Box and Fiddle
Year 28 No 09
May 2005
Price £2.20
44 Page Magazine
12 month subscription £20 + p&p £6.50 (UK)
Editor – Karin Ingram, Hawick
B&F Treasurer – Charlie Todd, Thankerton
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
Thank you for filling in and returning you voting slips for the ‘BAFFIs’. We must receive your votes by the 10th of May at the latest, in order to give us time to do the count and to order the trophies. We’ll print a list of the 6 nominees in each category in the June issue.
Also in June we’ll have articles about all three of our Honours recipients and some wonderful photographs taken at Dumfries Music Festival by Iain Hale.
Karin Ingram
Dear Editor
This is Pauline Alexander, the daughter of the Founder of the Box and Fiddle newspaper. It is with great regret I have to inform you that Ian Latimer smith has died at the age of 81. He often expressed his happy times whilst being involved in the Box and fiddle community. He was an extremely passionate man who loved traditional Scottish music. If it is possible, and you are willing to, could you please mention it in an issue of his beloved newspaper. He was very proud of his achievement of bringing people together through love of music and delivering traditional music to all corners of the globe.
He will be greatly missed, and I hope his beloved Box and Fiddle will continue to bring joy to people around the world.
Pauline Alexander.
Spotlight on Iain Cathcart
by Karyn McCulloch
I wonder how many people fondly remember watching ‘Thingummyjig’ on the telly? Iain Cathcart certainly does – but more about that in a wee while!
Although his parents never played any musical instruments, music was still around the family home. Iain’s grandfather, Neil McNicol, who originally came from Conisby on the Isle of Islay, was a piper and Iain remembers his grandpa often bringing out the chanter and having a wee tune in the house.
Iain’s grandfather was Pipe Major of the Singer Pipe Band in Clydebank between the wars and was leader of the Islay Pipers, playing at functions for the Glasgow-Islay Association for many years. Another interesting fact that Iain has only recently discovered is that his grandfather was best man at Mairi’s Wedding, yes, as in the well-known song, the ‘Mairi’ in question being Mary C. McNiven from Islay. However the words to the song were originally composed by Johnny Bannerman in Gaelic some six years prior to Mary finally tying the knot. Neil and his brother James were both Champion Solo pipers; in fact Neil McNicol won the Burgh cup at Cowal three years running, between 1921-1923. So normally you would have expected Iain to be a piper. However, when Iain was about six or seven years old, he had been watching ‘Thingummyjig’ on the telly. That’s where he first set eyes on Walter Perrie playing the accordion. His Mum asked him if he wanted to learn the pipes or the accordion – and Iain “quite fancied having a shot at the accordion”.
So, while they were on holiday in Blackpool (or “the annual pilgrimage” as Iain calls it), they visited a music shop, with “rows and rows” of accordions. His parents said if he wanted to learn the accordion, they’d need to get him one. So he chose a red 48 bass accordion which cost about £80. His parents put a payment down on it there an then. Then around six months later, his uncle (who lived in Blackpool) came up to visit and Iain watched eagerly as the car was unloaded. Disaster – no accordion!! The one they had ordered hadn’t been delivered – so he had to wait another three months until his uncle’s next visit before he could have a shot at his new accordion!
Iain started going to George Paxton in Saltcoats for lessons when he was seven years old. He attended lessons there for about two years, but the lessons only ran from September to Aptil – as George was working on cruise ships, with people like Lena Martell, during the summer. One of Iain’s first public performances was in Saltcoats Town Hall, in a concert organised by George Paxton where his pupils played in a ‘mini accordion orchestra’. He doesn’t remember much about it – apart from being upstairs afterwards and getting a bag of cola cubes as a reward!
Soon after this, they were told that George would be working away on cruises for six months. That was going to be too long between lessons, so they started looking for another teacher. It just so happened that Iain’s mum was friendly with a lady called Mrs McCluckie (they had met at Iain’s sister’s Highland dancing class) and both her sons were taught the accordion by Jim Hutcheon in Ayr, so recommended him. (Incidentally, Jim was also my music teacher). Iain started lessons with Jim in 1980, when he was about 10 years old (and had a new accordion – a 72 bass Galotta), he continued until he left school in 1988.
Iain started attending Ayr Accordion and Fiddle Club when he was 14 years old – and soon discovered there were other clubs in the area – so started attending the Beith Club too. He soon became friendly with John and Sheila Strachan (Beith organizers) – and during the summer of 1990 John asked Iain if he would do his first guest spot there – and John would arrange the rest of the band. All Iain had to do was arrange the music – he didn’t even know who would be playing in the band until he turned up on the night!!
On the night of the gig, Iain discovered that the line-up of his band was; fiddle – Andrew Knight; second box – David Hume; bass – John Strachan; piano – Keith Dickson; and drums – George McLeod. Not a bad line-up for a first band!!
Today’s band line-up is Iain on lead accordion; James Coutts (or Shirley Cathcart) on second accordion; Alistair McCulloch on fiddle; Graham Berry on piano; Mark McDougall on bass and Scott Gordon on drums. The band play mainly for ceilidh or old time dances – which suits Iain, as he gets to play his full repertoire of dances and sets. Iain is indebted to James and Graham for the experience he has gained from them, be it musical or otherwise and the encouragement they and other members of his family have given him over the years.
Other bands Iain has played with include James Coutts, Iain Anderson (Gartocharn), Ian Thomson, Bill Black, Marian Anderson, Shirley Cathcart (Iain’s wife), Sandy Legget, Gordon Shand and more recently Ian Muir.
Iain’s first radio broadcast with his own band with his own band (for Take the Floor) was recorded in December 1992, and it was transmitted on 6th February 1993. Again this was a slightly different line-up – same front line with James and Alistair, but Tom Murray played piano, Duncan Henderson played drums and Suzanne Gray played bass. To date Iain has broadcast 9 times with his own band, a similar number with James and two broadcasts with Iain Anderson’s band.
The first competition Iain ever won was in the 1985 Ayrshire Music Festval. This was playing a classical piece – as most of the tuition from Jim was on the classical side. Iain also won the Senior Pipe and Senior Scottish at the ASMa Competition in 1989 and 1990 just after he moved to Dundee to go to College. It was while he was at College that he met James Coutts – and James suggested that Iain should go and see Peter Bruce and get a couple of lessons, just for a ‘wee polish up’, as he was still competing in Festivals, such as Perth and Musselburgh. Soon Iain was becoming more successful on the competition circuit. 1992 was a memorable year with successes at Musselburgh (Senior Pipe), Newtongrange (Senior Scottish & Pipe), Oban (Senior Scottish & Pipe), Mull (Senior Accordion, Bands, Mull composers) and at Perth (Trios, Bands, Senior Scottish Finalist). Not bad for a ‘wee polish up’!!
More recently, Iain has been adjudicating for various competitions and festivals – something he thoroughly enjoys doing! He has adjudicated at the ASMA Festival twice, the Newcastleton Festival and at Musselburgh – which included judging the Band Section and the ‘Open’ competition along with Gordon Pattullo. “A great experience”.
Iain first met his wife, Shirley Campbell, at the Scarborough Festival whilst playing at a dance there with The Glencraig Band. Shirley herself is a talented accordionist who has been both Senior Scottish and Pipe Champion at Musselburgh. They were married at Mouswald, near Dumfries, in June 2001 and have set up home in Kilwinning. Iain has been asked to play at various events such as St Andrew’s Nights in places like Seoul, Jakarta and Bahrain. Unfortunately due to work commitments he had been unable to make any of these trips – until last year. He and the band played in Florence, Italy for a St Andrew’s Night ‘twinning arrangement’ between Florence and Edinburgh, towards the end of 2004. However, the usual band personnel were not available for this trip. The band was Shirley (second box), Shauna Flockhart (keyboard) and Gus Millar (drums). In January 2005, Iain also managed to squeeze in a trip to Lanzarote where he was playing second box for country dancing with Ian Muir’s band.
Iain owns a 1970 Hohner Morino VN, which he has had since he was about nineteen and he played this accordion all the time – until a few years ago. Now he also has a Sonola accordion. However, he originally wanted an SS20 (with tone chamber) but couldn’t get his hands on one for love nor money, so he eventually managed to get an SS15 (which doesn’t have the tone chamber) but has 4 voices – piccolo, bass + 2 treble. He got it converted and had the piccolo reed removed, so it now has 3 treble reeds and one bass. He uses the Sonola for all his lead box work now and the Morino for all his second box work.
He bought his Sonola over the Internet about five years ago from a chap in America called Edo Guidotti – who just happens to be the pianist with Paul Williams – who wrote and played all the music for the film version of ‘Bugsy Malone’. Indeed, this very accordion can be heard playing through the underscore of the film – allegedly!!
Here are a few things you probably didn’t know about Iain Cathcart :-
Iain has three favourite albums of all time - Argyll’s Fancy by Iain MacPhail and his SDB (from around 1985); Fine Fettle by Graeme Mitchell and his band and Slightly Casual from The Wallochmor Ceilidh Band.
His favourite band is Iain MacPhail’s band – he just loves Iain’s playing, his arrangements, his tunes and the sound the band creates.
His favourite solo accordionist is Gordon Pattullo – “his technique is fabulous and there’s just nobody to beat him”.
His favourite tune is one of Jimmy Blue’s – a slow Air called Little Girl.
Iain has worked for Balfour Beatty for the last 13 years, since he left college in 1992. He is a Commercial Manager – managing the finances of Civil Engineering Projects all over Scotland. This means he can be sent to just about any location in the country.
Iain’s ultimate ambition is to meet Paul McCartney – “the most talented guy alive”.
When he’s not listening to Scottish dance band music, you’ll more than likely find him listening to a varied range of music from Prefab Sprout to Frank Sinatra – or even some good old fashioned Country ‘n’ Western – in particular Kenny Rogers (this is noted especially for Iain Anderson!!)
In the early 80s Iain once appeared on Blue Peter when Simon Groom was invited to be chieftain at the long defunct Irvine Highland Games. Iain was caught on camera after being asked to hold Goldie (the Blue Peter dog) whilst Simon attempted to ‘Toss the Haggis’.
As a junior, Iain played competitive tennis to an international level representing his country on several occasions.
While Iain was at college in Dundee, he started going to the Accordion Clubs there. On a visit to the Dundee club around 1988, which was then held in ‘The Marquee’, he met Bruce quirie (who was second box player with The Craigowl Band). They struck up a friendship and Bruce told Iain if he ever needed transport to go to any of the other clubs (Blairgowrie, Perth or Forfar) to let him know, as Bruce would usually be going. It was Bruce who took Iain to his first ‘Stanley Ceilidh’ which was organised by Bill Black.
Iain had no idea what to expect – although he knew who Bill Black was and had heard about this weekend. So he was totally amazed when he walked into this ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ full of fantastic musicians. Iain remember seeing and hearing so many talented young bands – like Simon howie, Craig McCallum, Colin Dewar and Graeme Mitchell – and thinking to himself, “They’re not much older than me – and they’ve got their own bands!” This was where Iain was really inspired to form his own band.
Iain has attended almost every Stanley Weekend since. Bill has retired from organizing the Ceilidh – so Iain has now taken over the running of it, along with his wife Shirley, Scott and Susan Gordon, Lynne Christie, and Dave and Lil Millward. The week consists of the Friday night Session – just like an accordion club night. There’s a “bit of a session” goes on during the Saturday afternoon where some of the same players come back and have a tune. Then it’s the Grand Dance on the Saturday night – where you can dance the night away to some of the country’s “top dance bands”. You ,ay even find some people having a tune for a few hours on the Sunday – or “Survivors Sunday” as it’s commonly known!
All the proceeds from the weekend go to charity – last year’s chosen charity is CHAS. This year’s event will be held as usual in The Tayside Hotel, Stanley over the weekend of 4th – 6th November, 2005.
“As If By Magic” is the title of Iain’s first CD (with his own band), which was released last year – and a cracker it is, too. Iain admits he has been very surprised with the amount of publicity and recognition this has brought.
Although Iain has no immediate plans to record a second album (he’s still trying to “pay off the first one”), he hasn’t completely ruled it out for the future. Meantime, there will be plenty more radio broadcasts (including one with James Coutts’ band in a few weeks) as well as more with his own band, of course. Fingers crossed, he might even get a few more trips abroad with the band!
Iain’s advice to young players is to practice as much as you can – and listen to as many bands as you possibly can, to develop your own style from the various bits and pieces you’ll hear from them. Not just Scottish dance bands – any kind of bands – even music from television and films. It’s amazing how many pieces of music you can pick up this way (just listen to Track 2 from Iain’s new CD and you’ll see what I’m talking about!) It always seems to give the dancers (and non-dancers!) a lift when they hear something just a wee bit different!
Iain feels extremely privileged to have been able to play at some of the events he has been asked to do. In particular The Stanley Ceilidh dance, the Shetland Festival and the Perth Festival dance – the “Top Jobs!” I have no doubt that he will continue to be asked to play at such events – and I’m sure that many people will agree that Iain Cathcart and his band are – and will continue to be for many years to come – one of the ‘Top Dance Bands’ in the country.
Adrian Dante (1914 – 2005)
by Rob Howard
Adrian Dante – impresario, organiser, composer, arranger and accordionist – was born in London of Italian parents in 1914, and spent much of his childhood in Italy where he became fascinated by the accordion and immersed in music. His birth name was actually Dante Adriano, but as a teenager in London he preferred the anglicized name Adrian Dante. As a young man, Adrian Dante rapidly emerged as an outstanding accordionist, with an extensive repertoire that ranged from the musette music of Italy and France through to transcriptions of classical music. He was, in fact, the first European accordionist to perform The Flight of the Bumblebee in public. In arranging and performing classical music on the accordion in the early 1930s, Dante was ahead of his time, and many of his ideas about music have since come to be regarded as standard practice. During the 1930s, Dante made countless radio broadcasts both with his quartet and as a soloist, and was the first accordionist in this country to broadcast the compositions of Pietro Frosini. He was, in fact, a great long-term friend of Frosini and also the brother Guido and Pietro Deiro, and has written extensively about each in British and International accordion magazines over the years.
In 1931 Dante began teaching the piano accordion, and in the post-war years after 1945 founded the Accordion Development Centre based at 131 Hampstead Road, London NW1. The ADC employed many well-known teachers such as Percy Holland, Eddie Harris, Francis Cava and Albert Delroy. His pupils have become high-class accordionists, including Gerald Delmondi, Antonio (Tony Lowe) Trevani, Gina Brannelli and Pearl Fawcett.
When Italy entered the Second World War on Hitler’s side in June 1940, most Italians in Britain were interned for the duration of the conflict. Dante and his family escaped internment due to the fact that his parents were known to be opponents of Mussolini.
Once the war was over, Dante and Desmond A. Harte in 1946 together founded The British Association of Accordionists and the magazine Accordion Review (remodeled as Accordion World Review in 1950). The BAA set up and ran its own regional and British national accordion championships, and also functioned as an examining body with its own grade and diploma examinations. The activities of the BAA ran counter to the similar work of the National Accordion Organisation, founded in 1949, and the British College of Accordionists. Even more controversially, Dante led the BAA to secede from the Confederation Internationale des Accordeonistes in 1950, to form the rival Confederation Mondiale de l’Accordeon. The split came about as a result of dissatisfaction by some countries national associations over the alleged extent of M. Hohner Ltd’s involvement (perceived as actual control) in the administering of the world championships. Thus was born the CIA Coupe Mondiale and the CMA Trophee Mondiale, rival world championships in a schism that remains unresolved to this day.
The immediate post-war period marked the beginning of Dante as an accordion impresario and contest organiser, with the large-scale BAA championships being staged annually at St Pancras Town Hall in London, and also celebrity concerts and concert tours frequently involving many of the world’s greatest accordionists. In the early 1950s, Dante was the first to introduce Marcosignori to the British public, and he also organised a successful tour featuring as a duo the combined talents of Italian sols stars Gorni Kramer and Beltrami Wolmer. Dante’s increasing commitments as an impresario eventually led to the BAA being dissolved in the early 1970s. In the mid-1980s, Dante promoted a concert tour featuring both Pearl Fawcett and bayan maestro Yuri Kasakov (USSR), his last large-scale effort. Dante guided the career of Pearl Fawcett, whom he later married, and coached her to her success in becoming the first British World Champion, winning the CMA solo title in Hamburgh in 1961.
From 1946 onwards, Dante was heavily involved in composing, arranging and publishing music for the accordion. He founded Modern Accordion Publications (a.k.a. M.A.P. Editions), making available a very wide selection of sheet music, mainly in the Continental genre. He was a talented composer and arranger, and most of his work is available via MAP. In conjunction with MAP, Dante became a record producer, founding the Caravelle record label, making the recorded music of Pearl Fawcett, Delmondi, Antonio, Kramer & Wolmer and many others available to the public.
Adriian Dante died peacefully in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on March 22nd 2005, in his 91st year. There was no funeral as he had requested that his body be donated to medical research.
Dante had made a vast amount of music for accordion available to the world through his various activities, and his lifetime contribution to the development of the accordion, especially in Great Britain, should be recognised and respected by present and future generations.
Maine Valley Club Welcome ‘Take the Floor’
The Night Take the Floor came to Co. Antrim
by
History was made in Co. Antrim on Wednesday 13th April ………….
Newtongrange Competitions
by Heather McLean
The Dean Tavern………
CD Reviews – See Hear with Judith Linton
The Sands of Achnahaird – Ali ‘Beag’ MacLeod – BEAGCD001 – Independent
Take Note – Swingin’ Fiddles – SW010 - Independent
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 20.30 with Robbie Shepherd
Repeats
7th May 05 – Hector McFadyen SDB (Feature on Tom Alexander presented by Robert Lovie)
14th May 05 – Kenny Thomson & the Wardlaw SDB (A Tribute to Pat McGarr)
21st May 05 – Ian Thomson SDB (Iain Anderson’s Personal Choice)
28th May 05 – Jennifer Forrest SDB (OB from Fyvie Castle with guests Anne Lorne-Gillies and Douglas Lawrence)
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Westburn Park Lounge) – 31st May 05 – AGM & Burns Brothers Trio
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms – Shilbottle) 11th May 05 - tbc
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 15th May 05 – Jimmy McQuire
Arbroath (Viewfield Hotel) - 1st May 05 – Tom Alexander
Armadale (Masonic Hall) – 5th May 05 – Dave Sutherland SDB 20th May 05 – Closing Dance
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 30th May 05 – Ian Muir Trio
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) – 25th May 05 – Evonne Downie SDB
Beith & District (Anderson Hotel) –
Belford (Community Centre) –
Biggar (Municipal Hall) –
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 10th May 05 – Tom Alexander
Bromley (Trinity United Reform Church) - 10th May 05 – AGM & Club Night
Button Key (Windygates Institute) – 12th May 05 – Willie McFarlane Band
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) - 3rd May 05 – Bill Black SDB
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary’s Social Club) -
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) – 6th May 05 - Dance
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 19th May 05 – Club Night
Crathes (Crathes Hall, Banchory) -
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel) 5th May 05 – Archie McVicar Trio
Cults (Culter Sports & Social Club) 11th May 05 – Bill Black SDB
Dalriada (Argyll Hotel, Lochgilphead) 17th May 05 – Ian Thomson SDB
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 4th May 05 – James Coutts Trio
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) – 18th May 05 – Bill Black SDB
Dunfermline (Headwell Bowling Club) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel)
Duns (Masonic Lodge, Newtown St) 16th May 05 - AGM
East Kilbride (Masonic Hall, Kittoch St) –
Ellon (Station Hotel) – 24th May 05 – Robert Whitehead SDB
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) – 23rd May 05 – Colin Dewar SDB
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 29th May 05 – Andy Kain Trio
Forres (Victoria Hotel) – 11th May 05 – Burns Brothers Trio
Galashiels (Abbotsford Arms Hotel) –
Galston (Barr Castle Social Club) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel, Wooler) –
Glenfarg (Lomond Hotel) - 4th May 05 – West Telferton Cale CB
Glenrothes (Victoria Hall, Coaltown of Balgownie) - 31st May 05 – Judith Linton Trio
Gretna (Halcrow Stadium) -
Haddington (Railway Inn) -
Highland (Drumossie Hotel) – 16th May 05 – Addie Harper
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) -
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) - 5th May 05 – The Reel Thing CB 26th May 05 – Tom Orr SDB
Islesteps (The Embassy Hotel) –
Kelso (Cross Keys Hotel) – 25th May 05 – Bruce Lindsay SDB
Kintore (Torryburn Hotel) – 4th May 05 – Nicol McLaren SDB
Lanark (Ravenstruther Hall) -
Langholm (Crown Hotel) –
Lesmahagow (Masonic Hall) – 12th May 05 – Club Night
Lewis & Harris (Stornoway Legion) - 5th May 05 – John Crawford Trio
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn) 17th May 05 – John Renton SDB
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) -
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) -
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 4th May 05 - tba
Newburgh (The Ship Inn) - 26th May 05 – Neil Dawson
Newmill-on-Teviot (Newmill Country Inn) -
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) – 3rd May 05 – Ian Hutson SDB
Oban (McTavish’s Kitchen) –
Orkney (Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall) –
Peebles (Rugby Club) –
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 17th May 05 – Addie Harper Band
Phoenix (Argyll Arms hotel, Ardrishaig)
Premier NI (Chimney Corner Hotel) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) –
Rothbury (Queen’s Head) - 5th May 05 – James Paterson Trio
Scottish Accordion Music (Banchory) - 8th May 05 – All Players Welcome
Selkirk (Cricket Club) -
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) -
Thornhill (Bowling Club Hall) -
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) – 2nd May 05 – Andy Kain Trio
Turriff (Royal British Legion) – 5th May 05 – Armour Brothers
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 19th May 05 – Ian Thow Duo
West Barnes (West Barnes Inn) 12th May 05 – Richard Smith Trio
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) – 17th May 05 – Ian Cruickshanks Trio
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Arbroath
3. Alnwick
4. Annan
5. Armadale
6. Balloch
7. Banchory
8. Banff
9. Biggar
10. Blairgowrie
11. Bromley
12. Button Key
13. Campsie
14 Castle Douglas
15 Coalburn
16. Cults
17. Dunoon & Cowal
18. Duns
19. Fintry
20. Forfar
21. Forres
22. Galashiels
23. Galston
24. Glenrothes
25. Gretna
26. Highland
27. Isle of Skye
28. Islesteps
29. Kelso
30. Kintore
31. Lanark
32. Lesmahagow
33. Lewis & Harris
34. Livingston
35. Lockerbie
36. Mauchline
37. Montrose
38. Newburgh
39. Newtongrange
40. North East
41. Oban
42. Peebles
43. Phoenix
44. Premier
45. Rothbury
46. Shetland
47. Thurso
48. Turriff
49. Tynedale
50. West Barnes
51. Wick
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2004
(Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports or in the Club Diary above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975 – present)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Aug 1975 – present)
3. Annan A&F Club (joined Assoc in 1996 but started 1985 – present)
4. Arbroath A&F Club (1991? – present)
5. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Closed early 08-09
6. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue – present)
7. Banchory A&F Club (1978 – present)
8. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973 – present)
9. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition – present)
10. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
11. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
12. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
13. Brittania B&F Club ( joined 07-08
14. Bromley A&F Club (joined 95-96 – closed early 08-09)
15. Button Key A&F Club (
16. Campsie A&F Club (Nov 95 – present)
17. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
18. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
19. Coalburn A&F Club (
20. Crathes (aka Scottish Accordion Music – Crathes) (Nov 1997 -
21. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
22. Cults A & F Club (
23. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
24. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
25. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
26. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
27. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
28. Duns A&F Club (formed 20th Sept 04 – present)
29. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980 – Closed 04/05)
30. Ellon A&F Club (
31. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – present)
32. Forfar A&F Club (
33. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
34. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
35. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
36. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
37. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
38. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93?
39. Gretna A&F Club (1991) Known as North Cumbria A&F Club previously (originally called Gretna when started in June 1966 but later had to move to venues in the North of England and changed name. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
40. Haddington A&F Club (formed Feb 2005 - )
41. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
42. Inveraray A&F Club (Feb 1991 - present)
43. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
44. Isle of Skye A&F Club (June 1983 – present)
45. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
46. Kintore A&F Club (
47. Ladybank A&F Club (joined Apr 98 but formed earlier
48. Lanark A&F Club (joined Sept 96 – closed March 2015)
49. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
50. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
51. Lewis & Harris A&F Club (Aug 1994 -
52. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
53. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
54. Maine Valley A&F Club (
55. Mauchline A&F Club (Sept 1983 - present)
56. Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
57. Newburgh A&F Club (joined 2002 but founded
58. Newmill-on-Teviot (Hawick) (Formed late 1988 joined Assoc 1999
59. Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
60. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
61. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
62. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
63. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
64. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
65. Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
66. Phoenix A&F Club, Ardrishaig (Dec 2004 -
67. Renfrew A&F Club (1984 -
68. Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
69. Selkirk A&F Club (
70. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
71. Sutherland A&F Club (
72. Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
73. Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
74. Turriff A&F Club (March 1982 - present)
75. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
76. West Barnes ( - present)
77. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975 - present)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
78. Acharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
79. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
80. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
81. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
82. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
83. Buchan A&F Club
84 Callander A&F Club (
85 Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
86 Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
87 Club Accord
88 Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
89. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
90. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
91. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
92. Derwentside A&F Club
93. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
94. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
95. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
96. Dundee & District A&F Club (1970? – 1995?)
97. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
98. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
99. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
100. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
101. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
102. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
103. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
104. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
105. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
106. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
107. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
108. Mull A&F Club
109. Newcastleton Accordion Club
110. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
111. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
112. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
113. Reading Scottish Fiddlers (cMarch 1997
114. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
115. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 – closed 20000/01?)
116. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
117. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
118. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
119. Tranent A&F Club
120. Vancouver
121. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
122. Wellbank A&F Club
123. Yarrow (prev known as Etterick & Yarrow) (Jan 1989 – closed 2001/02)
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B&F Treasurer – Charlie Todd, Thankerton
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
Thank you for filling in and returning you voting slips for the ‘BAFFIs’. We must receive your votes by the 10th of May at the latest, in order to give us time to do the count and to order the trophies. We’ll print a list of the 6 nominees in each category in the June issue.
Also in June we’ll have articles about all three of our Honours recipients and some wonderful photographs taken at Dumfries Music Festival by Iain Hale.
Karin Ingram
Dear Editor
This is Pauline Alexander, the daughter of the Founder of the Box and Fiddle newspaper. It is with great regret I have to inform you that Ian Latimer smith has died at the age of 81. He often expressed his happy times whilst being involved in the Box and fiddle community. He was an extremely passionate man who loved traditional Scottish music. If it is possible, and you are willing to, could you please mention it in an issue of his beloved newspaper. He was very proud of his achievement of bringing people together through love of music and delivering traditional music to all corners of the globe.
He will be greatly missed, and I hope his beloved Box and Fiddle will continue to bring joy to people around the world.
Pauline Alexander.
Spotlight on Iain Cathcart
by Karyn McCulloch
I wonder how many people fondly remember watching ‘Thingummyjig’ on the telly? Iain Cathcart certainly does – but more about that in a wee while!
Although his parents never played any musical instruments, music was still around the family home. Iain’s grandfather, Neil McNicol, who originally came from Conisby on the Isle of Islay, was a piper and Iain remembers his grandpa often bringing out the chanter and having a wee tune in the house.
Iain’s grandfather was Pipe Major of the Singer Pipe Band in Clydebank between the wars and was leader of the Islay Pipers, playing at functions for the Glasgow-Islay Association for many years. Another interesting fact that Iain has only recently discovered is that his grandfather was best man at Mairi’s Wedding, yes, as in the well-known song, the ‘Mairi’ in question being Mary C. McNiven from Islay. However the words to the song were originally composed by Johnny Bannerman in Gaelic some six years prior to Mary finally tying the knot. Neil and his brother James were both Champion Solo pipers; in fact Neil McNicol won the Burgh cup at Cowal three years running, between 1921-1923. So normally you would have expected Iain to be a piper. However, when Iain was about six or seven years old, he had been watching ‘Thingummyjig’ on the telly. That’s where he first set eyes on Walter Perrie playing the accordion. His Mum asked him if he wanted to learn the pipes or the accordion – and Iain “quite fancied having a shot at the accordion”.
So, while they were on holiday in Blackpool (or “the annual pilgrimage” as Iain calls it), they visited a music shop, with “rows and rows” of accordions. His parents said if he wanted to learn the accordion, they’d need to get him one. So he chose a red 48 bass accordion which cost about £80. His parents put a payment down on it there an then. Then around six months later, his uncle (who lived in Blackpool) came up to visit and Iain watched eagerly as the car was unloaded. Disaster – no accordion!! The one they had ordered hadn’t been delivered – so he had to wait another three months until his uncle’s next visit before he could have a shot at his new accordion!
Iain started going to George Paxton in Saltcoats for lessons when he was seven years old. He attended lessons there for about two years, but the lessons only ran from September to Aptil – as George was working on cruise ships, with people like Lena Martell, during the summer. One of Iain’s first public performances was in Saltcoats Town Hall, in a concert organised by George Paxton where his pupils played in a ‘mini accordion orchestra’. He doesn’t remember much about it – apart from being upstairs afterwards and getting a bag of cola cubes as a reward!
Soon after this, they were told that George would be working away on cruises for six months. That was going to be too long between lessons, so they started looking for another teacher. It just so happened that Iain’s mum was friendly with a lady called Mrs McCluckie (they had met at Iain’s sister’s Highland dancing class) and both her sons were taught the accordion by Jim Hutcheon in Ayr, so recommended him. (Incidentally, Jim was also my music teacher). Iain started lessons with Jim in 1980, when he was about 10 years old (and had a new accordion – a 72 bass Galotta), he continued until he left school in 1988.
Iain started attending Ayr Accordion and Fiddle Club when he was 14 years old – and soon discovered there were other clubs in the area – so started attending the Beith Club too. He soon became friendly with John and Sheila Strachan (Beith organizers) – and during the summer of 1990 John asked Iain if he would do his first guest spot there – and John would arrange the rest of the band. All Iain had to do was arrange the music – he didn’t even know who would be playing in the band until he turned up on the night!!
On the night of the gig, Iain discovered that the line-up of his band was; fiddle – Andrew Knight; second box – David Hume; bass – John Strachan; piano – Keith Dickson; and drums – George McLeod. Not a bad line-up for a first band!!
Today’s band line-up is Iain on lead accordion; James Coutts (or Shirley Cathcart) on second accordion; Alistair McCulloch on fiddle; Graham Berry on piano; Mark McDougall on bass and Scott Gordon on drums. The band play mainly for ceilidh or old time dances – which suits Iain, as he gets to play his full repertoire of dances and sets. Iain is indebted to James and Graham for the experience he has gained from them, be it musical or otherwise and the encouragement they and other members of his family have given him over the years.
Other bands Iain has played with include James Coutts, Iain Anderson (Gartocharn), Ian Thomson, Bill Black, Marian Anderson, Shirley Cathcart (Iain’s wife), Sandy Legget, Gordon Shand and more recently Ian Muir.
Iain’s first radio broadcast with his own band with his own band (for Take the Floor) was recorded in December 1992, and it was transmitted on 6th February 1993. Again this was a slightly different line-up – same front line with James and Alistair, but Tom Murray played piano, Duncan Henderson played drums and Suzanne Gray played bass. To date Iain has broadcast 9 times with his own band, a similar number with James and two broadcasts with Iain Anderson’s band.
The first competition Iain ever won was in the 1985 Ayrshire Music Festval. This was playing a classical piece – as most of the tuition from Jim was on the classical side. Iain also won the Senior Pipe and Senior Scottish at the ASMa Competition in 1989 and 1990 just after he moved to Dundee to go to College. It was while he was at College that he met James Coutts – and James suggested that Iain should go and see Peter Bruce and get a couple of lessons, just for a ‘wee polish up’, as he was still competing in Festivals, such as Perth and Musselburgh. Soon Iain was becoming more successful on the competition circuit. 1992 was a memorable year with successes at Musselburgh (Senior Pipe), Newtongrange (Senior Scottish & Pipe), Oban (Senior Scottish & Pipe), Mull (Senior Accordion, Bands, Mull composers) and at Perth (Trios, Bands, Senior Scottish Finalist). Not bad for a ‘wee polish up’!!
More recently, Iain has been adjudicating for various competitions and festivals – something he thoroughly enjoys doing! He has adjudicated at the ASMA Festival twice, the Newcastleton Festival and at Musselburgh – which included judging the Band Section and the ‘Open’ competition along with Gordon Pattullo. “A great experience”.
Iain first met his wife, Shirley Campbell, at the Scarborough Festival whilst playing at a dance there with The Glencraig Band. Shirley herself is a talented accordionist who has been both Senior Scottish and Pipe Champion at Musselburgh. They were married at Mouswald, near Dumfries, in June 2001 and have set up home in Kilwinning. Iain has been asked to play at various events such as St Andrew’s Nights in places like Seoul, Jakarta and Bahrain. Unfortunately due to work commitments he had been unable to make any of these trips – until last year. He and the band played in Florence, Italy for a St Andrew’s Night ‘twinning arrangement’ between Florence and Edinburgh, towards the end of 2004. However, the usual band personnel were not available for this trip. The band was Shirley (second box), Shauna Flockhart (keyboard) and Gus Millar (drums). In January 2005, Iain also managed to squeeze in a trip to Lanzarote where he was playing second box for country dancing with Ian Muir’s band.
Iain owns a 1970 Hohner Morino VN, which he has had since he was about nineteen and he played this accordion all the time – until a few years ago. Now he also has a Sonola accordion. However, he originally wanted an SS20 (with tone chamber) but couldn’t get his hands on one for love nor money, so he eventually managed to get an SS15 (which doesn’t have the tone chamber) but has 4 voices – piccolo, bass + 2 treble. He got it converted and had the piccolo reed removed, so it now has 3 treble reeds and one bass. He uses the Sonola for all his lead box work now and the Morino for all his second box work.
He bought his Sonola over the Internet about five years ago from a chap in America called Edo Guidotti – who just happens to be the pianist with Paul Williams – who wrote and played all the music for the film version of ‘Bugsy Malone’. Indeed, this very accordion can be heard playing through the underscore of the film – allegedly!!
Here are a few things you probably didn’t know about Iain Cathcart :-
Iain has three favourite albums of all time - Argyll’s Fancy by Iain MacPhail and his SDB (from around 1985); Fine Fettle by Graeme Mitchell and his band and Slightly Casual from The Wallochmor Ceilidh Band.
His favourite band is Iain MacPhail’s band – he just loves Iain’s playing, his arrangements, his tunes and the sound the band creates.
His favourite solo accordionist is Gordon Pattullo – “his technique is fabulous and there’s just nobody to beat him”.
His favourite tune is one of Jimmy Blue’s – a slow Air called Little Girl.
Iain has worked for Balfour Beatty for the last 13 years, since he left college in 1992. He is a Commercial Manager – managing the finances of Civil Engineering Projects all over Scotland. This means he can be sent to just about any location in the country.
Iain’s ultimate ambition is to meet Paul McCartney – “the most talented guy alive”.
When he’s not listening to Scottish dance band music, you’ll more than likely find him listening to a varied range of music from Prefab Sprout to Frank Sinatra – or even some good old fashioned Country ‘n’ Western – in particular Kenny Rogers (this is noted especially for Iain Anderson!!)
In the early 80s Iain once appeared on Blue Peter when Simon Groom was invited to be chieftain at the long defunct Irvine Highland Games. Iain was caught on camera after being asked to hold Goldie (the Blue Peter dog) whilst Simon attempted to ‘Toss the Haggis’.
As a junior, Iain played competitive tennis to an international level representing his country on several occasions.
While Iain was at college in Dundee, he started going to the Accordion Clubs there. On a visit to the Dundee club around 1988, which was then held in ‘The Marquee’, he met Bruce quirie (who was second box player with The Craigowl Band). They struck up a friendship and Bruce told Iain if he ever needed transport to go to any of the other clubs (Blairgowrie, Perth or Forfar) to let him know, as Bruce would usually be going. It was Bruce who took Iain to his first ‘Stanley Ceilidh’ which was organised by Bill Black.
Iain had no idea what to expect – although he knew who Bill Black was and had heard about this weekend. So he was totally amazed when he walked into this ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ full of fantastic musicians. Iain remember seeing and hearing so many talented young bands – like Simon howie, Craig McCallum, Colin Dewar and Graeme Mitchell – and thinking to himself, “They’re not much older than me – and they’ve got their own bands!” This was where Iain was really inspired to form his own band.
Iain has attended almost every Stanley Weekend since. Bill has retired from organizing the Ceilidh – so Iain has now taken over the running of it, along with his wife Shirley, Scott and Susan Gordon, Lynne Christie, and Dave and Lil Millward. The week consists of the Friday night Session – just like an accordion club night. There’s a “bit of a session” goes on during the Saturday afternoon where some of the same players come back and have a tune. Then it’s the Grand Dance on the Saturday night – where you can dance the night away to some of the country’s “top dance bands”. You ,ay even find some people having a tune for a few hours on the Sunday – or “Survivors Sunday” as it’s commonly known!
All the proceeds from the weekend go to charity – last year’s chosen charity is CHAS. This year’s event will be held as usual in The Tayside Hotel, Stanley over the weekend of 4th – 6th November, 2005.
“As If By Magic” is the title of Iain’s first CD (with his own band), which was released last year – and a cracker it is, too. Iain admits he has been very surprised with the amount of publicity and recognition this has brought.
Although Iain has no immediate plans to record a second album (he’s still trying to “pay off the first one”), he hasn’t completely ruled it out for the future. Meantime, there will be plenty more radio broadcasts (including one with James Coutts’ band in a few weeks) as well as more with his own band, of course. Fingers crossed, he might even get a few more trips abroad with the band!
Iain’s advice to young players is to practice as much as you can – and listen to as many bands as you possibly can, to develop your own style from the various bits and pieces you’ll hear from them. Not just Scottish dance bands – any kind of bands – even music from television and films. It’s amazing how many pieces of music you can pick up this way (just listen to Track 2 from Iain’s new CD and you’ll see what I’m talking about!) It always seems to give the dancers (and non-dancers!) a lift when they hear something just a wee bit different!
Iain feels extremely privileged to have been able to play at some of the events he has been asked to do. In particular The Stanley Ceilidh dance, the Shetland Festival and the Perth Festival dance – the “Top Jobs!” I have no doubt that he will continue to be asked to play at such events – and I’m sure that many people will agree that Iain Cathcart and his band are – and will continue to be for many years to come – one of the ‘Top Dance Bands’ in the country.
Adrian Dante (1914 – 2005)
by Rob Howard
Adrian Dante – impresario, organiser, composer, arranger and accordionist – was born in London of Italian parents in 1914, and spent much of his childhood in Italy where he became fascinated by the accordion and immersed in music. His birth name was actually Dante Adriano, but as a teenager in London he preferred the anglicized name Adrian Dante. As a young man, Adrian Dante rapidly emerged as an outstanding accordionist, with an extensive repertoire that ranged from the musette music of Italy and France through to transcriptions of classical music. He was, in fact, the first European accordionist to perform The Flight of the Bumblebee in public. In arranging and performing classical music on the accordion in the early 1930s, Dante was ahead of his time, and many of his ideas about music have since come to be regarded as standard practice. During the 1930s, Dante made countless radio broadcasts both with his quartet and as a soloist, and was the first accordionist in this country to broadcast the compositions of Pietro Frosini. He was, in fact, a great long-term friend of Frosini and also the brother Guido and Pietro Deiro, and has written extensively about each in British and International accordion magazines over the years.
In 1931 Dante began teaching the piano accordion, and in the post-war years after 1945 founded the Accordion Development Centre based at 131 Hampstead Road, London NW1. The ADC employed many well-known teachers such as Percy Holland, Eddie Harris, Francis Cava and Albert Delroy. His pupils have become high-class accordionists, including Gerald Delmondi, Antonio (Tony Lowe) Trevani, Gina Brannelli and Pearl Fawcett.
When Italy entered the Second World War on Hitler’s side in June 1940, most Italians in Britain were interned for the duration of the conflict. Dante and his family escaped internment due to the fact that his parents were known to be opponents of Mussolini.
Once the war was over, Dante and Desmond A. Harte in 1946 together founded The British Association of Accordionists and the magazine Accordion Review (remodeled as Accordion World Review in 1950). The BAA set up and ran its own regional and British national accordion championships, and also functioned as an examining body with its own grade and diploma examinations. The activities of the BAA ran counter to the similar work of the National Accordion Organisation, founded in 1949, and the British College of Accordionists. Even more controversially, Dante led the BAA to secede from the Confederation Internationale des Accordeonistes in 1950, to form the rival Confederation Mondiale de l’Accordeon. The split came about as a result of dissatisfaction by some countries national associations over the alleged extent of M. Hohner Ltd’s involvement (perceived as actual control) in the administering of the world championships. Thus was born the CIA Coupe Mondiale and the CMA Trophee Mondiale, rival world championships in a schism that remains unresolved to this day.
The immediate post-war period marked the beginning of Dante as an accordion impresario and contest organiser, with the large-scale BAA championships being staged annually at St Pancras Town Hall in London, and also celebrity concerts and concert tours frequently involving many of the world’s greatest accordionists. In the early 1950s, Dante was the first to introduce Marcosignori to the British public, and he also organised a successful tour featuring as a duo the combined talents of Italian sols stars Gorni Kramer and Beltrami Wolmer. Dante’s increasing commitments as an impresario eventually led to the BAA being dissolved in the early 1970s. In the mid-1980s, Dante promoted a concert tour featuring both Pearl Fawcett and bayan maestro Yuri Kasakov (USSR), his last large-scale effort. Dante guided the career of Pearl Fawcett, whom he later married, and coached her to her success in becoming the first British World Champion, winning the CMA solo title in Hamburgh in 1961.
From 1946 onwards, Dante was heavily involved in composing, arranging and publishing music for the accordion. He founded Modern Accordion Publications (a.k.a. M.A.P. Editions), making available a very wide selection of sheet music, mainly in the Continental genre. He was a talented composer and arranger, and most of his work is available via MAP. In conjunction with MAP, Dante became a record producer, founding the Caravelle record label, making the recorded music of Pearl Fawcett, Delmondi, Antonio, Kramer & Wolmer and many others available to the public.
Adriian Dante died peacefully in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on March 22nd 2005, in his 91st year. There was no funeral as he had requested that his body be donated to medical research.
Dante had made a vast amount of music for accordion available to the world through his various activities, and his lifetime contribution to the development of the accordion, especially in Great Britain, should be recognised and respected by present and future generations.
Maine Valley Club Welcome ‘Take the Floor’
The Night Take the Floor came to Co. Antrim
by
History was made in Co. Antrim on Wednesday 13th April ………….
Newtongrange Competitions
by Heather McLean
The Dean Tavern………
CD Reviews – See Hear with Judith Linton
The Sands of Achnahaird – Ali ‘Beag’ MacLeod – BEAGCD001 – Independent
Take Note – Swingin’ Fiddles – SW010 - Independent
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 20.30 with Robbie Shepherd
Repeats
7th May 05 – Hector McFadyen SDB (Feature on Tom Alexander presented by Robert Lovie)
14th May 05 – Kenny Thomson & the Wardlaw SDB (A Tribute to Pat McGarr)
21st May 05 – Ian Thomson SDB (Iain Anderson’s Personal Choice)
28th May 05 – Jennifer Forrest SDB (OB from Fyvie Castle with guests Anne Lorne-Gillies and Douglas Lawrence)
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Westburn Park Lounge) – 31st May 05 – AGM & Burns Brothers Trio
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms – Shilbottle) 11th May 05 - tbc
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 15th May 05 – Jimmy McQuire
Arbroath (Viewfield Hotel) - 1st May 05 – Tom Alexander
Armadale (Masonic Hall) – 5th May 05 – Dave Sutherland SDB 20th May 05 – Closing Dance
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 30th May 05 – Ian Muir Trio
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) – 25th May 05 – Evonne Downie SDB
Beith & District (Anderson Hotel) –
Belford (Community Centre) –
Biggar (Municipal Hall) –
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 10th May 05 – Tom Alexander
Bromley (Trinity United Reform Church) - 10th May 05 – AGM & Club Night
Button Key (Windygates Institute) – 12th May 05 – Willie McFarlane Band
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) - 3rd May 05 – Bill Black SDB
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary’s Social Club) -
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) – 6th May 05 - Dance
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 19th May 05 – Club Night
Crathes (Crathes Hall, Banchory) -
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel) 5th May 05 – Archie McVicar Trio
Cults (Culter Sports & Social Club) 11th May 05 – Bill Black SDB
Dalriada (Argyll Hotel, Lochgilphead) 17th May 05 – Ian Thomson SDB
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 4th May 05 – James Coutts Trio
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) – 18th May 05 – Bill Black SDB
Dunfermline (Headwell Bowling Club) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel)
Duns (Masonic Lodge, Newtown St) 16th May 05 - AGM
East Kilbride (Masonic Hall, Kittoch St) –
Ellon (Station Hotel) – 24th May 05 – Robert Whitehead SDB
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) – 23rd May 05 – Colin Dewar SDB
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 29th May 05 – Andy Kain Trio
Forres (Victoria Hotel) – 11th May 05 – Burns Brothers Trio
Galashiels (Abbotsford Arms Hotel) –
Galston (Barr Castle Social Club) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel, Wooler) –
Glenfarg (Lomond Hotel) - 4th May 05 – West Telferton Cale CB
Glenrothes (Victoria Hall, Coaltown of Balgownie) - 31st May 05 – Judith Linton Trio
Gretna (Halcrow Stadium) -
Haddington (Railway Inn) -
Highland (Drumossie Hotel) – 16th May 05 – Addie Harper
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) -
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) - 5th May 05 – The Reel Thing CB 26th May 05 – Tom Orr SDB
Islesteps (The Embassy Hotel) –
Kelso (Cross Keys Hotel) – 25th May 05 – Bruce Lindsay SDB
Kintore (Torryburn Hotel) – 4th May 05 – Nicol McLaren SDB
Lanark (Ravenstruther Hall) -
Langholm (Crown Hotel) –
Lesmahagow (Masonic Hall) – 12th May 05 – Club Night
Lewis & Harris (Stornoway Legion) - 5th May 05 – John Crawford Trio
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn) 17th May 05 – John Renton SDB
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) -
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) -
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 4th May 05 - tba
Newburgh (The Ship Inn) - 26th May 05 – Neil Dawson
Newmill-on-Teviot (Newmill Country Inn) -
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) – 3rd May 05 – Ian Hutson SDB
Oban (McTavish’s Kitchen) –
Orkney (Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall) –
Peebles (Rugby Club) –
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 17th May 05 – Addie Harper Band
Phoenix (Argyll Arms hotel, Ardrishaig)
Premier NI (Chimney Corner Hotel) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) –
Rothbury (Queen’s Head) - 5th May 05 – James Paterson Trio
Scottish Accordion Music (Banchory) - 8th May 05 – All Players Welcome
Selkirk (Cricket Club) -
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) -
Thornhill (Bowling Club Hall) -
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) – 2nd May 05 – Andy Kain Trio
Turriff (Royal British Legion) – 5th May 05 – Armour Brothers
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 19th May 05 – Ian Thow Duo
West Barnes (West Barnes Inn) 12th May 05 – Richard Smith Trio
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) – 17th May 05 – Ian Cruickshanks Trio
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Arbroath
3. Alnwick
4. Annan
5. Armadale
6. Balloch
7. Banchory
8. Banff
9. Biggar
10. Blairgowrie
11. Bromley
12. Button Key
13. Campsie
14 Castle Douglas
15 Coalburn
16. Cults
17. Dunoon & Cowal
18. Duns
19. Fintry
20. Forfar
21. Forres
22. Galashiels
23. Galston
24. Glenrothes
25. Gretna
26. Highland
27. Isle of Skye
28. Islesteps
29. Kelso
30. Kintore
31. Lanark
32. Lesmahagow
33. Lewis & Harris
34. Livingston
35. Lockerbie
36. Mauchline
37. Montrose
38. Newburgh
39. Newtongrange
40. North East
41. Oban
42. Peebles
43. Phoenix
44. Premier
45. Rothbury
46. Shetland
47. Thurso
48. Turriff
49. Tynedale
50. West Barnes
51. Wick
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2004
(Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports or in the Club Diary above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975 – present)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Aug 1975 – present)
3. Annan A&F Club (joined Assoc in 1996 but started 1985 – present)
4. Arbroath A&F Club (1991? – present)
5. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Closed early 08-09
6. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue – present)
7. Banchory A&F Club (1978 – present)
8. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973 – present)
9. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition – present)
10. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
11. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
12. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
13. Brittania B&F Club ( joined 07-08
14. Bromley A&F Club (joined 95-96 – closed early 08-09)
15. Button Key A&F Club (
16. Campsie A&F Club (Nov 95 – present)
17. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
18. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
19. Coalburn A&F Club (
20. Crathes (aka Scottish Accordion Music – Crathes) (Nov 1997 -
21. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
22. Cults A & F Club (
23. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
24. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
25. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
26. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
27. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
28. Duns A&F Club (formed 20th Sept 04 – present)
29. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980 – Closed 04/05)
30. Ellon A&F Club (
31. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – present)
32. Forfar A&F Club (
33. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
34. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
35. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
36. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
37. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
38. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93?
39. Gretna A&F Club (1991) Known as North Cumbria A&F Club previously (originally called Gretna when started in June 1966 but later had to move to venues in the North of England and changed name. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
40. Haddington A&F Club (formed Feb 2005 - )
41. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
42. Inveraray A&F Club (Feb 1991 - present)
43. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
44. Isle of Skye A&F Club (June 1983 – present)
45. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
46. Kintore A&F Club (
47. Ladybank A&F Club (joined Apr 98 but formed earlier
48. Lanark A&F Club (joined Sept 96 – closed March 2015)
49. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
50. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
51. Lewis & Harris A&F Club (Aug 1994 -
52. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
53. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
54. Maine Valley A&F Club (
55. Mauchline A&F Club (Sept 1983 - present)
56. Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
57. Newburgh A&F Club (joined 2002 but founded
58. Newmill-on-Teviot (Hawick) (Formed late 1988 joined Assoc 1999
59. Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
60. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
61. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
62. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
63. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
64. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
65. Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
66. Phoenix A&F Club, Ardrishaig (Dec 2004 -
67. Renfrew A&F Club (1984 -
68. Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
69. Selkirk A&F Club (
70. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
71. Sutherland A&F Club (
72. Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
73. Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
74. Turriff A&F Club (March 1982 - present)
75. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
76. West Barnes ( - present)
77. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975 - present)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
78. Acharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
79. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
80. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
81. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
82. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
83. Buchan A&F Club
84 Callander A&F Club (
85 Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
86 Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
87 Club Accord
88 Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
89. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
90. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
91. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
92. Derwentside A&F Club
93. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
94. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
95. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
96. Dundee & District A&F Club (1970? – 1995?)
97. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
98. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
99. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
100. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
101. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
102. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
103. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
104. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
105. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
106. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
107. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
108. Mull A&F Club
109. Newcastleton Accordion Club
110. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
111. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
112. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
113. Reading Scottish Fiddlers (cMarch 1997
114. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
115. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 – closed 20000/01?)
116. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
117. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
118. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
119. Tranent A&F Club
120. Vancouver
121. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
122. Wellbank A&F Club
123. Yarrow (prev known as Etterick & Yarrow) (Jan 1989 – closed 2001/02)
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