Box & Fiddle - November 2016

Fiddle The magazine for Scottish music enthusiasts

Robbie Shepherd A RADIO LEGEND

BUTTON BOX GATHERING JOHN CASKIE IS CENTRE STAGE

PLUS

News, Reviews, Club

Diaries and much more...

40th Year No. 03 Nov 2016

£2.70

BOX&

Welcome

B&F • EDITORIAL

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...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 Martin mamidesigns@hotmail.com Section icons by: FlatIcon

Cover Image Button Box Gathering, Eden Court Empire Theatre 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 • Lorna Mair 7 Lathro Lane, Kinross KY13 8RX lorna@boxandfiddle.com Treasurer • Willie Johnstone treasurer@boxandfiddle.com Executive Committee: David Cunningham Charlie Kirkpatrick Susan MacFadyen Margo Maclennan Tom Orr Richard Ross

The editorial is always the last item to go into the magazine, and this one was written just after the Shetland Festival. I was debating whether I should write ‘Fresh off the boat’, but decided that ‘fresh’ may be stretching it a bit!

As the deadline for inclusion in the magazine is the 5th, you will have to wait until December to hear how the festival progressed, as this Pia Walker, Editor deadline goes for me too. All I can say is that it was brilliant. It was superb musicianship, banter and very little sleep, oh yes and warm weather and sunshine! The world was put to rights often and by many, unfortunately most people couldn’t remember it the next day, so the world remains as is.

While I was away, I exceeded my e-mail quota on my server, which means that e-mails have been sent to cyber-space. If I haven’t acknowledged receipt of your e-mail, please can you resend or ask if I have received it. I apologise if your e-mail is one of the ones that disappeared. I know that you will have had a message that it couldn’t be delivered, so I can only hope that I have caught most of the missing e-mails.

Leonard Brown is also worried that people haven’t been able to get hold of him. The phone number in the write-up of the Tom Alexander day in Perth was wrong, it should be: 07758 723 355.

If you have been to any of the many Open Days and Festivals, do write and tell us about it – if you are arranging one, get someone to write about it.

It is amazing that we are now heading towards December already and then it is the haggis-season! Before that, November is also a busy month for us. Why not come and say hello to the Box & Fiddle team either at the RSCDS AGM in Perth or at the Fiddle Fest in Edinburgh, we are always happy to say hello and have a blether with you.

I am still looking for stories of years gone by for this season’s magazines to celebrate the 40th year of the B&F magazine, so get writing. We are many who would be interested in knowing what happened in the ‘Golden Age of Scottish Music’.

Hope you have a good month, wrap up warm.

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.

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NEWS

News

Send in your story. If you have a photo that tells a story, send it in with an explanation.

Kelso’s 40th Anniversary

End of an Era When Jan Petrie retired earlier this year, as secretary/treasurer of the North East Accordion and Fiddle Club it brought down the curtain on the joint efforts of Jan and Jim Petrie in not only keeping the club afloat, but revitalising it to the extent that the average attendance at the monthly meetings is now at the 80 mark.

Jim and Jan were at the helm for more than 14 years, until Jim retired last year. Jim was not only Chairman, but also tutored young accordionists.

The club was fortunate to see

We were lucky to have the following original committee member from 40 years ago present: Alec Richardson, John Crombie, Sandy White, Dod Dixon, Will Gillie with Janet Middlemiss wielding the knife! They were then joined by the current committee led by our MC and President Jim Wilson.

Jim and Jan

an increase in young musicians attending and playing on stage, many for the first time. Jan on the other hand, worked quietly behind the scenes keeping the

club finances going in the right direction.

This partnership certainly kept the club from folding and their hard work and loyalty was rewarded by members, when Jim was presented with a bottle of whisky and four crystal glasses, and Jan with a portrait of her favourite dog.

A new husband /wife team has taken over: Rory Smith as Chairman, and his wife Sally as Secretary/Treasurer.

Hugh Edgar

B&F • NEWS

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All good things comes in threes

BOOK! NOW ACCORDION VISIT TO CASTELFIDARDO, ITALY 16-20 May 2017 PLACES AVAILABLE

Seghill

Join accordionists from around the UK, USA and Canada for this wonderful 5 day visit to the home of the accordion in Italy.

Visit the museum and try the largest working accordion in the world, see accordions being made by hand in the factories, visit local attractions, visit seaside restaurants and enjoy entertainment by professional accordion players. Accordions are available to play during the stay. Also enjoy a visit on the way back to the picturesque Independent Principality of San Marino.

Contact: Peter Le Geyt Tel: 020 8977 6680 for full details or email: plg@plgmarketing.com

No guest artist for September, but one of our regular buffet and free admission evenings with local talent. The North East Mandolin Band, 14 strong, with a variety of instruments provided us with a superb night of entertainment.

The raffle money on this occasion is going to support Davina from the Alnwick Club for her charity afternoon being held at the Hexham mart for the MACMILLAN nurses’ cancer

Congratulations to Jim & Hannah Gold

fund. Total raised by donation with one member giving £100 was £270.50, so a big thank you to everyone for their generosity.

At this time of year in our area the leek shows are in full swing, so here is a picture of three lovely ladies, Jean, Margaret and Sylvia, with three lovely accordions and three lovely leeks. These are leeks that are not up to show standard, but handy in the kitchen.

Jim Youngson

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Au Revoir, Robbie, but not Goodbye

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uch has been said about Robbie Shepherd over the years, so what is there to say about this ‘National Treasure’ as Derek Hamilton named him on Facebook, and “as much a part of Scottish broadcasting as the Hogmanay Bells” as Karin Ingram wrote in a previous B&F article. I could list all the awards he has received from the 1992 award by the NAAFC to the 2006 Hamish Henderson Award, but I really wanted to hear about this ‘new’ Robbie Shepherd, the man that has taken ‘a step back’ or ‘a break’.

Robbie has been called the voice synonymous with Scottish Country Dancing and its music. Bearing in mind that Robbie already in 2001 mentioned in an interview that it was time for a younger voice on TTF, 2016 was the year it happened. Robbie decided that as he was now 80 Take the Floor needed a younger voice for a younger generation. The new presenter is Gary Innes and Robbie has been determined to let Gary take over and create a Take the Floor in his own voice and style without any input from himself.

Robbie had to do so, when David Finlay passed away in 1981 and he wants Gary to make his own mark, as this way Take the Floor will continue. It will be new and fresh and he is looking forward to listening to the new programmes.

He told me he feels positive as he sees a much

stronger support within the higher echelons in the BBC and he hopes that outside broadcasting will be reintroduced for TTF. It was a sad day when they were cut to a minimum he told me, as “these flew the flag and was a major way for the BBC to build up its presence in the community who were to be found in all the small village halls”.

He has left all his 100+ broadcast files at the BBC London archives. That way if anyone is interested, they can research the band development from year to year, what tunes were played and how many times etc. He still goes to the studio, as he yet has a lot to “tidy up and put in order”.

This was another reason to take a step back.

His work took up almost all of his time every day.

Robbie would get a running order from the producer; he would then research the details of the sets and music, phone up the band leaders to get the story for the sets, the tunes and more. He also got the dance books from the RSCDS to match the sets to the dances in a coherent way. In my opinion he is one of the few people who have managed to merge music and dance in full. After the recording of the programme, he then would listen to it again.

I went up to meet with Robbie at the Atholl Hotel in Aberdeen. That people know him was evident, as he was greeted by several people. One gentleman

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Annual Button Box Gathering September 2016

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n Thursday 8th September, the doors opened to Eden Court’s Empire Theatre once again to let in a near capacity audience, all ready to enjoy a great evening of music. It was good to meet friends from near and far at this, the 15th Button Box Gathering organised by Catherine and Jim Mackay.

John ‘The Prof’ Matheson was Compere once again and he begun by introducing The Jim Mackay Scottish Dance Band, who swung into action with a lively set of marches. Their programme also included a lovely waltz, The Mansons of Achaguie, one of many great tunes composed by Jim over the years.

The band consisted of Jim and grandson Graeme on button-boxes, Scott Band on piano accordion, Robbie Mackenzie on fiddle, Gus Miller on drums and Bill Ewan on keyboard. Most of the band had a busy evening ahead!

Next, we had some very talented musicians known as The Young Button Boxers. These youngsters are all pupils of Graeme Mackay who accompanied them on stage. Graeme made an appeal for any spare melodeons to assist him with teaching. Best wishes for the future to these gifted young musicians.

It was good to see Jimmy Lindsay back at this year’s gathering and his five-piece band played a great variety of tunes including a nice version of Sunset on the St. Lawrence. They finished their set

with a lively selection of Shetland reels.

Sandy Ross and George Mackintosh were next on stage. Sandy hails from Lochcarron and is a regular player at a number of accordion and fiddle clubs in the area. After a set of marches, Sandy slowed the tempo down with a beautiful Gaelic waltz set, which was followed by 6/8 and 2/4 marches.

The final band in the first half was Scott Band and his Scottish Dance Band. The four-piece band played a variety of marches and another beautiful Gaelic waltz. The band appears regularly at clubs throughout Scotland and you’ll often hear Scott playing the piano accordion as well as the button-box.

After the break, the second half kicked off in style with Alex Macintyre making the journey from Perth once again. Some beautiful Continental tunes made up his repertoire and it was very interesting to hear the wide variety of styles.

Inverness fiddler Robbie Mackenzie was next accompanied on keyboard by his mum Alison. His programme included the March, Strathspey and Reel set which he played for his final recital at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Robbie’s brother Graham was in the audience and he wished him well with the launch of his debut CD ‘Crossing Borders’ which was being launched at Eden Court the following evening.

Graeme Mackay came back with a lively solo

B&F • NOVEMBER 2016

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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?Information in Club News helps attract visitors to your club, so make sure your club sounds like the place we want to go to.

ALNWICK At the September meeting we celebrated 40 years of the Alnwick & District Accordion and Fiddle Club and a tremendous night was enjoyed by all. Great crowd, great music, buffet supper and cake.

Betty Ternent an original club member and past Chairperson, who attended the first meeting in 1976 and long standing club supporter, cut the cake at supper time.

The local artists were Rachel Hales, Gillian Birnie, Robin Dunn and Mathew Jordon on fiddle. Ian Riddle played drums, George Birnie and Leonard Brown piano, Jimmy Little mouth organ and on accordions we had Brian Jacques, Robert Whitehead, Leonard Brown and yours truly. Many thanks to these players and our loyal audience and supporters.

The guest artists were Iain MacPhail and his band, Iain on lead accordion, Isobelle Hodgson on piano, Brian Griffin on second accordion and George Darling on drums, all plying to create that great MacPhail sound, marvellous!

A tremendous way to start the club’s next 40 years Mungo Riddell

ANNAN ST ANDREW The guests for September were the Gordon Brown Scottish Dance Band comprising Gordon Brown from Kelso on lead accordion, Gordon Clark from Gorebridge on second accordion, Iain Wilson from Crawford on keyboard and Bill Gillie from Kelso on drums. The evening began with a series of popular dances.

The local players, accompanied by Fiona Paul and Iain Wilson on keyboard and Billy Porter on drums were: Kenny Jackson from Stonehouse who played several tunes on piano accordion including the great Jimmy Shand composition John McDonald’s March; Willie Little from Dumfries played a number of tunes on whistle including

the noted fiddle tune, Harvest Home and The Road and the Miles to Dundee; Les Hurst from Carlisle played Dearest my Own One and Morag of Dunvegan on piano accordion; David Bell from Carlisle, played for a Jazz Twinkle on piano accordion; Fiona Paul from Carnwath, played for a Pride of Erin waltz on piano accordion; Newby Park from Carlisle played a number of popular sing-a-long tunes on piano accordion including Puttin’ on the Style and the popular Perry Como number What did Dell-aWear Boys?; Bill McMinn from Lockerbie who played Scotland the Brave on a two-row melodeon; Barbara Fisher from Carrutherstown, accompanied

by John Waugh played a number of popular ‘good going’ numbers on piano accordion

Marian Anderson at Aberdeen

B&F • CLUB DIARY

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Club Diary November 2016 DATE

CLUB

GUEST ARTISTE

VENUE

TIME

CONTACT

1

Campsie

Ian Muir SDB

Glazert Country House Hotel, Lennoxtown G66 7DJ

7.30 pm

Billy Hutton 07889 021 972

1

Fort William

Leonard Brown

Railway Club, Inverlochy, Fort William PH33 6LY

8.00 pm

Alisdair MacDonald 01397 701 505

1

Islesteps

Gold Bros. Trio.

Locharbriggs Social Club, Locharbriggs DG1 1XS

7.30 pm

Ian Gray 01387 760 276

1

North East

Brandon McPhee

Royal British Legion, Keith AB55 5EN

7.30 pm

Rory Smith 07769 801 996

1

Seghill

Club Night (Visitors welcome)

Seghill Comrades Club, Cramlington NE23 7TQ

7.00 pm

James Youngson 01670 356 410

2

Dingwall

Janet Graham Band

National Hotel, Dingwall IV15 9HA

7.30 pm

Elspeth Weir 01349 877 675

2

Glenfarg

Freeland Barbour

Glenfarg Village Hall, Glenfarg PH2 9NU

8.00 pm

Russell Robertson 01577 830 642

2

Montrose

Alan Small & Gemma Donald

Park Hotel, Montrose DD10 8RJ

7.30 pm

Ron Ramsay 01241 879 487

2

Orkney

Club Night (Visitors welcome)

The Reel, Kirkwall KW15 1KD

7.30 pm

Jim Marwick 01856 874 474

3

Crieff

David Vernon

The British Legion, Crieff PH7 3EB

7.30 pm

Irene Anderson 01764 654 298

3

Galashiels

Scott Leslie Ceilidh Band

Clovenfords Hotel, Galashiels TD1 3LU

7.30 pm

Robert Cleland 01896 754 463

3

Isle of Skye

Robert Nairn Trio

The Royal Hotel, Portree IV51 9BU

7.30 pm

Linda Shaw 01478 611 122

3

Lewis and Harris

Iain Crichton Memorial Charity Night

Caladh Inn, Stornoway HS1 2QN

8.00 pm

Janette MacIver 01851 704 870

3

Oban

Alan Crookston

The Royal Hotel, Oban PA34 4BE

7.30 pm

Anne McFadyen 01631 562 077

3

Rothbury

John Morgan AGM

Queens Head Hotel, Rothbury NE65 7SR

7.30 pm

Mary Davidson 01668 281 307

3

Turriff

Iain MacPhail SDB

Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown AB53 5WJ

7.30 pm

Pat Steele 01888 562 486

6

Arbroath

Kyle Innes Trio

Arbroath Artisan Golf Club, Elliot,

By Arbroath DD11 2PE

7.30pm

Tony Simpson 01241 875 326

6

Clydesdale

Graeme Mitchell SDB

St Mary’s Club Rooms, Lanark ML11 7JS

2.00 pm

Shirley Cathcart 01555 661 017

6

Gretna

David Vernon

The Solway Lodge Hotel, Gretna DG16 5DN

7.00 pm

Robin Waitt 01387 371 423

7

Thurso

Seamus O’Sullivan

Pentland Hotel, Thurso KW14 7AA

7.30 pm

Ian Wright 01847 892 050

8

Blairgowrie

Martin Donaldson SDB

Red House Hotel, Coupar Angus PH13 9AL

7.30 pm

Helen Aitchison 01821 670 302

8

Dunfermline

Marian Anderson

Sportsman Bar, Rosyth KY11 2NX

7.30 pm

Mr Bob Adam 01383 306 142

8

Renfrew

Kyle Rowan Duo

Moorpark Masonic Halls, Renfrew PA4 0SA

7.30 pm

Ian Murchison 0141 889 4711

8

Seghill

Club Night (Visitors welcome)

Seghill Comrades Club, Cramlington NE23 7TQ

7.00 pm

James Youngson 01670 356 410

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Dance Diary

View the Scottish Country Dances online at www.dancediary.info/index.html Contact: ceilidh@dancediary.info Tel: 01389 767718 or send your entry to: Alasdair Graham, 1 First Avenue, Dumbarton G82 2PU

Ceilidh & Old Time Dances

Regular Weekly Events

DATE

TOWN

HALL

BAND

TIME

COST

CONTACT

COMMENTS

Mondays

Kirkwall

St Magnus Centre

Live Music

7.30pm -10pm

£4/£2

Door - All Welcome

01856 873 534 Orkney Dance Assoc.

Dumbarton

St Patrick’s Hall

Recorded

7.30pm

£4

Door - 01436 268 238

Jim & Sue

Wednesdays

Garelochhead

Parish Church

-

2pm-4pm

£2 (tea)

01436 671 089

Social Club

Glasgow

St Andrews in Square

Live Music

7.15pm -9.30pm

£5.50 Bar

Door (Tricia Matthews) 01324 716855

Ceilidh & Old Time Class

Bonnyrigg

Pitcairn Centre

Live Music

7.30pm -10pm

£4

Door (Jennifer Johnstone)

Ceilidh & Old Time

Stornoway

Primary School

-

7pm-9pm

-

Janette Maciver

01851 704 870 Ceilidh & Old Term time only

Midlem

Village Hall

Live Music

8pm-10pm

£2

B G Scott 01835 870 244

Old Time Classes

Dumfries

Kirkton Village Hall

Live Music

7.30pm -10pm

£3

John Caskie 07711 573 071

Old Tyme Dance Class with Tuition

Glen Douglas

Hall (near.

Jedburgh)

Live Music

7.30pm -10pm

£2

John 07803 951 293

2nd & 4th Thursdays only

Fridays

Stornoway

Primary School

-

7.30pm -9.30pm

-

Janette Maciver 01851 704 870

Ceilidh & Old Time Term time only

Most Sundays

East Kilbride

Girl Guide Hall, Dundas Place

-

7.30pm -10pm

£2 (tea)

Door or tel : - 01355 230 134 or 245 052

Ceilidh & Old Time Club

Thursday

Ceilidh & Old Time Dances

November 2016

DATE

TOWN

HALL

BAND

TIME

COST

CONTACT

COMMENTS

11

Foulden

Village Hall

Neil Hardie

8pm-12mn

£6 No bar

01289 386 400

Soft drinks sold

11

Irvine

St Mary’s KA12 8RE

Liam Stewart

7.30-11.30

£7 B.Y.O.B.

01292 440 073

Ceilidh Club-New venue tonight

11

Forfar

Reid Hall DD8 3HX

James Coutts

7pm-11.30

£9 advance

07952 026 633

Festival Stovies Dance. [Bar]

12

Canonbie

Village Hall

Lyne Valley

7.30-11.30

£6 B.Y.O.B.

07704 727 463

(own food)

12

Daviot

Dance CANCELLED

01540 651 377

Cairngorm Dancers IV2 5XL

12

Largoward

Village Hall

Ewan Galloway

8pm-11pm

£5 Tea

07961 437 615

Weekly Dance KY9 1HZ

12

Tranent

Rannoch House

Gavin Piper

7.30-11.30

£5 Bar

01875 615 138

Pay at Door

12

Elderslie

Village Hall

John Carmichael

7.30-11pm

£5/£4

0141 884 6786

Also Singer & Piper PA5 9AS

12

Glen Douglas

Village Hall

Susan MacFadyen

7.30pm

£7 [Bar]

07803 951 293

Own Supper (nr.Jedburgh on A68)

18

Bridge of Earn

The Institute

Steven Carcary

8pm-11pm

£5 [No Bar]

07952 026 633

Pay at Door

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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

The Music & The Land – The Concert

Freeland Barbour & Friends CDTRAX392 The concert of the Music and The Land is a brand new release on the Greentrax record label. The album, which was recorded on location, was mastered by Stuart Hamilton at Castlesound Studios, Pencaitland. Given Freeland’s history with Castlesound Sound the album really couldn’t have been mastered anywhere else!

The album includes musical contributions from The Occasionals who comprised of Freeland Barbour (accordion), Mairi Campbell (fiddle), Alison Smith (fiddle), Kevin MacLeod (tenor banjo and mandolin), Gus Millar (drums) and Neil MacMillan (piano).

Other contributors include Martin Carthy (songs), Phil Cunningham (accordion), Ross Ainslie (smallpipes and Highland pipe), Simon Thoumire (concertina), Gary West (smallpipes) Jane Gardner (piano), Jane Barbour (piano), Billy Kay (speech) and Cailean

MacLean (speech). All of those guests appear solo and in various combinations with Freeland, which makes for a wonderful album, which I’m sure will bring you real listening pleasure.

Tracks on the album include not only compositions from Freeland, but also from a stellar cast which includes such great names as Phil Cunningham, Gordon Duncan, and Simon Thoumire to name but a few. Standout tracks for me include Freeland and Phil Cunningham’s treatment of Phil’s great compositions The Craic at Clashmore Hall and Frank McConnell’s Three Step and the closing track which features The Occasional’s and guests in a grand finale played to the tunes Sarah’s Reel and Sam’s Reel.

Accompanying this CD is a two volume book featuring stunning photography by Cailean Maclean and over 450 of Freeland Barbour’s compositions. The Music and The Land – The Music of Freeland Barbour is a wonderful tribute to Scotland’s landscape and musical tradition. This classic and unique two volume book, which comes in a slip-case, was published by Birlinn just over a year ago and was launched with concerts at the The Queen’s Hall Edinburgh and The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow. The album of twenty-one tracks captures the magic of those two nights and features a few compositions from the book.

This project by Freeland, which includes his stunning book and accompanying CD, has clearly been a labour of love over many years which has culminated in an end product that is both special and unique and underpins Freeland’s outstanding contribution to Scotland’s musical heritage. Highly recommended and well worth getting your hands on a copy of the book and CD while you can.

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