own thanks to all representatives for being present.
The meeting was followed by a short recital of a variety of music given by the players present.
Signed M. Ainsworth (Chairman) R.A. Milbourne (Secretary) 15th July 1971
Resolutions Adopted at the Annual Meeting
Complete list of the Resolutions adopted by the Association up to and including the ADM of June 1976.
1971 – The organisation to be known as the Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs
1971 – Persons running a Club for personal gain not to be eligible for membership.
1971 – The venue for the AGM to be different each year.
1971 – A monthly newsletter to be issued by the Secretary.
1971 – The ‘official’ Club season to be September to May (inclusive)
1972 – Approval of the ‘Aims and Objectives.’
1972 – The Association to hold an annual Festival and Championships.
1972 – Adoption of the Association’s Rules.
1973 – Increase of Subscription to £5 per annum.
1973 – Secretary to obtain metal lapel badges.
1974 – Fees received by Clubs from BBC for outside broadcasts from Clubs to be pooled and shared amongst all the members.
1974 – That the Festival be held at Musselburgh (Brunton Halls) in the winter of 1974 or the spring of 1975.
1975 – Minutes of previous meeting and Annual Accounts to be sent out to members during the month preceeding the AGM.
1975 – Secretary to obtain a further supply of lapel badges, but the size to be that of a five new pence piece.
1975 – That a Festival Sub-Committee shall be formed.
1975 – That the Musselburgh Festival shall be held on the first Saturday in February each year.
1975 – Annual subscription to the Association raised to £10.
1975 – Mr Alex Little to be Chair of Sub Committee.
1975 – Apropos the Festival competitions, a dance band shall comprise four, five or six players only.
1975 – Non Member Clubs to be invited to join the Association.
1975 – No restriction to be imposed on competitors at the Festival as to how they enter. That is, they need not be presented by a Club.
1975 – That there shall be a President of the Association and that Mr M. Ainsworth be invited to become first President.
1976 – The Treasurer shall send out Statements to Clubs reminding them that subscriptions are due.
1976 – Mr A. Little to continue as Chair of the Festival Sub-Committee.
1976 – Annual subscription to remain at £10.
1976 – Perth to be the future venue of all AGMs.
1976 – The motion of 1974 regarding distribution of BBC fees to be deleted.
1976 – The cost of AGMs to be borne by the Association in future.
Resolutions Adopted at the 1977 AGM
1) That individual Clubs should petition the Scottish Certificate of Education Board to include the Accordion on the list of instruments approved for Ordinary and Higher Grade examinations.
2) That Ian Smith’s proposals regarding the establishment of an Association Newspaper be adopted in the main and that £200 be made available to launch it.
3) That Ian Smith of Stranraer Club be appointed Editor of Newspaper.
4) That the newspaper shall be known as ‘Box and Fiddle.’
5) That the recommended price for each copy of the newspaper shall be 10p.
6) That ‘Box and Fiddle’ shall be issued on a monthly basis and that the whole matter will come up for review after 7 issues have been made.
7) Alec Little reappointed Chair of the Festival.
8) Annual subscription of the Association to remain at £10.
9) Committee re-elected en bloc.
Aims and Objects of the Association
AIMS AND OBJECTS
1) The promotion and fostering of Accordion and Fiddle music with particular reference to the traditional music, the new music in the traditional style, of Scotland, but not in any way excluding music from other parts of the British Isles or the rest of the world.
This is to be achieved by organising and co-ordinating the cooperation between individual Accordion and Fiddle Clubs and by the occasional promotion of concerts which will bring Accordion and Fiddle music to the notice of as wide a public as is possible. Further, to involve itself in any other variety which the Committee may consider appropriate to the achieving of these ends.
2) To encourage the establishment of new Accordion and Fiddle Clubs throughout the British Isles and, by recruiting such Clubs into the Association, to attempt to ensure that no overlapping of venues and dates occurs which would prove injurious to any member Club.
3) To encourage in every possible way, within the Association’s terms of reference, the appreciation and playing of Accordion and Fiddle music by young people who will be able to maintain and pass on the tradition to others and to future generations.
RULES
1) The organisation shall be known as The National *(1972) Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs.
2) The governing body of the Association shall consist of a Chairman, a Secretary and two elected members from each member Club. Also a Treasurer (1974) and a President (1975).
3) The Association shall hold an AGM to discuss past, present and future programmes and policies and to elect a Chairman and a Secretary, a Treasurer and a President (by intimation).
4) For voting purposes, each Club shall possess two votes only, irrespective of the number of representatives attending any meeting of the Association. The Chairman shall have, in addition, a casting vote.
5) Any person who is proven to be promoting a Club for personal gain shall render the Club ineligible for membership of the Association.
6) Each member Club shall pay an Annual Subscription to the Association to assist with the defrayment of its legitimate expenses. The amount of such subscription for each year shall be agreed at the AGM or EGM.
7) The Association shall publish and keep up-to-date a list of performers of Guest Artiste standard. This list shall be issued from time to time to Club Secretaries for their information.
8) The Secretary shall publish and distribute a periodical ‘newsletter’ which will contain information of interest and use to Club Secretaries.
9) The Association shall promote an annual Festival of Competitions for Accordion and Fiddle.
*Note – Sometime during 1972, the Committee, consisting of Messrs Ainsworth and Milbourne, decided to change the name of the organisation to The National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs.
The Death of Paolo Soprani
An Appreciation
by Jimmy Clinkscale
Comm. Paolo Soprani, the owner of the Paolo Soprani factory, the first and original accordion manufacturing factory in Italy, dies on 15th August, this year (1977).
He was born on the 14th November, 1898, and ran the company for 60 years. He was 79-years-old when he died, but approximately 12 months ago he handed over full control of the factory to his niece and her husband, namely Lucia Soprani and Emanuele.
Emanuele has been working in the factory studying modern methods and new ideas and is now running the company and introducing a new department for electronic accordions and organs apart from the famous Paolo Soprani accordions, which they have manufactured for many, many years.
It was Comm. Paolo Soprani’s grandfather who started the business in 1863 and this company has now become famous throughout the world for their high quality products.
Jimmy Clinkscale L.B.C.A. of Clinkscale Accordions, Melrose, visited the Paolo Soprani factory at the end of May this year and met Mr Soprani, who was looking quite well, and as many people now know, Clinkscale Accordions are now the exclusive importers and distributors for Paolo soprano products throughout BG and Northern Ireland.
Clinkscale Accordions have been importing Paolo Soprani accordions for many years now and Jimmy Clinkscale has been friends with the late Paolo Soprani for the past 10 years and while visiting Castelfidardo, near Ancona, in Italy, stayed at his luxurious home.
He was an extremely technical man in every aspect of the accordion and taught Jimmy a lot in construction and the development of the instrument. However, the new owners will continue to produce the same high quality accordions and over the last 12 months have modernized many parts of the factory and introduced new technical devices.
The death of Comm. Paolo Soprani will be a great loss to the accordion world.
The Story behind the Tunes
By Ian Duncan
Perhaps the most popular of all Ronnie Coopers’ many compositions are his two waltzes, ‘Sunset Over Foula’ and ‘Ronas Voe’, but not many people know the story behind the tunes.
The Hamefarers Dance Band, of which Ronnie was a member, had agreed to make a record for a local recording company and wanted to include on it a selection of Shetland waltzes. Apparently waltzes are in short supply in Shetland so Ronnie was asked to write two tunes specially for the recording. This was no bother and in a short time he came up with them, but what to call them was the big problem.
Beautiful Sunset
Ronnie’s cousin, Mrs Lilian Chadwick, had recently taken a superb photograph of a beautiful sunset looking across the sea to the island of Foula, so this was agreed on as the title of one of the tunes. The other one was proving much more difficult. Someone suggested it should have a Shetland name, so a map of Shetland was produced with the band members poring over it various local place names were quickly suggested and just as quickly rejected as being unsuitable. Eventually they arrived at Ronas Voe, a lovely sea inlet on the north-west coast of Shetland. This name seemed suitable for the tune and was unanimously decided as the title for it.
I must apologise if this little story shatters your romantic ideas of the titles, but it just goes to show that for all the thought and work that goes into a new composition, very often even more thought has to be done before a suitable name is found for it.
Record Reviews
By Derek Hamilton
Each month I intend to review some of the recent record releases concerning the music of the accordion and fiddle. In essence these will mainly be Scottish records, but I will be constantly on the lookout for different material. For example, one French label promoted over 50 current LPs of some of the finest Continental music available on disc.
The brief comments I make on the records will be purely personal thoughts reaped after listening carefully to the records selected for review. Space and time do not allow very many releases to be reviewed each month, but I would be interested to hear, from any of our readers, of recent releases which may have slipped my attention especially if they are of an unusually nature.
Here is this month’s bunch :
‘Just for the Crack’ – Sandy Coghill = REL457
‘Hot Stuff’ – The Currie Brothers – Lismore ULP5077
‘Iain MacPhail and his Band’ – A Salute to Scottish Dancing – Grampian SGW 5014
‘To Dance To’ Ian Holmes – Thistle BSLP123S
‘Bal Musette’ – Maurice Larcange – Decca DPA3039/40
A FULL CLUB DIRECTORY WAS LISTED TOTALLING 36 MEMBER CLUBS (which probably wasn’t correct since there were Club Reports in Issue 2 for Clubs which don’t appear here).
1. Aberdeen A&F Club
2. Alnwick A&F Club
3. Balloch A&F Club
4. Banff & District A&F Club
5. Beith & District A&F Club
6. Bonchester Accordion Club
7. Buchan A&F Club
8. Cumbria Accordion Club
9. Dumfries Accordion Club (Hole in the Wa’)
10. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club
11. Dunblane & District A&F Club
12. Dundee & District A&F Club
13. Dunfermline & District A&F Club
14. Fintry A&F Club
15. Galston A&F Club
16. Glendale Accordion Club
17. Greenhead Accordion Club (Hexham)
18. Highland A&F Club
19. Keith A&F Club
10. Kelso A&F Club
21. Langholm A&F Club
22. Livingston A&F Club
23. Lockerbie A&F Club
24. M.A.F.I.A.
25. Newcastleton Accordion Club
26. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club
27. North East A&F Club
28. Oban A&F Club
29. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club
30. Perth & District A&F Club
31. Renfrew A&F Club
32. Rothbury Accordion club
33. Straiton Accordion Club
34. Stranraer & District Accordion Club
35. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
36. Wick A&F Club
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Queen’s Hotel) 25th Oct 77 tba
Beith (Anderson Hotel) 17th Oct 77 Robert Black 1st Nov 77 Special Night with Dermot O’Brien
Dundee (Royal Central Hotel) 6th Oct 77 Bobby Gray
Dunfermline (Kinema Ballroom) 4th Oct 77 Jim Johnstone and His Band
Galston (Parakeet, Hurlford) 10th Oct 77 Billy Anderson
Highland (Drumossie Hotel) 2nd Nov 77 Dermot O’Brien
Keith (Seafield Arms Hotel) 4th Oct 77 Bobby Crowe
Kelso (Queen’s Hotel) 12th Oct 77 Paddy Neary (this years All Ireland Champion) accompanied by Alex MacArthur 26th Oct 77 Robert Whitehead 30th Oct 77 Concert, Tait Hall, Kelso Ian Coulston Trio including fiddler Geo. Purvis, Andrew Fairlie (tenor) and Collet Folk Group
Livingston (Cameron Ironworks Social Club) 7th Oct 77 Dinner Dance with Micky Ainsworth and His Scottish Dance Band . Cabaret with Christine Crowe and Her Dancers, Folk Singer Steve Vernon. 20th Oct 77 Fraser McGlynn
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) tba
M.A.F.I.A. (Black Bull) 6th Nov 77 Paddy Neary
Newton St Boswells (Railway Hotel) 12th Oct 77 Paddy Neary
North Cumbria (Huntsman Inn) See local paper for details
Oban (Park Hotel) 5th Oct 77 Bobby Harvey and His SDB
Perth 18th Oct 77 Currie Bros 15th Nov 77 Wick Band
Straiton (Black Bull) 31st Oct 77 tba
Stranraer (North West Castle Hotel) 10th Oct 77 Ian Holmes 7th Nov Bobby MacLeod
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) Oct & Nov tba
(I’ve put tba but in the original ‘Surprise Guest Artiste’ was used – I’m pretty sure that simply meant they had nothing arranged at that point.)
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Beith & District
3. Dundee & District
4. Dunfermline
5. Galston
6. Highland
7. Kelso
8. Livingston
9. Lockerbie
10. M.A.F.I.A.
11. Newton St Boswells
12. North Cumbria
13. North East
14. Oban
15. Perth & District
16. Straiton
17. Stranraer
18. Wick
As this is the first Issue I'll transcribe all the Box and Fiddle Reports
Aberdeen
Aberdeen Accordion and fiddle Club finished an outstandingly successful season at their residency at the Queen’s Hotel, Aberdeen, with John Huband (accordion) and Jim Cruickshank (guitar) attracting an audience of 212, in May.
This was Aberdeen Club’s second year and attendances throughout the season were particularly promising. They were : September - Bill Powrie (192) ; October - Ron Gonella (293) ; November – Alan Roy (257) ; December – Committee Members (218) ; January – Hector McAndrew (361) ; February – Walter Perrie (262) ; March – Iain MacPhail Band (344) ; April – Elgin Strathspey and Reel (251).
The Club’s AGM was held in the Queen’s Hotel on 6th June, when there was an enthusiastic turnout. The Committee were re-elected en bloc. It comprises President – Mr Tom Wemyss ; Treasurer – Frank Thomson ; Secretary – Mrs Esma Shepherd ; Committee Members – Mrs Florence Burns, Mrs Alda Hadden, Mr Skene Foote, Mrs Helen Sorrie, Mr Martin Conn, Mr Robbie Shepherd and Mr Alastair Hunter.
Treasurer Frank Thomson reported that the Club was on a very sound financial footing with almost £660 surplus for the year.
Subsequently the Club have bought a new sound system which cost some £400 and this had depleted the kitty, but the new equipment promises to be a great boon.
It is regretted that the Club have lost two very active Committee members – Treasurer Frank Thomson and Helen Sorrie, who splendidly carried out the task of chaperoning the artistes from the audience. Frank has been promoted to Manager of the Clydesdale Bank in Invergordon and Alness. Helen was wed in September and her new home will be in Carnoustie.
The guest at the first meeting on Tuesday, 27th September, was to have been Irish fiddler Sean Maguire, but he had to call off due to the proximity of a US tour. The Club were delighted to be able to fix up the Bobby Crowe Trio at relatively short notice. At the time of writing, a guest artiste had not been fixed for our meeting of 25th October.
Club members Robbie Shepherd, Jean Martin, Jessie Cruickshank, Florence Burns, Alex Green and Alistair Hunter with his Lorne Scottish Dance Band, were due to hit the high road to Shetland on 29th September, for a 10-day tour of the Shetland Isles.
Meantime the future looks very bright for the fledgling Aberdeen Club and we will warmly welcome any enthusiasts who happen to be in our area for one of our Club nights.
Winner of the Trophy for the Most Improved Player of the 1976-77 season went to Kevin Sinclaie (10) from Aberdeen. The Trophy was donated by Mr Graeme Wight, proprietor of the Melody Inn Music Shop, Culter.
Beith and District
Beith and District Accordion and Fiddle Club was formed in September, 1972, by a Committee of four and lots of enthusiasm from folk in the district and also from other Clubs. The Club meet on the third Monday of every month from September to April in the Anderson Hotel, Beith at 7.30pm.
The Beith and District Accordion and Fiddle Club has over 100 members, mostly accordionists and a few fiddlers.
The Committee of the Club would like to take this opportunity as this is the first issue of the ‘Box and Fiddle’ to express their appreciation to the people who support the club every monthand also the players who give their services most willingly. The Club have also had many of the top guest artistes on the scene today and to then we appreciate their wonderful performances.
At time of going to press we are looking forward to having Bobby MacLeod from Tobermory for our Septenber meeting. On 17th October, 1977, our guest artiste will be the up-and-coming champion, young Robert Black from Perth. We also have a special night on Tuesday, 1st November, 1977, with Dermot O’BRien, from Ireland.
With all good wishes for the ‘Box and Fiddle’ newspaper.
Willie Wilson
Dundee and District
The season got off to a great start in our new meeting place in the Royal Centre Hotel. Among the guest players featured were Arthur Spink, Angus Fitchet, Dave Stewart and Dave and Marge Barclay.
An unexpected thrill was the appearance of the Ulster Button Key Accordion Champion, Jim Carty, who was holidaying in the area. He gave an excellent rendition of the Cuckoo Waltz as well as some traditional Irish jigs and reels. Haste ye back Jim!
The Club Musicians
It is nice to have the opportunity each month to mention the names of those loyal members who set a high standard of playing at each and every meeting.
This month we had, on accordions, Michael Esposito, Tom Breen, Jim Anderson, Grant Simpson, Sandy Nixon, Gary Mair, Tom Cark, John Campbell, Alan Edwards, Alex Justice, Gillian Dick and at only ten years of age Bruce Quirie and from the Dunfermline Club, Quintin Morris.
On fiddle we had, Guthrie Raitt, George Butchart, Willie Shepherd, Jim Rennie, Peem Edwards, Andrew Knight and Norman Jamieson.
On drums, Malcolm Dowds, Andy Guthrie, Jim Blair and Jack Cooper.
On piano, Nan Simpson, David Barrie and John Strachan (bass & piano).
A special mention must go to our very talented compere, Jim McFarlane, who not only keeps us happy with his couthy humour but also delights us with his selections on the button key box.
The Carrbridge Ceilidhs
A feature of our Club is the twice-yearly Ceilidhs held in the Rowanlea Hotel, Carrbridge, Inverness-shire, where over 50 of our members take over the hotel for the weekend to do our own thing.
The owners, Jimmy and Margaret Ross, are excellent hosts and provide us with the very best of fare. We look forward to our next visit on 8th/9th October.
Well, there you are folks and remember if you are ever in the area drop in to see us – you will be made most welcome – we meet the first Thursday of the month.
Our next meeting is on Thursday, October 6th, when our guest artist will be Hebbie Gray. See you there?
Dunfermline
The above club, which started in 1974, had a very successful season last year which ended on 7th June 1977. Our guest artist was Fraser McGlynn who was enjoyed by all.
Over our nine meeting we had an attendance of 2,000 people ; Club membership was 223. We have regular visits from Grace McCleaver and her accordionist Ian McCallum, Neil Rowan, who won both the Junior and Senior British Championships, but his visits now may be few as he started University but we have regulars who come along each month only to listen and enjoy the people who can play and entertain them.
Our Committee, who are Bill Stewart, (Chairman and accordionist), Andrew Nairn (Vice Chairman), Bob Scott (Treasurer and button key accordionist), Margaret Morris (Secretary), Quintin Morris (accordionist), Bob Fleming (fiddle), Brice Turnbull (fiddle), Ann Scott and William Bernard wish you every success with the Monthly Newspaper and look forward to reading about the other member Clubs of the Association.
Guest Artists, 4th October 1977 – Jim Johnstone and his Band. Meeting held in the Kinema Ballroom first Tuesday in every month.
Galston
It was unfortunate that the new fire regulations enforced a reduction in capacity of the premises at the Black Bull Hotel, in Galston, where the Accordion Club had held its meetings for five seasons since 1969, But, due to lack of space, Galston Accordion Club moved to new premises in the Parakeet, a new night-spot just three miles west of Galston at Hurlford. The move, effected at the beginning of last season, has proved to be completely successful for the club. In the new venue there’s room for an audience of over 260 and last season showed that the club could fill it to capacity (and more!) on more than one occasion.
The bigger premises brought not only bigger audiences, but the ability to have full bands as guest artistes for the first time at the Galston Club. Max Houliston and Jim Johnstone both appeared last season with their bands. With Billy Anderson, Walter Perrie and Arthur Spink as guests on other occasions, Club Secretary David Ross’s record book looks like a musician’s Who’s Who! But the biggest scoop of all was carried off by David Ross when he booked the fantastic Dermot O’Brien Trio, not only to open the season on the October first night, but to bring the Irish stars back for an encore in March. The Parakeet was bursting at the seems on each of these nights as the Irish maestro slickly maneuvered his way through all of his hits and many more.
Last season was surely the best ever in the history of Galston Accordion Club, but David Ross who books all the guests for the club, is confident that the coming season will be even better, with a few aces up his sleeve, as David always has, no doubt he’s right. He’s lined up Billy Anderson as the first Club night guest. So that’s another great start for Galston Accordion Club. All the regulars will be there, at the Parakeet, Hurlford on Monday, 10th October, at 7.30pm for the opening session.
As usual an open invitation is extended to all enthusiasts, whether of the playing or listening variety.
D.H.
Highland
The A.G.M. of the above Club was held in Wednesday, 17th August, when a large attendance of members tuned up. The Committee was voted back en bloc which showed that the work they put in was appreciated by the members. It was proposed and unanimously passed that we change from the ice rink to the Drumossie Hotel. At the annual dinner dance held at the ice rink on Friday, 27th May, music was supplied by John Ellis and his Highland Dance Band, the evening again being a huge success.
A night to note in your diary – 2nd November, 1977 ; again we have a special night with Dermot O’Brien as our guest artist.
On Monday, 19th September, the season opened with the Graeme Mitchell Trio from Keith, a young group of musicians that have won the Trio Trophy two years running at the Inverness Festival.
Our Club is very fortunate in having Rory MacLeod, our Vice-Chairman, as compere. He started the evening with the Ian Fraser Band. This band has progressed to one of the top bands in the north. Fraser McLean followed on the button box. Fraser has a new Shand Morino and has certainly mastered his new model. Jimmy Smith delighted the audience with the mouthorgan and his catchy tunes had their feet tapping.
Our next player, on the fiddle this time, was a man who has never missed a night at the Club, Dan McKenzie from Beauly. We also had solo turns from various members of the Ian Fraser Band ; Stewart Reid (fiddle) and a real stalwart, Archie McPhee, who played second box in the band, showed he was quite competent as a lead player.
In the second part after tea and sandwiches things had warmed up and everybody had lost their nerves and settled in to enjoy themselves. Norman Urquhart, a young button key player of outstanding quality, gave us a great selection, accompanied by Maureen Rutherford, the pianist from the Graeme Mitchell Trio ; two young people with a great future.
A good start to our season and our next guest artist will be Bobby Crowe.
Kelso
Meetings are held on the last Wednesday of the month, September to May, in the Waverley Suite in the Queen’s Head Hotel, Kelso at 7.30pm.
As membership is limited to comply with the Fire Regulation restrictions, a waiting list is kept but wherever possible it is reduced to allow membership.
Although the Club is well represented by member artistes, non-member artistes are very welcome. Entry is free and tea is provided at the interval, the only stipulation is that they entertain.
Last year, the Club’s opening session, two concerts and a dinner dance were promoted, which were very successful and well attended. The May meeting culminated the session with superb performances by guest artistes Bobby Crowe, James Lindsay (accordion) and Colin Lander (drums). Supporting artistes, to whom the Club is very much indebted, music was performed by accordionists Helen Fletcher, Marion Wilson, Sandy White, John Galgraith, Bob Liddell, George Butler, Michael Scott and Jimmy Nairn, pianist Kenny Lees and on drums Will Gillie and Neil Turnbull. John Cairns compered the proceedings.
An extra meeting has been arranged for Wednesday, October 12th, in the Queen’s Head Hotel when Paddy Neary, this year’s All Ireland Accordion Champion will be guest artiste. He will be accompanied by Alec MacArthur (accordionist) from Biggar, Lanarkshire.
Robert Whitehead, accordionist from Glendale Accordion Club, will appear as guest at the meeting in the Queen’s Head Hotel on Wednesday, 26th October at 7.30pm.
At present a concert in the Tait Hall, Kelso on Sunday 30th October, at 7.30pm is being organized. The programme will include the Currie Brithers, Ian Coulston Trio (featuring the Border Fiddler, Geoff Purvis), Andrew Fairley (tenor) and the Cullet Group (folk and traditional music).
The Club wishes the newspaper every success.
Livingston
The Livingston Accordion and Fiddle Club was founded in September 1973. The Club has now firmly established itself as one of the main ones in East Central Scotland.
The Club meets on every third Thursday of each month from September to May in the spacious Cameron Iron Works Social Club in the New Town of Livingston, not far away from Blackburn which was home to the famous William Hannah. Indeed the ‘Agnes Waltz’ whenever played, evokes immediate memories of the famous player, and as a tribute to the many followers of our Club who knew William Hannah, Sandy Coghill, the well-known accordionist, has included this tune on a recent album. Another member of the Committee, Ian Anderson, also has a disc due for release shortly.
Besides promoting an interest in traditional Scottish Music, in common with all other clubs, the Livingston Accordion and Fiddle Club is actively engaged in raising money which will be used for the running and maintenance of a mini-bus for Mentally Handicapped Children in the district.
The Club has prepared a most interesting programme for the season 1977-78 : September , Jim Johnstone; October, Fraser McGlynn; November, Currie Brothers; December, Charlie Cowie; January, Jim Cleland Trio; February, not yet fixed; March, Ian Holmes and Kenny Wilson; April, Max Houliston; May, Bobby MacLeod.
Also we have arranged dances throughout the coming season. The first two are to be held in Bangour Recreation Hall on the 2nd of September and the music will be supplied by Bobby Crowe and his Scottish Dance Band, and on the 7th October, which will be a dinner dance, the music will be from Mickie Ainsworth and his Scottish Dance Band. Also there will be a cabaret which will include Christine Crowe and her dancers, and a Scottish folk singer, Steve Veron. Tickets are available and anyone interested can contact Miss Lorna Ross, Livingston 34969.
Lockerbie
For their final meeting of the season on Tuesday, 31st May, Lockerbie Accordion and Fiddle Club entertained another large company of enthusiasts in the Queen’s Hotel and a feature was the exceptionally large number of volunteer artistes who took place.
The guest artist was button-key accordionist Bill Powrie, from Perthshire, and he had with him as pianist, Mrs Joan Blue, wife of the well known accordionist and television star Jimmy Blue. Bill was in excellent form and, ably supported by Mrs Blue, he delighted the audience with his technical mastery of the accordion and his programme of traditional Scottish music.
Some 30 volunteers, with fiddles and accordions, also contributed to the evenings pleasure, and they included a group from Straiton Accordion Club in Ayrshire, who were given a warm welcome. They comprised a girl accordionist, a pianist, a vocalist, and accordionist John Loch, who also kept his listeners in good humour with a few amusing stories.
Other artists were forward from Langholm, Moffat, Beattock, Dumfries, Kirkcudbright and Carlisle, and two schoolgirl accordionists from Beeswing also created an excellent impression.
At the close Mr Jack Brockbank, on behalf of the club, expressed thanks to all the volunteer artistes who had assisted the club throughout the past session and also the hotel staff for their help in making the meetings so enjoyable. In reply, Mr Andrew Stevenson, a member of the Langholm Club, paid tribute to the Lockerbie Club on behalf of the guests and the artistes.
M.A.F.I.A.
The opening night of the Milngavie Accordion, Fiddle and Instrumental Association – known to all its members and visitors simply as THE MAFIA – got off to a very lively and rollocking start on Thursday, 8th September. It was held as usual in the Black Bull Hotel in Milngavie with a tremendous attendance of approximately 140 people.
The first night had a strong Irish flavour to it, the guest stars being the Sean Maguire Trio, who entertained a delighted audience with a non-stop selection of traditional Irish music. Not only did they play as a trio but as individuals – Sean Maguire playing in his usual brilliant style on the fiddle, Joe Burke in inimitable puck-like fashion on the melodeon and Josie, Sean’s wife, with not only non-stop accompaniment on the piano but also a solo fiddler in her own right.
In addition to the guests artists the following players also pleased the audience with a wide variety of selections on their instruments.
The programme started with a welcome return to the club of Bobby Lillie on accordion, and throughout the evening, on fiddle; Harry Curran (Irish traditional), Frank O’Donnell (light classical), Gordon Simpson (Scottish traditional), on accordion Brian Scott (Scottish traditional), Jim Sharpe, aged 13 (light classical), James Burns (Bach Fugue), Stuart McKeown (Scottish traditional), with James Cameron piano; Isabel Hurst (Scottish own compositions), with Joyce Smith, piano; on mouth organ, Eric Smith, with Alex Primrose on guitar. There were also pipe march selections from a ‘splinter’ section of the Allender Players who play regularly to the patients in various Glasgow Hospitals – Harry Roy, accordion; Judith Menzies, fiddle; Morag MacAskill, piano. Club accompanists were – on piano George Orr, Morag MacAskill, on drums Hugh Ferguson, Tom McWilliams, Walter Wright.
A hearty welcome was given by the club to a visitor from Canada, Mrs Marchbank, an exiled Scot; hope she visits us again soon.
Newton St. Boswells
Newton St. Boswells Club re-opens on 12th September, in the Railway Hotel.
The Club runs from October to April and usually finishes with a dinner dance in May. The Club consists of five on the Committee. A tote-double is run within the Club which helps with the Club funds.
The guest artist for October is Paddy Neary from Ireland, along with local players, it should be a good night of accordion and fiddle music. Compere is D. Welsh. The regular meal is stovies served by the ladies in the club.
Several of our local artistes have won awards in the Festivals. It is hopes to see, in the coming season, all the local artistes, who help to make the club a success, also artistes from other clubs will be most welcome.
Archie Park, Secretary
North Cumbria
North Cumbria Accordion Club hold their meetings in the Huntsman Inn, Penton, Carlisle. At the moment it is doing quite well. At the first meeting the guest artist was Peter Bruce, who attracted an audience of over 140, at the next meeting the young Currie Brothers brought in an audience of 200. This, it is hoped, will set the club in the right direction.
North East
The North East Accordion and Fiddle Club opened their season in the Seafield Arms Hotel, Keith, on Tuesday, 6th September, when John Crawford from Fife was guest artiste. John, who was accompanied on piano by Bruce Lindsay, treated a near capacity audience to some excellent selections and his own individual interpretation of pipe tunes gave particular delight.
Among the audience was a party from the Wellbank Accordion and Fiddle Club and two of them willingly gave a tune or two. They were Jim Rennie, fiddler with the Bill Black Band, and Gus Scott, from Arbroath, also on fiddle.
Thirty-one local players had their names forward as being available to play, including eight under sixteen years of age. Youngest was nine-year-old accordionist Mark Anderson, who delighted the audience with two selections. Another popular performer was 11-year-old Mark Winchester who teamed up with his brother Dale on accordion. Also playing were accordionists Jennifer Brown, James McGregor, Yvonne Shand and Philip Simmers. A special welcome was also given to Edward Begg on accordion and Elaine McRitchie on fiddle, both making their debut at the Club, if not in public.
Among the seniors who played were Graeme Mitchell, surely a future Scottish Accordion Champion, and fiddler Charlie Armour, who appears on a recently released record recorded at the Whitehall Theatre, Dundee.
Karin Paterson, a young local girl also delighted the audience with some excellent fiddle playing as did Joan Winton with her accordion.
Maureen Rutherford, as well as accompanying many of the artistes on piano, also found time to give a couple of selections on fiddle. Also providing piano accompaniments were Mrs Jane Farquharson, Mrs Irene Ingram and Club Treasurer, Alistair Gray. On bass we had Alec Cruickshank and on drums George Kessock and young Billy Brown provided some lively backings.
All-in-all a most successful evening and the continuing supply of young talent coming along augers well for the future of traditional Scottish music in this area.
Next meeting is on Tuesday, 4th October, in Seafield Arms Hotel, Keith, when Bobby Crowe will be guest.
Oban
Oban Accordion and fiddle Club’s final night for the 1976/77 season was held on Wednesday,4th May, in McTavish’s Kitchen with two guest artistes, Angus Cameron and Bobby MacLeod.
The capacity audience were eagerly anticipating a repeat performance of last year’s highly successful evening in the same venue.
Club President, Colin Campbell, got everyone off to a great start and the playing of all the club members was of a high standard. It was a great pleasure to welcome four of Neil Sinclair’s young pupils, Angus MacDonald, Brenda Johnstone, Margot Kilcullen and Christine Keenan. This was their first public performance and they were deservedly given a great reception.
This was Angus Cameron’s first appearance at the Club and his playing was highly acclaimed by one and all. Indeed, it was no surprise to us that he won the Golden Fiddle Award shortly afterwards, and this club would like to congratulate him on his success.
Bobby MacLeod has been thrilling Oban audiences for a long time and this was no exception. He presented a well-balanced programme and delighted everyone with his own inimitable style. With his recently acquired bass-end system he was the complete solo player.
As a finale, the two guests played together – a rare treat indeed – and a fitting climax to a memorable Club night.
Billy Ford, was, as usual, an excellent compere and somehow managed to fit everyone in who wanted to play. The opening Club night of the new session is in the Corran Halls, Oban, on Wednesday, 5th October, at 8pm. Guest artistes will be Bobby Harvey and his Scottish Showband.
The following played during the final club night of the last season :
Piano accordion – Colin Campbell, Colin Forgreive, John Brown, Ragnar, Alan Roy, Paddy Shaw, Neil Sinclair.
Chromatic accordion – John MacLean, Johnny Fisher
Violin – Donald Chisholm, Charlie Gore, Jimmy Robb.
Mouth organ – Ian MacLeod
Drums – Dick MacGill, George Fletcher, Billy Ford.
Piano – Duncan Forgreive, Frank Beaton, Libby Shaw
Double bass – Duncan Campbell
Perth and District
Perth has once again had a most successful year, with an average of 274 attending each meeting. Members asked to hear more bands, and as a result we have, in one session had John McGregor, Rob Gordon, Jim Johnstone, and last but not least Bill Black’s Band, which was an added bonus to the entertainment provided by the Black Family, which had been booked originally. Young Robert and Duncan are a delight to listen to. Other guests throughout the year have been John Crawford, Arthur Spink, Fintan Stanley, the Billy Anderson duo, and, of course, the ever popular Angus Fitchet.
Instead of a dinner dance, we held a Social-Ceilidh in February, music being provided by the Committee, and other members also took part in playing for dances. During the evening two engagements were announced – those of Sandra, younger daughter of Joan and Jimmy Blue; and Muriel McGlashen, who often plays piano at the club.
This year, for the first time, we had a Composition Competition, confined to Club Members only, the beautiful trophy being presented by Angus Howie, one of our keenest and most interested members. The trophy, with a 40oz bottle of whisky and £5, was won by Bill Powrie with his tune ‘Captain Robert B. Coupar’. Runner-up was Jimmy Blue, and we were all delighted that one of our less experienced members, Ian Cameron, was third. We hope to have more entries next year and that this competition will go from strength to strength.
We were all shocked and saddened by the sudden death of Tommy Duncan, pianist with Bill Wilkie’s Band for many years. He has been a member of the Perth Club for a long time and was always a willing pianist and keen Club member. He will be sadly missed.
Perth Club opens on Tuesday, 20th September, with Bobby MacLeod as the guest.
In October we have the three Currie Brothers, and the Fine Wick Band will be guests in November. On behalf of the Perth Club, I wish the ‘Box and Fiddle’ every success abd look forward to the first issue.
Joan Blue
Straiton
There was a fair attendance at the first meeting of the season held in the Black Bull Hotel, Straiton, on Monday evening , 26th September.
John Loch, the Club Secretary, welcomed everyone present and acted as compere for the evening.
Opening the programme was the Blackthorne Dance Band under the leadership of John Loch and comprising Stuart Thompson (2nd accordion), Jim Caddis (drums) and Robbie gilmour (piano).
The guest artiste appearing was Jim Hutcheon, the well-known accordion teacher from Ayr. Included in his first-class programme were the ‘Heather Polka’, a ‘Mazurka’, the ‘Hayfield Two-Step’, ‘Diane’, ‘Reels’, and many more numbers which were all very well received.
Finishing with an arrangement of the ‘Flying Scotsman’ and adding to the ‘musical magic’ of his fingers, Jim very quickly showed his added interest by making John Loch’s 10p piece disappear in mid-air and expertly (and lucky for John) bringing it back again.
Others taking part were as follows : Mrs E. Guthrie (piano), Misses Margaret Wilcox, Marion Halbert, Messrs Tom Murray, Jim Guthrie, Ben Murray, Jim Cunningham (Transicord), Ewan, John and Hugh Donald, David Ross, Bill Roddie (piano), Gordon Graham, Willie Seaton (Cordovox) and Davy Scott.
John Loch proposed the vote of thanks and the next meeting will be held in the Black Bull Hotel on Monday, 31st October, at 7.30pm when there will be a surprise guest artiste appearing.
Helen McWhirter
Stranraer
Stranraer and District Accordion and Fiddle Club has now entered its fourth year. From humble beginnings (first night three accordions, David Ross, guest artist, and an audience of 14) the club grew in stature. The first move was to the Strand Bar where there was a great improvement, much if it due to Jock Loch, Straiton Club. Eventually the Strand Bar was too small so the venue was switched to the North West Castle Hotel.
There have been some magic moments to relish, such as the young Currie Brothers, Arthur Spink, Sandy Coghill, Jim Cassidy, Jimmy Yeaman, Willie Duff Trio and a host of others.
We are fortunate in having Charlie Cowie and Isobel Griffin with us. Charlie with his famous fiddle andIsobel, a charmer on the accordion. She also teaches, and informs us that there are over thirty youngsters all over the district learning the accordion, so it has all been worthwhile.
The club held their first meeting of the new season in North West Castle Hotel. A capacity crowd attended. The following local artistes entertained with some fine marches, jigs, reels, strathspeys etc : Heather Plunkett, Anne Plunkett, Elizabeth Jardine, Karen Jardine, Shirley Love (Dunragit), Sally Cochrane (Glenluce), Kirsteen McFarlane (Stranraer), Ian and Maureen Farroll (Leswalt), David Helm (Portwilliam), Isobel Griffin and Jimmy Helm (duet) and Charlie Cowie (fiddle).
The guest artistes for the evening were the Sean Maguire Trio, Ireland’s top traditional group, comprising Sean Maguire (fiddle), his wife Josie on piano, and Joe Burke (button ket melodeon). They fairly set the crowd’s feet tapping and gave a great performance of Irish traditional music.
The next meeting is on 10th October, when the guest artiste will be Ian Holmes (piano accordion) from Dumfries.
Wick
Wick Accordion and Fiddle club opened their 1977-78 season in MacKay’s Hotel on Monday, 29th August. A large attendance gave a clear indication that the Club was in for another successful season. The majority of last year’s members turned out in force and many new faces were welcomed. Guest artists for the evening were the Sean Maguire Trio, with Sean himself on fiddle, Joe Burke on melodeon and Josephine Keegan on piano.
Proceeding got under way at 8 o’clock with various local artists taking the stage, to display their undoubted musical talents to an appreciative audience. To close the first half of the programme came the guest artists’ appearance. The many reels, jigs and slow airs played by the talented Trio were met with thunderous applause by all, and their sheer genius in playing their various instruments was superb. The audience arrived with the audience eagerly looking forward to the Trio’s performance in the second half.
After sausage rolls and a few more drams, the evenings performance was continued with the local talent providing excellent musical entertainment. The quality of music played by the ‘locals’ at Wick Club is of a very high standard indeed, and it is never forgotten that they provide the backbone of every evening’s programme.
Editorial Comment
It is perfectly true what Robert Burns said about the ‘plans of mice and men gang aft agley’. Everything was set for the countdown to get the paper off the ground when I was suddenly taken ill with a stomach complaint and before I knew what was happening, I was being rushed to Dumfries Hospital for an emergency operation, which was, thankfully, successfully. This took ten days. Now that I’m back this edition is being edited from the sick-bed. My apologies to everyone, but the first edition will now be a week late. Therefore for the rest of the season the new date will be the end of the first week of each month and the deadline will be extended to the 30th of the month. I know this will please some clubs who were having difficulty with the original dates.
My congratulations to all the clubs who made the effort to support the paper, which is your paper, it’s just a pity that more clubs didn’t join in, it would have been much better. Those clubs that did made an excellent job, they got the advertisers, sent in their club reports and some even managed short articles. It is to be hoped that other clubs will come in, now that they see what can be done. Remember the more information about your club, the more publicity your club gets. A wee note to club secretaries, please let me know more of your dates, guest artists and venues.
It has come to my notice that there are a few clubs who genuinely can’t get advertisers. I recognise this fact and I’d be obliged if these clubs would participate in the ‘Box and Fiddle’ anyway. I’m looking forward to hearing from these clubs, about their activities, their guest artists and dates etc. After all, they are members of the Association.
A special welcome to a new club, the Cumbria Accordion Club, secretary Mr David Bell, ‘Sikeside’, Kirklinton (Tel. 213), Carlisle, formed from the ashes of Gretna Club, which was disbanded through lack of support. The new guest artist list is as yet incomplete but should be ready for the next issue.
A note to advertisers! The printers have installed new machinery which does away with the old-fashioned method of using specially-made blocks etc. If any advertiser wishes to use his own motto or emblem, all that is required is a billhead or something which incorporates the motif. The printers then photographs it and that’s it. The method of printing the newspaper is called web offset and the initial stages are solely photographic.
Ian Smith (Editor)
From the Chairman…
DEAR EDITOR – Congratulations on your first edition of ‘The Box and Fiddle’. I wish it every success, and I am confident that it will go from strength to strength.
It is my sincere hope that this Club Magazine will further promote the interest in accordion and fiddle playing, in our endeavour to keep this music, our heritage, alive.
Yours sincerely
Jimmy Blue (Chairman)
National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs
How it all Began
by Ray Milbourne
In the spring of 1971 I received a letter from Mrs Joan Blue, the Secretary of the Perth Accordion and Fiddle Club, inviting me, as representative of Newcastleton Accordion Club, to a meeting in Perth in order to discuss the possibility of forming an organization to represent the interests of the rapidly growing number of clubs.
New clubs were springing into existence in some areas at an alarming rate and it was obviously only a matter of time before saturation point would be reached somewhere or other. The players who form the backbone of any club were then already saying that they were finding it impossible to attend all the club meeting that were going on in any given area. Those other important stalwarts, the audiences, were making similar noises.
Dilution of audiences and players could only have a deleterious effect on all the clubs, no matter how successful or how long they had been established and there had already been one or two cases of clubs in close proximity trying to run their meetings on the same night! This sort of thing was destined to lead to animosity and ‘bloody mindedness’ on the part of the organizers with a resultant lowering of the standard of service offered to the public.
Growth of Interest
The avowed aim of any responsibly minded Club Committee was to promote the growth of interest in Scottish traditional music, more or less along the lines originally developed by Max Houliston at the Hole in the Wa’ Club in Dumfries in the 1960’s. The almost overnight appearance of a number of clubs, especially these almost on top of one another in what seemed to be favourable areas, smacked heavily of commercialism and that, if true, could not possibly be good for either music, musicians or public.
These and a number of other reasons were undoubtedly in club secretaries’ minds when they agreed to meet in Perth on June 6th, 1971, at the Salutation Hotel in order to discuss the formation of an Association.
Representatives from
Dundee
Galston
Gretna
Milngavie
Newcastleton
Perth
Straiton
Clubs were present at the exploratory meeting and following an afternoon’s discussion it was agreed by all 17 people present to form an Association.
It was not considered necessary at that stage to form a large Committee, but Mr Mick Ainsworth was elected Chairman and Mr Ray Milbourne was elected Secretary.
The list of decisions taken at the initial meeting was not a large one, but it was significant in that it formed the basis for the subsequent rules of the Association. The list is also revealing in that it shows quite clearly what people were aiming to do and what not to do at that time.
- Members of a club may show their own Club’s Membership Card when visiting other Clubs belonging to the Association and thereby gain admission at members’ rates instead of visitors’ rates.
- The organisation to be called ‘The Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs.’
- Clubs organized and run by Hotel proprietors and Managers simply in order to increase their sales and/or profit would not be recognised by the Association.
- Each Club to pay a subscription of £2 per annum to the Association to assist with the cost of postage etc. The subscription rate to be reviewed after six months.
- Each Association meeting to be held at a different venue and the local club to play the role of host.
- A monthly circular to be sent out to Club Secretaries advising them of other Clubs activities.
- All Clubs to have an official season running from September to May inclusive.
- The encouragement of exchange visits between clubs.
- A quorum of a minimum of five clubs to be present at Association meetings.
This meeting looked in detail at the decisions and plans laid at the Perth meeting and agreed, amended or rejected as is revealed by the Minutes. It may be appropriate here to mention that Club Secretaries can obtain copies of the Minutes of all past meeting from the Secretary of the Association.
Aims and Objectives
At the second AGM, the Aims, Objectives and Rules of the Association were presented and adopted and it is from that point in time that the Association became a properly constituted organisation.
Much has been achieved by the Association since its formation and I find it a matter of regret that some Club officials still do not appreciate the true function of the Association. It is to be seriously hoped that the launching of this newspaper will illustrate further the usefulness of the Association. It is a co-operative effort which has made it possible, in exactly the same way that the Annual Festival is possible because of co-operation. This co-operation is manifest in many other ways and it springs from the principles of the Association. The Aims and Objectives of the Association are printed in this edition of our newspaper. Many people will be seeing them in detail for the first time and it must be remembered that they alone form the answer to the often-heard question “What is the Association for and what does it do?”
As with any other democratic organisation, amendments will be made to the existing Aims, Objectives and Rules, that is how it should be, as time alters circumstances, but the original principles of fostering co-operation between all members whilst maintaining a policy of non-interference in individual clubs’ affairs, must always be the unfailing yardstick to apply if we are to maintain credibility. Young people, particularly players of instruments, must be able to look at the movement, which is now the cradle of living Scottish music, and see that it is a responsible and worthwhile movement of which they can be proud to belong. That is the way in which the Association’s principal aim, that of nurturing and maintaining the tradition of ‘the music’ can be realised.
It is hoped that this will give the reader some idea of how it all started and also what it is all about.
Association’s Inaugural Meeting at Ayr
Club Representatives in Agreement
Minutes of the inaugural meeting held at the Station Hotel, Ayr, on Sunday, 4th July, 1971. (Host Club ; Straiton Accordion Club).
Chairman M. Ainsworth Esq. ,
Secretary R.A. Milbourne Esq.
Representatives from the various Clubs present were as follows :
Dumfries ; M. Houliston, A. Little
Dundee ; A. Spink, J. Cooper
Galston ; W. Stewart, D. Ross
Gretna ; H. McKean
Newcastleton ; R. Milbourne, A. Atkinson, W. Porter
Perth ; M. Ainsworth, J. Blue, Mrs J. Blue, Mrs Ainsworth, J. Brown, Mrs Brown
Straiton ; J.Loch, F. Loch
The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming all present and said that he was particularly pleased to see that representatives from both Langholm and Dumfries Clubs were present ; these Clubs not having been present at the exploratory meeting held in Perth (Salutation Hotel) on June 6th.
Mr Ainsworth gave a recapitulation of all that had been said at the Perth meeting and asked the Secretary to read the Minutes of that meeting for the benefit of those who had not been present. He laid emphasis on the point that the Association would in no manner attempt to dictate policy, or otherwise interfere with the running of individual Clubs, this having been a fear expressed by some Club Committees. Following reassurance on this point, Mr A. Park of Langholm Club, said that the Langholm Committee would be in favour of joining the Association.
Mr McKean, the Gretna Club, representative, said that he and Mr J. Norman had reported to their Committee the proceedings of the Perth meeting and that the Gretna Club was in favour of joining the Association.
The Chairman expressed his satisfaction that all the Clubs represented were now in agreement and, since this was so, it was in order to go ahead with the formation of the Association along the lines suggested at Perth. He then asked the Secretary to read the points listed in Mrs Blue’s Minutes of the Perth meeting one by one, so that a full discussion could take place.
Point 1 - Members of a club may show their own Club’s Membership Card when visiting other Clubs belonging to the Association and thereby gain admission at members’ rates instead of visitors’ rates.
After some discussion on the problems involved, e.g. some Clubs not having membership cards and the system not allowing for unexpected visitors arriving at Clubs with limited accommodation, Mr Spink suggested that the Association should print it’s own membership cards. These would be issued to individual Club Secretaries who, in turn, would issue them totheir members upon application. These membership cards would allow visiting members into any other Club in the Association at their own Club’s entrance fee.
It was pointed ouit that such a system still did not allow for the possibility of a number of visitors presenting themselves at a Club with strictly limited accommodation. After some discussion it was agreed that any intending large party of visitors, say six or more, should notify their Club Secretary or the Secretary of the Association so that adequate provision could be made for them. There still being some doubts about the matter, the Chairman put it to a vote. This gave a result of sixteen in favour and 1 against Association cards. The Secretary was duly instructed top obtain membership cards which carried a list of names and telephone numbers of Club Secretaries and also the dates of their meetings.
POINT 2 - The Association to be called ‘The Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs.’
This was unanimously agreed,
POINT 3 - Clubs run by hotels purely for profit not to be recognised by the Association.
In view of Max Houliston’s special position with regard to the Hole-in-the-Wa’, his own licensed house, it was agreed to change the wording to “Anyone organizing and running a Club for personal gain only not to be recognised by the Association”. It was to be written into the Constitution that all applications for membership of the Association should be vetted before membership was granted.
POINT 4 - Each Club to pay a subscription of £2 per annum to the Association to assist with the cost of postage etc. The subscription rate to be reviewed after six months.
Mrs Blue proposed that the fee payable to the Association by clubs should be increased to £5 p.a. After discussion it was decided to leave the matter as per original proposal, i.e. £2 p.a. to be reviewed after six months.
POINT 5 - different venue for each Association meeting - local club to play the role of host.
Some members felt that a single, central meeting place would be preferable and Edinburgh as a possible venue was discussed and finally rejected. Mr Houliston suggested that the Sunday following the Perth Accordion Championships might be acceptable, but this was rejected owing to the likelihood that the previous nights festivities would interfere.
In a vote on the matter clearly indicated that there should be a different venue each year, the local Club to be host.
At this point it was agreed that the 1972 meeting should take place in Dundee on July 2nd, the actual time and place of meeting to be notified at a later date.
POINT 6 - Circular to be sent out monthly to Club Secretaries re what is going on at other Clubs.
Point unanimously agreed. Secretary instructed accordingly.
POINT 7 - Clubs to run from September to May.
Agreed unanimously. This is the ‘official’ Club season. There is, of course, nothing to prevent Clubs having ‘unofficial’ meetings outside these months.
POINT 8 – Purpose to encourage members to visit other Clubs.
This was agreed by most present, but Mr Houliston felt that the purpose of the Association should include the fostering and even instruction of young, up-and-coming players. He also believed that the musical scope of youngsters and other should be broadened to include the playing and appreciation of material outside the traditional repertoire. Mr Blue and others, however, were against any such movement which might interfere with the natural development of musical expression and appreciation in an individual.
Mr Houliston finally appealed for ideas which might help young players to become more proficient.
POINT 9 - A quorum of a minimum of five clubs to be present at Association meetings.
Point agreed unanimously.
OTHER POINTS ARISING
It was suggested feelers should be put out now to the artistes it was hoped to bring in from far afield, who would be guest artistes during the coming season. This to apply in particular to artistes coming from abroad (Shetlands, Ireland and the Continent e.g.) who would be offered to the Clubs, at part of the total cost of bringing them to the country either for guest artistes spot at their regular meeting or at concerts which they may arrange specially. This was left to the Chairman and Secretary to discuss further.
The Chairman and Secretary also agreed to draw up a list of players of guest artiste standard, so that same can be duplicated and sent out to Club Committees. Club representatives were urged to send in their nominations for this list to the Secretary as soon as possible.
A further suggestion was made that an exchange system of local artistes, acting as guest artistes, should be set up between the Clubs.
The Chairman asked the Secretary to ascertain the possibility of the Association becoming a legally registered organisation.
At this juncture the Chairman brought the meeting to a close and expressed that thanks of all those present to the Committee of the Straiton Club for their hospitality and his own thanks to all representatives for being present.
The meeting was followed by a short recital of a variety of music given by the players present.
Signed M. Ainsworth (Chairman) R.A. Milbourne (Secretary) 15th July 1971
Resolutions Adopted at the Annual Meeting
Complete list of the Resolutions adopted by the Association up to and including the ADM of June 1976.
1971 – The organisation to be known as the Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs
1971 – Persons running a Club for personal gain not to be eligible for membership.
1971 – The venue for the AGM to be different each year.
1971 – A monthly newsletter to be issued by the Secretary.
1971 – The ‘official’ Club season to be September to May (inclusive)
1972 – Approval of the ‘Aims and Objectives.’
1972 – The Association to hold an annual Festival and Championships.
1972 – Adoption of the Association’s Rules.
1973 – Increase of Subscription to £5 per annum.
1973 – Secretary to obtain metal lapel badges.
1974 – Fees received by Clubs from BBC for outside broadcasts from Clubs to be pooled and shared amongst all the members.
1974 – That the Festival be held at Musselburgh (Brunton Halls) in the winter of 1974 or the spring of 1975.
1975 – Minutes of previous meeting and Annual Accounts to be sent out to members during the month preceeding the AGM.
1975 – Secretary to obtain a further supply of lapel badges, but the size to be that of a five new pence piece.
1975 – That a Festival Sub-Committee shall be formed.
1975 – That the Musselburgh Festival shall be held on the first Saturday in February each year.
1975 – Annual subscription to the Association raised to £10.
1975 – Mr Alex Little to be Chair of Sub Committee.
1975 – Apropos the Festival competitions, a dance band shall comprise four, five or six players only.
1975 – Non Member Clubs to be invited to join the Association.
1975 – No restriction to be imposed on competitors at the Festival as to how they enter. That is, they need not be presented by a Club.
1975 – That there shall be a President of the Association and that Mr M. Ainsworth be invited to become first President.
1976 – The Treasurer shall send out Statements to Clubs reminding them that subscriptions are due.
1976 – Mr A. Little to continue as Chair of the Festival Sub-Committee.
1976 – Annual subscription to remain at £10.
1976 – Perth to be the future venue of all AGMs.
1976 – The motion of 1974 regarding distribution of BBC fees to be deleted.
1976 – The cost of AGMs to be borne by the Association in future.
Resolutions Adopted at the 1977 AGM
1) That individual Clubs should petition the Scottish Certificate of Education Board to include the Accordion on the list of instruments approved for Ordinary and Higher Grade examinations.
2) That Ian Smith’s proposals regarding the establishment of an Association Newspaper be adopted in the main and that £200 be made available to launch it.
3) That Ian Smith of Stranraer Club be appointed Editor of Newspaper.
4) That the newspaper shall be known as ‘Box and Fiddle.’
5) That the recommended price for each copy of the newspaper shall be 10p.
6) That ‘Box and Fiddle’ shall be issued on a monthly basis and that the whole matter will come up for review after 7 issues have been made.
7) Alec Little reappointed Chair of the Festival.
8) Annual subscription of the Association to remain at £10.
9) Committee re-elected en bloc.
Aims and Objects of the Association
AIMS AND OBJECTS
1) The promotion and fostering of Accordion and Fiddle music with particular reference to the traditional music, the new music in the traditional style, of Scotland, but not in any way excluding music from other parts of the British Isles or the rest of the world.
This is to be achieved by organising and co-ordinating the cooperation between individual Accordion and Fiddle Clubs and by the occasional promotion of concerts which will bring Accordion and Fiddle music to the notice of as wide a public as is possible. Further, to involve itself in any other variety which the Committee may consider appropriate to the achieving of these ends.
2) To encourage the establishment of new Accordion and Fiddle Clubs throughout the British Isles and, by recruiting such Clubs into the Association, to attempt to ensure that no overlapping of venues and dates occurs which would prove injurious to any member Club.
3) To encourage in every possible way, within the Association’s terms of reference, the appreciation and playing of Accordion and Fiddle music by young people who will be able to maintain and pass on the tradition to others and to future generations.
RULES
1) The organisation shall be known as The National *(1972) Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs.
2) The governing body of the Association shall consist of a Chairman, a Secretary and two elected members from each member Club. Also a Treasurer (1974) and a President (1975).
3) The Association shall hold an AGM to discuss past, present and future programmes and policies and to elect a Chairman and a Secretary, a Treasurer and a President (by intimation).
4) For voting purposes, each Club shall possess two votes only, irrespective of the number of representatives attending any meeting of the Association. The Chairman shall have, in addition, a casting vote.
5) Any person who is proven to be promoting a Club for personal gain shall render the Club ineligible for membership of the Association.
6) Each member Club shall pay an Annual Subscription to the Association to assist with the defrayment of its legitimate expenses. The amount of such subscription for each year shall be agreed at the AGM or EGM.
7) The Association shall publish and keep up-to-date a list of performers of Guest Artiste standard. This list shall be issued from time to time to Club Secretaries for their information.
8) The Secretary shall publish and distribute a periodical ‘newsletter’ which will contain information of interest and use to Club Secretaries.
9) The Association shall promote an annual Festival of Competitions for Accordion and Fiddle.
*Note – Sometime during 1972, the Committee, consisting of Messrs Ainsworth and Milbourne, decided to change the name of the organisation to The National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs.
The Death of Paolo Soprani
An Appreciation
by Jimmy Clinkscale
Comm. Paolo Soprani, the owner of the Paolo Soprani factory, the first and original accordion manufacturing factory in Italy, dies on 15th August, this year (1977).
He was born on the 14th November, 1898, and ran the company for 60 years. He was 79-years-old when he died, but approximately 12 months ago he handed over full control of the factory to his niece and her husband, namely Lucia Soprani and Emanuele.
Emanuele has been working in the factory studying modern methods and new ideas and is now running the company and introducing a new department for electronic accordions and organs apart from the famous Paolo Soprani accordions, which they have manufactured for many, many years.
It was Comm. Paolo Soprani’s grandfather who started the business in 1863 and this company has now become famous throughout the world for their high quality products.
Jimmy Clinkscale L.B.C.A. of Clinkscale Accordions, Melrose, visited the Paolo Soprani factory at the end of May this year and met Mr Soprani, who was looking quite well, and as many people now know, Clinkscale Accordions are now the exclusive importers and distributors for Paolo soprano products throughout BG and Northern Ireland.
Clinkscale Accordions have been importing Paolo Soprani accordions for many years now and Jimmy Clinkscale has been friends with the late Paolo Soprani for the past 10 years and while visiting Castelfidardo, near Ancona, in Italy, stayed at his luxurious home.
He was an extremely technical man in every aspect of the accordion and taught Jimmy a lot in construction and the development of the instrument. However, the new owners will continue to produce the same high quality accordions and over the last 12 months have modernized many parts of the factory and introduced new technical devices.
The death of Comm. Paolo Soprani will be a great loss to the accordion world.
The Story behind the Tunes
By Ian Duncan
Perhaps the most popular of all Ronnie Coopers’ many compositions are his two waltzes, ‘Sunset Over Foula’ and ‘Ronas Voe’, but not many people know the story behind the tunes.
The Hamefarers Dance Band, of which Ronnie was a member, had agreed to make a record for a local recording company and wanted to include on it a selection of Shetland waltzes. Apparently waltzes are in short supply in Shetland so Ronnie was asked to write two tunes specially for the recording. This was no bother and in a short time he came up with them, but what to call them was the big problem.
Beautiful Sunset
Ronnie’s cousin, Mrs Lilian Chadwick, had recently taken a superb photograph of a beautiful sunset looking across the sea to the island of Foula, so this was agreed on as the title of one of the tunes. The other one was proving much more difficult. Someone suggested it should have a Shetland name, so a map of Shetland was produced with the band members poring over it various local place names were quickly suggested and just as quickly rejected as being unsuitable. Eventually they arrived at Ronas Voe, a lovely sea inlet on the north-west coast of Shetland. This name seemed suitable for the tune and was unanimously decided as the title for it.
I must apologise if this little story shatters your romantic ideas of the titles, but it just goes to show that for all the thought and work that goes into a new composition, very often even more thought has to be done before a suitable name is found for it.
Record Reviews
By Derek Hamilton
Each month I intend to review some of the recent record releases concerning the music of the accordion and fiddle. In essence these will mainly be Scottish records, but I will be constantly on the lookout for different material. For example, one French label promoted over 50 current LPs of some of the finest Continental music available on disc.
The brief comments I make on the records will be purely personal thoughts reaped after listening carefully to the records selected for review. Space and time do not allow very many releases to be reviewed each month, but I would be interested to hear, from any of our readers, of recent releases which may have slipped my attention especially if they are of an unusually nature.
Here is this month’s bunch :
‘Just for the Crack’ – Sandy Coghill = REL457
‘Hot Stuff’ – The Currie Brothers – Lismore ULP5077
‘Iain MacPhail and his Band’ – A Salute to Scottish Dancing – Grampian SGW 5014
‘To Dance To’ Ian Holmes – Thistle BSLP123S
‘Bal Musette’ – Maurice Larcange – Decca DPA3039/40
A FULL CLUB DIRECTORY WAS LISTED TOTALLING 36 MEMBER CLUBS (which probably wasn’t correct since there were Club Reports in Issue 2 for Clubs which don’t appear here).
1. Aberdeen A&F Club
2. Alnwick A&F Club
3. Balloch A&F Club
4. Banff & District A&F Club
5. Beith & District A&F Club
6. Bonchester Accordion Club
7. Buchan A&F Club
8. Cumbria Accordion Club
9. Dumfries Accordion Club (Hole in the Wa’)
10. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club
11. Dunblane & District A&F Club
12. Dundee & District A&F Club
13. Dunfermline & District A&F Club
14. Fintry A&F Club
15. Galston A&F Club
16. Glendale Accordion Club
17. Greenhead Accordion Club (Hexham)
18. Highland A&F Club
19. Keith A&F Club
10. Kelso A&F Club
21. Langholm A&F Club
22. Livingston A&F Club
23. Lockerbie A&F Club
24. M.A.F.I.A.
25. Newcastleton Accordion Club
26. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club
27. North East A&F Club
28. Oban A&F Club
29. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club
30. Perth & District A&F Club
31. Renfrew A&F Club
32. Rothbury Accordion club
33. Straiton Accordion Club
34. Stranraer & District Accordion Club
35. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
36. Wick A&F Club
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Queen’s Hotel) 25th Oct 77 tba
Beith (Anderson Hotel) 17th Oct 77 Robert Black 1st Nov 77 Special Night with Dermot O’Brien
Dundee (Royal Central Hotel) 6th Oct 77 Bobby Gray
Dunfermline (Kinema Ballroom) 4th Oct 77 Jim Johnstone and His Band
Galston (Parakeet, Hurlford) 10th Oct 77 Billy Anderson
Highland (Drumossie Hotel) 2nd Nov 77 Dermot O’Brien
Keith (Seafield Arms Hotel) 4th Oct 77 Bobby Crowe
Kelso (Queen’s Hotel) 12th Oct 77 Paddy Neary (this years All Ireland Champion) accompanied by Alex MacArthur 26th Oct 77 Robert Whitehead 30th Oct 77 Concert, Tait Hall, Kelso Ian Coulston Trio including fiddler Geo. Purvis, Andrew Fairlie (tenor) and Collet Folk Group
Livingston (Cameron Ironworks Social Club) 7th Oct 77 Dinner Dance with Micky Ainsworth and His Scottish Dance Band . Cabaret with Christine Crowe and Her Dancers, Folk Singer Steve Vernon. 20th Oct 77 Fraser McGlynn
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) tba
M.A.F.I.A. (Black Bull) 6th Nov 77 Paddy Neary
Newton St Boswells (Railway Hotel) 12th Oct 77 Paddy Neary
North Cumbria (Huntsman Inn) See local paper for details
Oban (Park Hotel) 5th Oct 77 Bobby Harvey and His SDB
Perth 18th Oct 77 Currie Bros 15th Nov 77 Wick Band
Straiton (Black Bull) 31st Oct 77 tba
Stranraer (North West Castle Hotel) 10th Oct 77 Ian Holmes 7th Nov Bobby MacLeod
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) Oct & Nov tba
(I’ve put tba but in the original ‘Surprise Guest Artiste’ was used – I’m pretty sure that simply meant they had nothing arranged at that point.)
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Beith & District
3. Dundee & District
4. Dunfermline
5. Galston
6. Highland
7. Kelso
8. Livingston
9. Lockerbie
10. M.A.F.I.A.
11. Newton St Boswells
12. North Cumbria
13. North East
14. Oban
15. Perth & District
16. Straiton
17. Stranraer
18. Wick
As this is the first Issue I'll transcribe all the Box and Fiddle Reports
Aberdeen
Aberdeen Accordion and fiddle Club finished an outstandingly successful season at their residency at the Queen’s Hotel, Aberdeen, with John Huband (accordion) and Jim Cruickshank (guitar) attracting an audience of 212, in May.
This was Aberdeen Club’s second year and attendances throughout the season were particularly promising. They were : September - Bill Powrie (192) ; October - Ron Gonella (293) ; November – Alan Roy (257) ; December – Committee Members (218) ; January – Hector McAndrew (361) ; February – Walter Perrie (262) ; March – Iain MacPhail Band (344) ; April – Elgin Strathspey and Reel (251).
The Club’s AGM was held in the Queen’s Hotel on 6th June, when there was an enthusiastic turnout. The Committee were re-elected en bloc. It comprises President – Mr Tom Wemyss ; Treasurer – Frank Thomson ; Secretary – Mrs Esma Shepherd ; Committee Members – Mrs Florence Burns, Mrs Alda Hadden, Mr Skene Foote, Mrs Helen Sorrie, Mr Martin Conn, Mr Robbie Shepherd and Mr Alastair Hunter.
Treasurer Frank Thomson reported that the Club was on a very sound financial footing with almost £660 surplus for the year.
Subsequently the Club have bought a new sound system which cost some £400 and this had depleted the kitty, but the new equipment promises to be a great boon.
It is regretted that the Club have lost two very active Committee members – Treasurer Frank Thomson and Helen Sorrie, who splendidly carried out the task of chaperoning the artistes from the audience. Frank has been promoted to Manager of the Clydesdale Bank in Invergordon and Alness. Helen was wed in September and her new home will be in Carnoustie.
The guest at the first meeting on Tuesday, 27th September, was to have been Irish fiddler Sean Maguire, but he had to call off due to the proximity of a US tour. The Club were delighted to be able to fix up the Bobby Crowe Trio at relatively short notice. At the time of writing, a guest artiste had not been fixed for our meeting of 25th October.
Club members Robbie Shepherd, Jean Martin, Jessie Cruickshank, Florence Burns, Alex Green and Alistair Hunter with his Lorne Scottish Dance Band, were due to hit the high road to Shetland on 29th September, for a 10-day tour of the Shetland Isles.
Meantime the future looks very bright for the fledgling Aberdeen Club and we will warmly welcome any enthusiasts who happen to be in our area for one of our Club nights.
Winner of the Trophy for the Most Improved Player of the 1976-77 season went to Kevin Sinclaie (10) from Aberdeen. The Trophy was donated by Mr Graeme Wight, proprietor of the Melody Inn Music Shop, Culter.
Beith and District
Beith and District Accordion and Fiddle Club was formed in September, 1972, by a Committee of four and lots of enthusiasm from folk in the district and also from other Clubs. The Club meet on the third Monday of every month from September to April in the Anderson Hotel, Beith at 7.30pm.
The Beith and District Accordion and Fiddle Club has over 100 members, mostly accordionists and a few fiddlers.
The Committee of the Club would like to take this opportunity as this is the first issue of the ‘Box and Fiddle’ to express their appreciation to the people who support the club every monthand also the players who give their services most willingly. The Club have also had many of the top guest artistes on the scene today and to then we appreciate their wonderful performances.
At time of going to press we are looking forward to having Bobby MacLeod from Tobermory for our Septenber meeting. On 17th October, 1977, our guest artiste will be the up-and-coming champion, young Robert Black from Perth. We also have a special night on Tuesday, 1st November, 1977, with Dermot O’BRien, from Ireland.
With all good wishes for the ‘Box and Fiddle’ newspaper.
Willie Wilson
Dundee and District
The season got off to a great start in our new meeting place in the Royal Centre Hotel. Among the guest players featured were Arthur Spink, Angus Fitchet, Dave Stewart and Dave and Marge Barclay.
An unexpected thrill was the appearance of the Ulster Button Key Accordion Champion, Jim Carty, who was holidaying in the area. He gave an excellent rendition of the Cuckoo Waltz as well as some traditional Irish jigs and reels. Haste ye back Jim!
The Club Musicians
It is nice to have the opportunity each month to mention the names of those loyal members who set a high standard of playing at each and every meeting.
This month we had, on accordions, Michael Esposito, Tom Breen, Jim Anderson, Grant Simpson, Sandy Nixon, Gary Mair, Tom Cark, John Campbell, Alan Edwards, Alex Justice, Gillian Dick and at only ten years of age Bruce Quirie and from the Dunfermline Club, Quintin Morris.
On fiddle we had, Guthrie Raitt, George Butchart, Willie Shepherd, Jim Rennie, Peem Edwards, Andrew Knight and Norman Jamieson.
On drums, Malcolm Dowds, Andy Guthrie, Jim Blair and Jack Cooper.
On piano, Nan Simpson, David Barrie and John Strachan (bass & piano).
A special mention must go to our very talented compere, Jim McFarlane, who not only keeps us happy with his couthy humour but also delights us with his selections on the button key box.
The Carrbridge Ceilidhs
A feature of our Club is the twice-yearly Ceilidhs held in the Rowanlea Hotel, Carrbridge, Inverness-shire, where over 50 of our members take over the hotel for the weekend to do our own thing.
The owners, Jimmy and Margaret Ross, are excellent hosts and provide us with the very best of fare. We look forward to our next visit on 8th/9th October.
Well, there you are folks and remember if you are ever in the area drop in to see us – you will be made most welcome – we meet the first Thursday of the month.
Our next meeting is on Thursday, October 6th, when our guest artist will be Hebbie Gray. See you there?
Dunfermline
The above club, which started in 1974, had a very successful season last year which ended on 7th June 1977. Our guest artist was Fraser McGlynn who was enjoyed by all.
Over our nine meeting we had an attendance of 2,000 people ; Club membership was 223. We have regular visits from Grace McCleaver and her accordionist Ian McCallum, Neil Rowan, who won both the Junior and Senior British Championships, but his visits now may be few as he started University but we have regulars who come along each month only to listen and enjoy the people who can play and entertain them.
Our Committee, who are Bill Stewart, (Chairman and accordionist), Andrew Nairn (Vice Chairman), Bob Scott (Treasurer and button key accordionist), Margaret Morris (Secretary), Quintin Morris (accordionist), Bob Fleming (fiddle), Brice Turnbull (fiddle), Ann Scott and William Bernard wish you every success with the Monthly Newspaper and look forward to reading about the other member Clubs of the Association.
Guest Artists, 4th October 1977 – Jim Johnstone and his Band. Meeting held in the Kinema Ballroom first Tuesday in every month.
Galston
It was unfortunate that the new fire regulations enforced a reduction in capacity of the premises at the Black Bull Hotel, in Galston, where the Accordion Club had held its meetings for five seasons since 1969, But, due to lack of space, Galston Accordion Club moved to new premises in the Parakeet, a new night-spot just three miles west of Galston at Hurlford. The move, effected at the beginning of last season, has proved to be completely successful for the club. In the new venue there’s room for an audience of over 260 and last season showed that the club could fill it to capacity (and more!) on more than one occasion.
The bigger premises brought not only bigger audiences, but the ability to have full bands as guest artistes for the first time at the Galston Club. Max Houliston and Jim Johnstone both appeared last season with their bands. With Billy Anderson, Walter Perrie and Arthur Spink as guests on other occasions, Club Secretary David Ross’s record book looks like a musician’s Who’s Who! But the biggest scoop of all was carried off by David Ross when he booked the fantastic Dermot O’Brien Trio, not only to open the season on the October first night, but to bring the Irish stars back for an encore in March. The Parakeet was bursting at the seems on each of these nights as the Irish maestro slickly maneuvered his way through all of his hits and many more.
Last season was surely the best ever in the history of Galston Accordion Club, but David Ross who books all the guests for the club, is confident that the coming season will be even better, with a few aces up his sleeve, as David always has, no doubt he’s right. He’s lined up Billy Anderson as the first Club night guest. So that’s another great start for Galston Accordion Club. All the regulars will be there, at the Parakeet, Hurlford on Monday, 10th October, at 7.30pm for the opening session.
As usual an open invitation is extended to all enthusiasts, whether of the playing or listening variety.
D.H.
Highland
The A.G.M. of the above Club was held in Wednesday, 17th August, when a large attendance of members tuned up. The Committee was voted back en bloc which showed that the work they put in was appreciated by the members. It was proposed and unanimously passed that we change from the ice rink to the Drumossie Hotel. At the annual dinner dance held at the ice rink on Friday, 27th May, music was supplied by John Ellis and his Highland Dance Band, the evening again being a huge success.
A night to note in your diary – 2nd November, 1977 ; again we have a special night with Dermot O’Brien as our guest artist.
On Monday, 19th September, the season opened with the Graeme Mitchell Trio from Keith, a young group of musicians that have won the Trio Trophy two years running at the Inverness Festival.
Our Club is very fortunate in having Rory MacLeod, our Vice-Chairman, as compere. He started the evening with the Ian Fraser Band. This band has progressed to one of the top bands in the north. Fraser McLean followed on the button box. Fraser has a new Shand Morino and has certainly mastered his new model. Jimmy Smith delighted the audience with the mouthorgan and his catchy tunes had their feet tapping.
Our next player, on the fiddle this time, was a man who has never missed a night at the Club, Dan McKenzie from Beauly. We also had solo turns from various members of the Ian Fraser Band ; Stewart Reid (fiddle) and a real stalwart, Archie McPhee, who played second box in the band, showed he was quite competent as a lead player.
In the second part after tea and sandwiches things had warmed up and everybody had lost their nerves and settled in to enjoy themselves. Norman Urquhart, a young button key player of outstanding quality, gave us a great selection, accompanied by Maureen Rutherford, the pianist from the Graeme Mitchell Trio ; two young people with a great future.
A good start to our season and our next guest artist will be Bobby Crowe.
Kelso
Meetings are held on the last Wednesday of the month, September to May, in the Waverley Suite in the Queen’s Head Hotel, Kelso at 7.30pm.
As membership is limited to comply with the Fire Regulation restrictions, a waiting list is kept but wherever possible it is reduced to allow membership.
Although the Club is well represented by member artistes, non-member artistes are very welcome. Entry is free and tea is provided at the interval, the only stipulation is that they entertain.
Last year, the Club’s opening session, two concerts and a dinner dance were promoted, which were very successful and well attended. The May meeting culminated the session with superb performances by guest artistes Bobby Crowe, James Lindsay (accordion) and Colin Lander (drums). Supporting artistes, to whom the Club is very much indebted, music was performed by accordionists Helen Fletcher, Marion Wilson, Sandy White, John Galgraith, Bob Liddell, George Butler, Michael Scott and Jimmy Nairn, pianist Kenny Lees and on drums Will Gillie and Neil Turnbull. John Cairns compered the proceedings.
An extra meeting has been arranged for Wednesday, October 12th, in the Queen’s Head Hotel when Paddy Neary, this year’s All Ireland Accordion Champion will be guest artiste. He will be accompanied by Alec MacArthur (accordionist) from Biggar, Lanarkshire.
Robert Whitehead, accordionist from Glendale Accordion Club, will appear as guest at the meeting in the Queen’s Head Hotel on Wednesday, 26th October at 7.30pm.
At present a concert in the Tait Hall, Kelso on Sunday 30th October, at 7.30pm is being organized. The programme will include the Currie Brithers, Ian Coulston Trio (featuring the Border Fiddler, Geoff Purvis), Andrew Fairley (tenor) and the Cullet Group (folk and traditional music).
The Club wishes the newspaper every success.
Livingston
The Livingston Accordion and Fiddle Club was founded in September 1973. The Club has now firmly established itself as one of the main ones in East Central Scotland.
The Club meets on every third Thursday of each month from September to May in the spacious Cameron Iron Works Social Club in the New Town of Livingston, not far away from Blackburn which was home to the famous William Hannah. Indeed the ‘Agnes Waltz’ whenever played, evokes immediate memories of the famous player, and as a tribute to the many followers of our Club who knew William Hannah, Sandy Coghill, the well-known accordionist, has included this tune on a recent album. Another member of the Committee, Ian Anderson, also has a disc due for release shortly.
Besides promoting an interest in traditional Scottish Music, in common with all other clubs, the Livingston Accordion and Fiddle Club is actively engaged in raising money which will be used for the running and maintenance of a mini-bus for Mentally Handicapped Children in the district.
The Club has prepared a most interesting programme for the season 1977-78 : September , Jim Johnstone; October, Fraser McGlynn; November, Currie Brothers; December, Charlie Cowie; January, Jim Cleland Trio; February, not yet fixed; March, Ian Holmes and Kenny Wilson; April, Max Houliston; May, Bobby MacLeod.
Also we have arranged dances throughout the coming season. The first two are to be held in Bangour Recreation Hall on the 2nd of September and the music will be supplied by Bobby Crowe and his Scottish Dance Band, and on the 7th October, which will be a dinner dance, the music will be from Mickie Ainsworth and his Scottish Dance Band. Also there will be a cabaret which will include Christine Crowe and her dancers, and a Scottish folk singer, Steve Veron. Tickets are available and anyone interested can contact Miss Lorna Ross, Livingston 34969.
Lockerbie
For their final meeting of the season on Tuesday, 31st May, Lockerbie Accordion and Fiddle Club entertained another large company of enthusiasts in the Queen’s Hotel and a feature was the exceptionally large number of volunteer artistes who took place.
The guest artist was button-key accordionist Bill Powrie, from Perthshire, and he had with him as pianist, Mrs Joan Blue, wife of the well known accordionist and television star Jimmy Blue. Bill was in excellent form and, ably supported by Mrs Blue, he delighted the audience with his technical mastery of the accordion and his programme of traditional Scottish music.
Some 30 volunteers, with fiddles and accordions, also contributed to the evenings pleasure, and they included a group from Straiton Accordion Club in Ayrshire, who were given a warm welcome. They comprised a girl accordionist, a pianist, a vocalist, and accordionist John Loch, who also kept his listeners in good humour with a few amusing stories.
Other artists were forward from Langholm, Moffat, Beattock, Dumfries, Kirkcudbright and Carlisle, and two schoolgirl accordionists from Beeswing also created an excellent impression.
At the close Mr Jack Brockbank, on behalf of the club, expressed thanks to all the volunteer artistes who had assisted the club throughout the past session and also the hotel staff for their help in making the meetings so enjoyable. In reply, Mr Andrew Stevenson, a member of the Langholm Club, paid tribute to the Lockerbie Club on behalf of the guests and the artistes.
M.A.F.I.A.
The opening night of the Milngavie Accordion, Fiddle and Instrumental Association – known to all its members and visitors simply as THE MAFIA – got off to a very lively and rollocking start on Thursday, 8th September. It was held as usual in the Black Bull Hotel in Milngavie with a tremendous attendance of approximately 140 people.
The first night had a strong Irish flavour to it, the guest stars being the Sean Maguire Trio, who entertained a delighted audience with a non-stop selection of traditional Irish music. Not only did they play as a trio but as individuals – Sean Maguire playing in his usual brilliant style on the fiddle, Joe Burke in inimitable puck-like fashion on the melodeon and Josie, Sean’s wife, with not only non-stop accompaniment on the piano but also a solo fiddler in her own right.
In addition to the guests artists the following players also pleased the audience with a wide variety of selections on their instruments.
The programme started with a welcome return to the club of Bobby Lillie on accordion, and throughout the evening, on fiddle; Harry Curran (Irish traditional), Frank O’Donnell (light classical), Gordon Simpson (Scottish traditional), on accordion Brian Scott (Scottish traditional), Jim Sharpe, aged 13 (light classical), James Burns (Bach Fugue), Stuart McKeown (Scottish traditional), with James Cameron piano; Isabel Hurst (Scottish own compositions), with Joyce Smith, piano; on mouth organ, Eric Smith, with Alex Primrose on guitar. There were also pipe march selections from a ‘splinter’ section of the Allender Players who play regularly to the patients in various Glasgow Hospitals – Harry Roy, accordion; Judith Menzies, fiddle; Morag MacAskill, piano. Club accompanists were – on piano George Orr, Morag MacAskill, on drums Hugh Ferguson, Tom McWilliams, Walter Wright.
A hearty welcome was given by the club to a visitor from Canada, Mrs Marchbank, an exiled Scot; hope she visits us again soon.
Newton St. Boswells
Newton St. Boswells Club re-opens on 12th September, in the Railway Hotel.
The Club runs from October to April and usually finishes with a dinner dance in May. The Club consists of five on the Committee. A tote-double is run within the Club which helps with the Club funds.
The guest artist for October is Paddy Neary from Ireland, along with local players, it should be a good night of accordion and fiddle music. Compere is D. Welsh. The regular meal is stovies served by the ladies in the club.
Several of our local artistes have won awards in the Festivals. It is hopes to see, in the coming season, all the local artistes, who help to make the club a success, also artistes from other clubs will be most welcome.
Archie Park, Secretary
North Cumbria
North Cumbria Accordion Club hold their meetings in the Huntsman Inn, Penton, Carlisle. At the moment it is doing quite well. At the first meeting the guest artist was Peter Bruce, who attracted an audience of over 140, at the next meeting the young Currie Brothers brought in an audience of 200. This, it is hoped, will set the club in the right direction.
North East
The North East Accordion and Fiddle Club opened their season in the Seafield Arms Hotel, Keith, on Tuesday, 6th September, when John Crawford from Fife was guest artiste. John, who was accompanied on piano by Bruce Lindsay, treated a near capacity audience to some excellent selections and his own individual interpretation of pipe tunes gave particular delight.
Among the audience was a party from the Wellbank Accordion and Fiddle Club and two of them willingly gave a tune or two. They were Jim Rennie, fiddler with the Bill Black Band, and Gus Scott, from Arbroath, also on fiddle.
Thirty-one local players had their names forward as being available to play, including eight under sixteen years of age. Youngest was nine-year-old accordionist Mark Anderson, who delighted the audience with two selections. Another popular performer was 11-year-old Mark Winchester who teamed up with his brother Dale on accordion. Also playing were accordionists Jennifer Brown, James McGregor, Yvonne Shand and Philip Simmers. A special welcome was also given to Edward Begg on accordion and Elaine McRitchie on fiddle, both making their debut at the Club, if not in public.
Among the seniors who played were Graeme Mitchell, surely a future Scottish Accordion Champion, and fiddler Charlie Armour, who appears on a recently released record recorded at the Whitehall Theatre, Dundee.
Karin Paterson, a young local girl also delighted the audience with some excellent fiddle playing as did Joan Winton with her accordion.
Maureen Rutherford, as well as accompanying many of the artistes on piano, also found time to give a couple of selections on fiddle. Also providing piano accompaniments were Mrs Jane Farquharson, Mrs Irene Ingram and Club Treasurer, Alistair Gray. On bass we had Alec Cruickshank and on drums George Kessock and young Billy Brown provided some lively backings.
All-in-all a most successful evening and the continuing supply of young talent coming along augers well for the future of traditional Scottish music in this area.
Next meeting is on Tuesday, 4th October, in Seafield Arms Hotel, Keith, when Bobby Crowe will be guest.
Oban
Oban Accordion and fiddle Club’s final night for the 1976/77 season was held on Wednesday,4th May, in McTavish’s Kitchen with two guest artistes, Angus Cameron and Bobby MacLeod.
The capacity audience were eagerly anticipating a repeat performance of last year’s highly successful evening in the same venue.
Club President, Colin Campbell, got everyone off to a great start and the playing of all the club members was of a high standard. It was a great pleasure to welcome four of Neil Sinclair’s young pupils, Angus MacDonald, Brenda Johnstone, Margot Kilcullen and Christine Keenan. This was their first public performance and they were deservedly given a great reception.
This was Angus Cameron’s first appearance at the Club and his playing was highly acclaimed by one and all. Indeed, it was no surprise to us that he won the Golden Fiddle Award shortly afterwards, and this club would like to congratulate him on his success.
Bobby MacLeod has been thrilling Oban audiences for a long time and this was no exception. He presented a well-balanced programme and delighted everyone with his own inimitable style. With his recently acquired bass-end system he was the complete solo player.
As a finale, the two guests played together – a rare treat indeed – and a fitting climax to a memorable Club night.
Billy Ford, was, as usual, an excellent compere and somehow managed to fit everyone in who wanted to play. The opening Club night of the new session is in the Corran Halls, Oban, on Wednesday, 5th October, at 8pm. Guest artistes will be Bobby Harvey and his Scottish Showband.
The following played during the final club night of the last season :
Piano accordion – Colin Campbell, Colin Forgreive, John Brown, Ragnar, Alan Roy, Paddy Shaw, Neil Sinclair.
Chromatic accordion – John MacLean, Johnny Fisher
Violin – Donald Chisholm, Charlie Gore, Jimmy Robb.
Mouth organ – Ian MacLeod
Drums – Dick MacGill, George Fletcher, Billy Ford.
Piano – Duncan Forgreive, Frank Beaton, Libby Shaw
Double bass – Duncan Campbell
Perth and District
Perth has once again had a most successful year, with an average of 274 attending each meeting. Members asked to hear more bands, and as a result we have, in one session had John McGregor, Rob Gordon, Jim Johnstone, and last but not least Bill Black’s Band, which was an added bonus to the entertainment provided by the Black Family, which had been booked originally. Young Robert and Duncan are a delight to listen to. Other guests throughout the year have been John Crawford, Arthur Spink, Fintan Stanley, the Billy Anderson duo, and, of course, the ever popular Angus Fitchet.
Instead of a dinner dance, we held a Social-Ceilidh in February, music being provided by the Committee, and other members also took part in playing for dances. During the evening two engagements were announced – those of Sandra, younger daughter of Joan and Jimmy Blue; and Muriel McGlashen, who often plays piano at the club.
This year, for the first time, we had a Composition Competition, confined to Club Members only, the beautiful trophy being presented by Angus Howie, one of our keenest and most interested members. The trophy, with a 40oz bottle of whisky and £5, was won by Bill Powrie with his tune ‘Captain Robert B. Coupar’. Runner-up was Jimmy Blue, and we were all delighted that one of our less experienced members, Ian Cameron, was third. We hope to have more entries next year and that this competition will go from strength to strength.
We were all shocked and saddened by the sudden death of Tommy Duncan, pianist with Bill Wilkie’s Band for many years. He has been a member of the Perth Club for a long time and was always a willing pianist and keen Club member. He will be sadly missed.
Perth Club opens on Tuesday, 20th September, with Bobby MacLeod as the guest.
In October we have the three Currie Brothers, and the Fine Wick Band will be guests in November. On behalf of the Perth Club, I wish the ‘Box and Fiddle’ every success abd look forward to the first issue.
Joan Blue
Straiton
There was a fair attendance at the first meeting of the season held in the Black Bull Hotel, Straiton, on Monday evening , 26th September.
John Loch, the Club Secretary, welcomed everyone present and acted as compere for the evening.
Opening the programme was the Blackthorne Dance Band under the leadership of John Loch and comprising Stuart Thompson (2nd accordion), Jim Caddis (drums) and Robbie gilmour (piano).
The guest artiste appearing was Jim Hutcheon, the well-known accordion teacher from Ayr. Included in his first-class programme were the ‘Heather Polka’, a ‘Mazurka’, the ‘Hayfield Two-Step’, ‘Diane’, ‘Reels’, and many more numbers which were all very well received.
Finishing with an arrangement of the ‘Flying Scotsman’ and adding to the ‘musical magic’ of his fingers, Jim very quickly showed his added interest by making John Loch’s 10p piece disappear in mid-air and expertly (and lucky for John) bringing it back again.
Others taking part were as follows : Mrs E. Guthrie (piano), Misses Margaret Wilcox, Marion Halbert, Messrs Tom Murray, Jim Guthrie, Ben Murray, Jim Cunningham (Transicord), Ewan, John and Hugh Donald, David Ross, Bill Roddie (piano), Gordon Graham, Willie Seaton (Cordovox) and Davy Scott.
John Loch proposed the vote of thanks and the next meeting will be held in the Black Bull Hotel on Monday, 31st October, at 7.30pm when there will be a surprise guest artiste appearing.
Helen McWhirter
Stranraer
Stranraer and District Accordion and Fiddle Club has now entered its fourth year. From humble beginnings (first night three accordions, David Ross, guest artist, and an audience of 14) the club grew in stature. The first move was to the Strand Bar where there was a great improvement, much if it due to Jock Loch, Straiton Club. Eventually the Strand Bar was too small so the venue was switched to the North West Castle Hotel.
There have been some magic moments to relish, such as the young Currie Brothers, Arthur Spink, Sandy Coghill, Jim Cassidy, Jimmy Yeaman, Willie Duff Trio and a host of others.
We are fortunate in having Charlie Cowie and Isobel Griffin with us. Charlie with his famous fiddle andIsobel, a charmer on the accordion. She also teaches, and informs us that there are over thirty youngsters all over the district learning the accordion, so it has all been worthwhile.
The club held their first meeting of the new season in North West Castle Hotel. A capacity crowd attended. The following local artistes entertained with some fine marches, jigs, reels, strathspeys etc : Heather Plunkett, Anne Plunkett, Elizabeth Jardine, Karen Jardine, Shirley Love (Dunragit), Sally Cochrane (Glenluce), Kirsteen McFarlane (Stranraer), Ian and Maureen Farroll (Leswalt), David Helm (Portwilliam), Isobel Griffin and Jimmy Helm (duet) and Charlie Cowie (fiddle).
The guest artistes for the evening were the Sean Maguire Trio, Ireland’s top traditional group, comprising Sean Maguire (fiddle), his wife Josie on piano, and Joe Burke (button ket melodeon). They fairly set the crowd’s feet tapping and gave a great performance of Irish traditional music.
The next meeting is on 10th October, when the guest artiste will be Ian Holmes (piano accordion) from Dumfries.
Wick
Wick Accordion and Fiddle club opened their 1977-78 season in MacKay’s Hotel on Monday, 29th August. A large attendance gave a clear indication that the Club was in for another successful season. The majority of last year’s members turned out in force and many new faces were welcomed. Guest artists for the evening were the Sean Maguire Trio, with Sean himself on fiddle, Joe Burke on melodeon and Josephine Keegan on piano.
Proceeding got under way at 8 o’clock with various local artists taking the stage, to display their undoubted musical talents to an appreciative audience. To close the first half of the programme came the guest artists’ appearance. The many reels, jigs and slow airs played by the talented Trio were met with thunderous applause by all, and their sheer genius in playing their various instruments was superb. The audience arrived with the audience eagerly looking forward to the Trio’s performance in the second half.
After sausage rolls and a few more drams, the evenings performance was continued with the local talent providing excellent musical entertainment. The quality of music played by the ‘locals’ at Wick Club is of a very high standard indeed, and it is never forgotten that they provide the backbone of every evening’s programme.