Box & Fiddle Magazine Nov 2014 by Box & Fiddle

Fiddle

The magazine for Scottish music enthusiasts

Centre Stage with joan blue

CLUB News The latest news from our members clubs

TAKE THE FLOOR

PLUS much more... PROFILE:

Bobby Crowe

38th Year No. 03 Nov 2014

ÂŁ2.70

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Welcome

B&F • editorial

...to the November issue of Box & Fiddle The magazine for Scottish music enthusiasts

Editor • Pia Walker 7 Tarvit Gardens Cupar, Fife, KY15 5BT Tel: 01334 657 850 Mob: 07715 115 489 editor@boxandfiddle.com Designer • Marie Irvine mamidesigns@hotmail.com Cover image • © Karlosk - Fotolia.com Printer • Meigle Colour Printers www.meigleprint.co.uk

NAAFC Chairman • Nicol McLaren 9 Sheila Road, Blairgowrie Perthshire, PH10 6RP Tel: 01250 874 526 nicol@boxandfiddle.com Vice Chairman • Iain Cathcart Tel: 01555 661 017 iain@boxandfiddle.com Secretary • Susan MacFadyen Carlung Farm, West Kilbride Ayrshire, KA23 9PU Tel: 01294 823 865 susan@boxandfiddle.com Treasurer • Charlie Todd 63 Station Road, Thankerton Biggar, ML12 6NZ Tel: 01899 308 327 charlie@boxandfiddle.com Executive Committee: Charlie Kirkpatrick David Cunningham Jacqueline MacDonald Margo Maclennan Richard Ross Tom Orr Willie Johnstone

Forgive me if you find more mistakes than usual in this issue. I did the final editing when I arrived home from the Shetland A & F Festival with a severe case of Shetlag after a wonderful long weekend dancing and listening to music. I am in awe of this committee, who is always so positive and work so well together – how do you do it? This was my first ‘outing’ since I took over Pia Walker, Editor as editor, and as there were visitors from all over the country at this festival I took the chance to find out how the new format was received. Thank you so much for all the positive remarks Marie and I got. The vast majority of people said they liked the new format. Two comments that spring to mind is that it now can be read in bed! It was a hospital bed in this instance, but still. Another quite cheeky complaint was that the person (who shall remain nameless) now cannot rest his arm on the toilet roll holder when reading it! He obviously need to build a smaller outhouse! Another very positive outcome is that people were coming up to me with many ideas for the magazine. Please send in your ideas, articles etc, I promise I will consider how to incorporate them where it is feasible. In the last issue, we began a new feature called ‘Centre Stage’ and I must apologize to Derek Hamilton. I was so keen not add the name of the secret person setting the questions that I forgot to add Derek’s. Unforgivable, I know. I’m sure you recognised him anyway, he is rather well known after all. I am sending reminders out to all subscribers this month, except to people who have already paid their new subscription. Christmas is coming up, so what about giving a subscription to your son and/ or daughter for Christmas? That way you don’t have to wonder why your copy has disappeared before you had the chance to read it. I hope you will enjoy the article on Bobby Crowe this month, as well as the input from Kyle Innes and Ian Holmes. Wrap up warm when you go to your club.

Keep up with the latest news at

www.boxandfiddle.com Box & Fiddle (NAAFC)

Pia

The editorial team reserves the right to refuse or edit all copy. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor. Use of material and advertising from this publication is strictly prohibited without permission in writing from the editor. While every care has been taken in compiling Box & Fiddle to ensure that it is correct at the time of going to press, Box & Fiddle assume no responsibility for any effects from errors or omissions.

B&F • NEWS

News

Send in your story, it will be of interest to others. If you have a photo that tells a story, send it in with an explanation.

The future is FolkWaves Hands Up for Trad have launched a new project called FolkWaves to promote Scottish music to radio stations across the world. Musicians can upload their latest Scottish music singles to the website so that broadcasters can download these to play on their shows.These downloads are not available to the public and users have to sign up for the service. It is FREE to all broadcasters. All they have to do is to give information on each downloadable single, e.g. where it will be played and when, before they can download it. To take part, register at: http:// projects.scottishcultureonline.com

Dear Pia Here’s a story which should be of interest to all devotees of the Hohner Shand Morino accordion. My friend, top “Shand” player, Ian Cruickshanks, asked if I’d noticed the odd-looking grille on Jimmy Snr’s instrument in the photograph at the top of page 9 in the March 2014 Box & Fiddle. I had not, but after a quick glance, I was able to tell him the story of this grille. This had been told to me in Sweden in 1983 whilst on holiday at the home of my friend, Wilbert (Bill) Grund,

Calling all guest artistes

/folkwaves/registration/. I’ll be sent an email which I’ll approve and you can then upload tracks to http:// projects.scottishcultureonline.com/ folkwaves/artist-upload-form/. You can upload up to 4 single tracks in a 12 month period. Any questions just email me. It is for all types of Scottish music and definitely need more dance bands to get involved. The possibilities for world wide play of dance band music are massive. l

Simon Thoumire who until 1973 was the service-manager of Bell Accordions in Ayecliffe. He told me that Jimmy had liked the accordion, but complained it lacked volume and asked if Bill could make him a grille in copper. He’d explained that in his younger days, when he or his chums acquired a new motorbike, one of the first things they did was to remove the exhaust and fit a copper one. “Ye could then hear us roaring right roon the pairish, son”. Bill said he’d doubted it would

I am hoping to bring you a list of guest artistes in the January issue. Please if you are a guest artiste, could you check your entry on the website www.boxandfiddle. com and write to me with any changes. Could you also write to me on editor@ boxandfiddle.com with your details, if you are not on that list. And of course don’t forget to renew your subscription.

make much difference to the accordion, but when it was fitted he was amazed at the change. I remember asking Jimmy about the grille and he told me he’d lent the instrument and both grilles to a friend and that when returned, the copper one was missing. Although I saw Jimmy play on many occasions and often were a guest in his home, I never saw the grille. Of those I have asked, only Bruce Lindsay Snr. remembers seeing it in Auchtermuchty, but he did not know the story behind it. l

Ian Holmes, Dumfries

Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland have a diary where you can publicise your event free of charge. Go to www.tracscotland.org to find out more.

Letter

NEWS

Focus on

BB&&FF •• www.boxandfiddle.coM www.boxandfiddle.coM

the new generation

first started playing the accordion at the age of 9. My gran is a keen follower of The Lomond Ceilidh Band and I therefore went to learn from Alan Small. After practicing for a year I started going to gigs with Alan and The Early Learning Ceilidh Band, a group of Alan’s young pupils learning at the same time as I was. Because of this I started going to the Ladybank Accordion and Fiddle Club and soon became a regular there. Going to accordion clubs is always something to look forward to and to practice for and as a young musician, I enjoy listening to other players and picking things up. I have now visited a wide range

of accordion clubs and festivals in Scotland, as far south as the borders and as far north as Shetland. In 2012, having been taught by Alan for 5 years, I went to Mickie Ainsworth in Scone to learn Classical and Jazz as well as Scottish music and chord theory. It was a pleasure to get lessons from him as he has taught many good accordionists. Unfortunately I was only with Mickie for 3 months before he passed away. I only had 8 lessons from Mickie, but I still learnt a lot of theory. At the age of 14 I started my own band to be the guest artiste at Ladybank Accordion and Fiddle Club on the 15th of

Kyle Innes

November 2012. I am now 16 and still using the same band members: Scott Cunningham on drums and Ewan Dowie on the piano. We play accordion clubs, dances, festivals, ceilidhs etc. I would like to keep my band going for the foreseeable future as its great fun and the people that I have met in the music world are just fantastic.

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B&F • PROFILE

Bobby Crowe and Joan Blue at this years AGM Lunch

Memories Written by:

Joan Blue

obby Crowe. A loyal friend, a wonderful musician, a master joiner - and a comic. Wherever Bobby was in a room, there was laughter. Usually because he was telling his ONE joke, the one you all know: A man was going to a fancy dress party as a pirate. He had the kerchief and the striped jumper, but needed a parrot. So he went to a pet shop and asked for a parrot. The shop owner didn’t have one, but said: “Can you come back on Tuesday”? “No, that’s the day ah’m getting ma leg off”. It was the way Bobby told it and the way he always laughed, as if it was the first time he heard it. Bobby, with Douglas Maxwell Jnr. and David Finlay, formed the Olympians Dance Band, which had its first broadcast in 1952. After National Service, Bobby formed his own band and was soon broadcasting regularly and playing at Scottish country dances throughout the land. He also played with the Cameron Kerr, Angus Fitchet and Cavendish bands. With the Cavendish he played at the Skye balls and

Bobby many Scottish balls in London. In the seventies he and Angus Fitchet formed a duo and were frequent guests at A & F clubs, quite often with Malcolm Ross on drums. I played the keyboard for some of these events and playing and travelling with them was a joy. Bobby encouraged and promoted Angus Fitchet, and Angus would not have been playing into his eighties if it hadn’t been for Bobby. Bobby was a master joiner, as anyone who has seen his son Chris’s staircase, can testify. He was very proud of this staircase and frequently invited people to come and rub their hands over the pitch pine – to feel the finish. David Annand, the wellknown sculptor from Fife, asked Bobby to make plinths for some of his statues. Bobby attended various unveilings of these at Holyrood and, having made the plinth for a bust of Alex Salmond, was in a group photograph with him and Nicola Sturgeon. But one special photograph was the one taken of David and Bobby with Sean Connery, who had attended the event.

☛

B&F • www.boxandfiddle.coM

Club News Just remember to seek permission to publish the photos and tell us the name of the photographers.

To ensure a more readable section, please only send in max 250-300 words. A photo tells a better story, so add one or two of those too. Why not of your audience? If you don’t have a report to write, then mention someone from your club or a special event and send in a relevant photo. Information in Club News helps attract visitors to your club, so make sure your club sounds like the place we want to go to.

Matthew, Graham and Dennis

ABERDEEN Our new season started with Keith Duncan on accordion, Scott Gordon on drums and Esma Shepherd on piano followed by Stanley Flett on accordion. We were pleased to welcome Anne Nicol from Inverurie on fiddle on her first visit to the club. She played some fine sets of traditional tunes. Our guest artists for the night were the Matthew MacLennan Trio with Matthew on accordion, Graham Jamieson on drums and Dennis Morrison on piano. They played a varied programme of tunes interspersed with Matthew’s Highland stories. Matthew makes it look so easy and his style went down very well with the audience. After the break we had Dennis Shepherd on mouth organ, again with some interesting introductions. Sandy McAllan then gave us a couple of selections on the three-row button-accordion. Lynne Christie, a committee member, assembled a wee group comprising Lynne on accordion, Susan Gordon on fiddle, Scott Gordon on second accordion, Dennis Morrison on piano and Lynne’s brother Duncan Christie

on drums. Lynne can always be relied on to give us some lively pipe marches. After the raffle, Matthew and his trio came back to finish the night with a fine selection of Scottish music of the highest calibre. They are welcome back any time. Esma Shepherd Alnwick September again, members’ subs due and another night of good company, music and entertainment. The local artists were Gillian Birnie, Rachel Hales, Robin Dunn and Andy Kane playing fiddles. Sue Morgan on piano, Jimmy Little playing his moothie. The accordion players were Ann Brown, Brian Jacques, Robin

Cowens, Robert Whitehead and yours truly. As always a big thanks you to theses supporting players The tunes list was vast but a small selection of them were Kirk Brae, The Corner House Jig, Caddam Woods, The Inside out Fish Eater, Loch Ruan, La Russe, The Ornithologist. Our guest artists were the Glencraig Dance Band, Nicol McLaren on accordion, Isobel Hodgson on piano, Gordon Howe playing fiddle and David Bell playing drums. As always from these musicians a nice balanced sound, easy listening, a good mature programme with some stories and humour also. Overall a very enjoyable night. Many thanks to all players and listeners. Mungo Riddell

B&F • REVIEWS

Reviews

If you wish your CDs, DVDs or books to be reviewed, please send them to: Bill Brown, 3 Galahad Close, Cippenham, Slough, SL1 9DT

Dances to Song Tunes Iain Cathcart & His Band RSCDS CD076

I have to confess I’m a great fan of Iain Cathcart and just adore the really tight accurate sound he manages to create, not to mention the wonderful harmonies and great musical arrangements he produces on all his recordings, so you can imagine my sheer joy and delight, when this new double CD from The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society featuring Iain and his wonderful band dropped through my letterbox. I initially listened to it on a train journey between Leeds and London and we sadly arrived in Kings Cross all too soon! I have listened to it numerous times since and it just gets better and better. For me definitely a classic recording I will go back to time and time again. As you’ve probably gathered by now I really like this recording and it goes without saying that I would highly recommend it to you too. The band line up features Iain on lead accordion, James Coutts on second box, Alistair McCulloch on fiddle, Graham Berry on piano, Mark MacDougall on bass and Scott Gordon on drums. Scott is of course an outstanding box

“

For me definitely a classic recording I will go back to time and time again

”

player himself as well as being pretty tasty on the drums. The band line up in itself when you first read it is a pretty sure guide as to how good this recording is going to be. The fifteen dances on the double CD set features song tunes researched and collated from old manuscripts of Scottish traditional works featuring many of Robert Burns’ finest songs through to Scottish Music Hall favourites from the last century. Not only will you be tapping your feet to this fine music, but you will

find yourself trying to sing along to some of these well know tunes as well (always a little awkward and somewhat embarrassing when you’re on a train!) From a dance perspective you will find Strathspeys, reels and jigs featuring many evergreen classics such as The Wee Toon Clerk, The Barnyards O’Delgaty, Caller Herrin’, Here’s to the Hills, Doon in the Wee Room, Roamin’ in the Gloamin, A Wee Deoch an’ Doris, Stop Yer Tickling Jock, I Love a Lassie, Lassie Come and Dance With Me and Bonnie Wee Jeannie McColl to name but a few great tunes to whet your appetite. When you combine all of that with Iain’s tight sound and sparkling arrangements you have a top class product and a winning formula. This CD will bring you many hours (if not years) of superb listening pleasure. This is definitely a CD to chase away the cold dark nights that are now upon us and congratulations to the RSCDS and Iain and his wonderful band for producing such a wonderful recording. It really doesn’t get any better than this. Don’t forget to check out Iain’s website at www.iaincathcart.com, and while you’re doing that don’t forget to visit the RSCDS’s website too at www.rscds.org.