Happy Birthday Highland Club!
40th Anniversary
by Bob Wares
B&F January 2014
The Highland Accordion and Fiddle Club celebrated its Ruby Anniversary in style at the usual venue. After a very successful Highland Showtime at Eden Court Theatre on Saturday, another very large crowd of excited patrons assembled for the monthly club meeting.
Top quality music, cake and a few surprises were the order of the day.
The Club was formed in November 1973 when the late Alistair Watters was a leading light in a Club in the Perthshire area and took his idea north when he moved with his work.
A committee of some considerable local standing was formed and Rory MacLeod was invited from his BBC Radio Highland programme to be the MC and face behind the microphone on Club nights. Rory was elected Chairman a short time later and remained in position until 2008 when he stood down.
The Club was formed with the intention of encouraging and promoting the playing of Scottish music on the accordion and fiddle, and to encourage young people to continue the tradition, and to conduct musical evenings where accordion and fiddle music can be enjoyed by Club members and players alike. Nothing has changed and the ethics remain intact.
Several of Scotland’s big name musicians have visited the Club as guests over the years and these names include Will Starr, Fraser McGlynn, Bobby MacLeod, Bobby Crowe, Hector MacRae, Jimmy and Joan Blue, Angus Fitchet, John Ellis and many, many more. All have been welcomed with the same enthusiasm as the current crop of guests and Highland Club was always considered a great place to visit and crowds of 150 are commonplace on Club nights. Under the current Chairmanship of Fraser MacLean, himself a well-known bandleader of some considerable standing, and like Rory before him, a doyen of the 3-row button-box, the Club has continued to grow and attracts many of the very top names on the current circuit. Many pay the absolute compliment and just pop in for a listen when they are in the area on other matters.
The Highland Club won the top Club prize in the BAFFI Awards and received the title of Club of the Year and went on to win the Club of the Year at the Trad Awards at the ceremony in Perth Concert Hall. A great tribute to a great team, all with great ambitions and intentions which can be instantly related to the Club goals set by Alistair Watters and his formative Committee all those years ago – to encourage, promote and enjoy the playing of Scottish Music.
A visitor from Oban was first up at the Club meeting and had been in the area for the Highland Showtime. James MacArthur had the melodeon with him and played a couple of well-known medleys. Andy Ross, a box player from Ardersier, had been trying to visit the Club for some time but work commitments always prevented that happening. Andy managed in for this visit and had Club Secretary Jacqui MacDonald on keyboard and Bob Wares on drums. Andy is a very capable player and is confident of managing back more frequently. Delighted to have you on board at last Andy.
Nichol MacKay with his 5-row button-box took to the stage with Jacqui remaining at the keyboard and Jock Stephen at the drums. Great sound from this boxand it is an instrument that is not especially common in the north. Nichol is a master at it though and showed exactly why with two lovely sets. Graham Wilson had been very busy with the pen and had written not just one tune, but three tunes in honour of the Club. Graham had Ian Stewart on keyboard and Bob Wares on drums and played the tunes he had written. The medley was entitled ‘The Chairman’s March’ and comprised ‘Ian Redford of Kirriemuir’, ‘Angus Mackenzie’s March’, ‘Rory MacLeaod’s Welcome to Loch Carron’ (which was written by Jim Johnstone) and ‘Fraser MacLean of the Muir’. All these persons were, of course, Chairmen of the Club over the 40 years and we owe them all a huge amount of gratitude for their efforts over the four decades of the existence of the Club.
Angus Mackenzie’s widow Marion was in the crowd accompanied by her niece Maureen who had made the trip up from Manchester. Rory MacLeod and his wife Mhairi were also in the crowd and, of course, the current Club Chairman Fraser MacLean was also present. The tunes were a surprise for them all and it was a terrific gesture by Graham and three cracking new tunes to go alongside the one written for Rory a few years ago.
Fraser MacLean and the current Committee gathered round a splendid birthday cake, emblazoned with the Club badge, and after a brief history of the club and a huge thank you to all involved over many years, Fraser managed to cut the cake.
The guests for the evening had slipped nicely into place on the stage during the speech and were ready to go. The Robert Black Trio from the Edinburgh area was in town. Robert was on accordion with younger brother Duncan on keyboard and Max Ketchin from Falkirk was at the drums. Fabulous musicianship from the guests and no time for blethers or stories.
Robert had also been busy with the pen and had written a tune. He had composed a polka but had left it without a name. After playing the tune he invited the audience to choose a name for it over the interval.
Robert has a wee liking for some jazz and the crowd were treated to some great numbers of mostly traditional Scottish with a sprinkling of jazz before the interval.
After the break, a previous guest of the Club, who had made the trip especially to be with us on our special night from his home in South Shiels, took to the stage. Leonard Brown, that easy going Englishman and current Scottish Champion had local lass Heather Donaldson on drums. Leonard had a couple of really up-beat sets and his visit and good wishes were much appreciated.
Local player Jean Millwood had her box with her and joined the party with Christine Matheson on keyboard and Jock Stephen at the drums. Great playing from Jean who is ever-present in the audience on Club nights and it is a real pleasure when she brings the box with her. Time for a fiddler now and a gent who was a regular in the band scene in the Inverness area for many years. Stewart Reid had his old pal Graham Wilson on accordion and Iain Stewart at the piano, and played like he had never been away from the stage. Great to have you back among us Stewart and we look forward to a return visit.
Ian Joseph MacDonald completed the local players’ spot with Iain Stewart moving over to the drums and Jacqui MacDonald at the keyboard. Iain is a fabulous player and is enjoying his visits to the Club now his work commitments have eased for a wee while at least. Back to the guests to complete the programme and The Robert Black Trio continued the high quality entertainment of the evening. Robert announced the title of the tune he had written and then played it once more. ‘The Highland Ruby’ is a great wee tune and one that I am sure we will hear being played frequently.
Reels, jigs, marches and a wee bit more of Robert’s jazz kept the crowd enthralled. Three exceptionally talented musicians brought the evening and the celebrations to an end. Full of birthday cake and with their heads buzzing with the top class performance, the Highland crowd headed off home and were looking forward to the next big birthday in ten years’ time to mark 50 years of the very best of traditional Scottish music at the Highland Accordion & Fiddle Club.
Top quality music, cake and a few surprises were the order of the day.
The Club was formed in November 1973 when the late Alistair Watters was a leading light in a Club in the Perthshire area and took his idea north when he moved with his work.
A committee of some considerable local standing was formed and Rory MacLeod was invited from his BBC Radio Highland programme to be the MC and face behind the microphone on Club nights. Rory was elected Chairman a short time later and remained in position until 2008 when he stood down.
The Club was formed with the intention of encouraging and promoting the playing of Scottish music on the accordion and fiddle, and to encourage young people to continue the tradition, and to conduct musical evenings where accordion and fiddle music can be enjoyed by Club members and players alike. Nothing has changed and the ethics remain intact.
Several of Scotland’s big name musicians have visited the Club as guests over the years and these names include Will Starr, Fraser McGlynn, Bobby MacLeod, Bobby Crowe, Hector MacRae, Jimmy and Joan Blue, Angus Fitchet, John Ellis and many, many more. All have been welcomed with the same enthusiasm as the current crop of guests and Highland Club was always considered a great place to visit and crowds of 150 are commonplace on Club nights. Under the current Chairmanship of Fraser MacLean, himself a well-known bandleader of some considerable standing, and like Rory before him, a doyen of the 3-row button-box, the Club has continued to grow and attracts many of the very top names on the current circuit. Many pay the absolute compliment and just pop in for a listen when they are in the area on other matters.
The Highland Club won the top Club prize in the BAFFI Awards and received the title of Club of the Year and went on to win the Club of the Year at the Trad Awards at the ceremony in Perth Concert Hall. A great tribute to a great team, all with great ambitions and intentions which can be instantly related to the Club goals set by Alistair Watters and his formative Committee all those years ago – to encourage, promote and enjoy the playing of Scottish Music.
A visitor from Oban was first up at the Club meeting and had been in the area for the Highland Showtime. James MacArthur had the melodeon with him and played a couple of well-known medleys. Andy Ross, a box player from Ardersier, had been trying to visit the Club for some time but work commitments always prevented that happening. Andy managed in for this visit and had Club Secretary Jacqui MacDonald on keyboard and Bob Wares on drums. Andy is a very capable player and is confident of managing back more frequently. Delighted to have you on board at last Andy.
Nichol MacKay with his 5-row button-box took to the stage with Jacqui remaining at the keyboard and Jock Stephen at the drums. Great sound from this boxand it is an instrument that is not especially common in the north. Nichol is a master at it though and showed exactly why with two lovely sets. Graham Wilson had been very busy with the pen and had written not just one tune, but three tunes in honour of the Club. Graham had Ian Stewart on keyboard and Bob Wares on drums and played the tunes he had written. The medley was entitled ‘The Chairman’s March’ and comprised ‘Ian Redford of Kirriemuir’, ‘Angus Mackenzie’s March’, ‘Rory MacLeaod’s Welcome to Loch Carron’ (which was written by Jim Johnstone) and ‘Fraser MacLean of the Muir’. All these persons were, of course, Chairmen of the Club over the 40 years and we owe them all a huge amount of gratitude for their efforts over the four decades of the existence of the Club.
Angus Mackenzie’s widow Marion was in the crowd accompanied by her niece Maureen who had made the trip up from Manchester. Rory MacLeod and his wife Mhairi were also in the crowd and, of course, the current Club Chairman Fraser MacLean was also present. The tunes were a surprise for them all and it was a terrific gesture by Graham and three cracking new tunes to go alongside the one written for Rory a few years ago.
Fraser MacLean and the current Committee gathered round a splendid birthday cake, emblazoned with the Club badge, and after a brief history of the club and a huge thank you to all involved over many years, Fraser managed to cut the cake.
The guests for the evening had slipped nicely into place on the stage during the speech and were ready to go. The Robert Black Trio from the Edinburgh area was in town. Robert was on accordion with younger brother Duncan on keyboard and Max Ketchin from Falkirk was at the drums. Fabulous musicianship from the guests and no time for blethers or stories.
Robert had also been busy with the pen and had written a tune. He had composed a polka but had left it without a name. After playing the tune he invited the audience to choose a name for it over the interval.
Robert has a wee liking for some jazz and the crowd were treated to some great numbers of mostly traditional Scottish with a sprinkling of jazz before the interval.
After the break, a previous guest of the Club, who had made the trip especially to be with us on our special night from his home in South Shiels, took to the stage. Leonard Brown, that easy going Englishman and current Scottish Champion had local lass Heather Donaldson on drums. Leonard had a couple of really up-beat sets and his visit and good wishes were much appreciated.
Local player Jean Millwood had her box with her and joined the party with Christine Matheson on keyboard and Jock Stephen at the drums. Great playing from Jean who is ever-present in the audience on Club nights and it is a real pleasure when she brings the box with her. Time for a fiddler now and a gent who was a regular in the band scene in the Inverness area for many years. Stewart Reid had his old pal Graham Wilson on accordion and Iain Stewart at the piano, and played like he had never been away from the stage. Great to have you back among us Stewart and we look forward to a return visit.
Ian Joseph MacDonald completed the local players’ spot with Iain Stewart moving over to the drums and Jacqui MacDonald at the keyboard. Iain is a fabulous player and is enjoying his visits to the Club now his work commitments have eased for a wee while at least. Back to the guests to complete the programme and The Robert Black Trio continued the high quality entertainment of the evening. Robert announced the title of the tune he had written and then played it once more. ‘The Highland Ruby’ is a great wee tune and one that I am sure we will hear being played frequently.
Reels, jigs, marches and a wee bit more of Robert’s jazz kept the crowd enthralled. Three exceptionally talented musicians brought the evening and the celebrations to an end. Full of birthday cake and with their heads buzzing with the top class performance, the Highland crowd headed off home and were looking forward to the next big birthday in ten years’ time to mark 50 years of the very best of traditional Scottish music at the Highland Accordion & Fiddle Club.