Box & Fiddle Magazine - November 2019

Fiddle

43rd Year No. 03 Nov 2019

£3.00

BOX& The magazine for Scottish music enthusiasts

BUTTON BOX GATHERING MUSICAL MEMORIES JANET GRAHAM is Centre Stage

PLUS

NEWS, CLUB & DANCE DIARIES, REVIEWS AND MUCH MORE...

Welcome

B&F • EDITORIAL

3

...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 Cover: Hamish Maclennan Printer • Ivanhoe Caledonian Printing Company Ltd Eskmills, Musselburgh, EH21 7PE

NAAFC Chairman Nicol McLaren Tel: 01250 874 526 nicol@boxandfiddle.com Vice Chairman Iain Cathcart Tel: 01555 661 017 iain@boxandfiddle.com Secretary Shona MacFadyen secretary@boxandfiddle.com Executive Committee: Scott Band Charlie Kirkpatrick Susan MacFadyen Richard Ross Liam Stewart

November already! Impossible! I’m still recovering from the festivals in October, and you will hear more about that in a later issue. Looking out the window though – well, yes, it is definitely heading towards the longest day. Which means that Christmas will be here before we know it!

After that it will be haggis season again.

Pia Walker, Editor How time flies.

This magazine took some logistics to organise as the team all took some time away from their various offices. Thank you to all who sent in content so much earlier than usual – it was a great help. If you could do the same thing for the January issue, it would be great, as December is a short month again.

Yes, Christmas is coming and our advertisers have a lot to offer in the way of presents, large or small. So take your time to peruse their adverts and say hi from me when you contact them! Of course, you could also give someone the gift of a subscription to the Box and Fiddle.

I hope you have all bought your diaries for 2020 and added the various important dates: the NAAFC festival in March, the AGM and Celebrity Luncheon in June etc. Of course, committees should also make a note of when to notify me of dates, closures, orders etc. Unfortunately, there are still a few clubs who have not e-mailed their dates to me. Surely if you have meetings you want people to know about them, don’t you? Don’t forget also to send in your NAAFC registration: it is important that we are able to get in contact with the right people in your club if necessary.

A few readers have written to me this month with their stories. Okay, you may ask yourselves what horses, albeit named after a violin, and Norton motorcycles have to do with the magazine? But for me it shows how diverse we are in our other interests and how music creates a bond between us. It also shows that we have people out there who take an active interest in our music - an interest that keeps our music alive.

So keep up the enthusiasm, please!

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.

Contents

9 6 News 7 Take the Floor

B&F • CONTENTS

10 17

Club News

33

Club Diary

8 Letters 9 Young Generation

39

Dance Diary

10 The Final Button Box

41

Reviews

44

Music

BBC Radio Scotland

Rachel Campbell

Gathering

Margo Maclennan

12 14

Musical Memories Part nine from Denis Shepherd

12

The latest news from our clubs

You are never too old to go clubbing!

Find the nearest dances and ceilidhs

Eddie Rose, Ewan Galloway & His SDB

The Band With No Name

Centre Stage We talk to Janet Graham

Deadlines:

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All articles, adverts, club reports and text for the magazine must be e-mailed to the editor by the 5th of every month midday at the latest. Copy received after this date cannot be guaranteed to feature in the next issue.

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B&F • WWW.BOXANDFIDDLE.COM

NEWS

News

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

Congratulations Congratulations to Caroline McCaskey from San Pablo, California who recently won the Scottish F.I.R.E National fiddle competition for best air and reel 2019.

Scottish F.I.R.E. stands for Scottish Fiddling Revival, Ltd., and is the North American association for Scottish fiddling and all of its regional styles. The goals of Scottish F.I.R.E. are to preserve and promote Scottish fiddling through education, competition, and the support of aspiring and established Scottish fiddlers In order to help preserve the Scottish fiddling tradition. Their goal is to help others discover and enjoy the wonderful tradition of Scottish fiddling.

I contacted Caroline as I was interested to hear a little more about this US lass and her interest in Scottish music.

Caroline started violin lessons at the age of age 9, after

hearing recordings of Alasdair Fraser. Her mother, while not having a music background, had the good sense to enrol her in classical lessons, as she believed classical would be a good foundation for whatever else Caroline wanted to do. She joined Alasdair’s San Francisco Scottish Fiddlers when she was 11, and began attending fiddle camps including the Valley of the Moon camp. She has also worked as a teacher’s assistant

at Fiddlekids Day Camp for a number of years.

After completing a Bachelor of Music in Music Composition and a Master of Music in Viola Performance, she lived in Denver teaching music in public school including private lessons as well as running the non-profit City Strings by Augustana Arts. Moving back to California, she published a series of books covering a fiddle method which runs parallel to the Suzuki method in terms of skill acquisition. Students learn not only bare bones tunes, but also the skills needed to play with an authentic sound - as well as how to jam with their friends!

Caroline is currently preparing to travel the world on a sailboat, in order to collect video lesson recordings. You can follow her travels and see and hear more of Caroline on: carolinemccaskey.com.

Micheal Fleck wrote in to tell me about his latest good luck on the geegees.

Stradivarius, whom we have heard of before, yet again took Micheal by surprise when winning the Doncaster Cup and has now in September completed his Ten in A Row at York. Micheal tells me that

he had serious doubts about Doncaster as it was so soon after the horse had won the Hamilton Stayers Millions (again) and also because it was Friday 13th.

However, he was listening to the Gaelic Radio Channel and

heard a fantastic fiddle tune, Kings Reel by Thulbion. Micheal took this as a good omen and, since Stradivarius won, he feels this set should be dedicated to one of the greatest horses of all time.

B&F • NOVEMBER 2019

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Young Generation @devinevox

Rachel Campbell As you probably know, the NAAFC has for a number of years sponsored The Jimmy Shand Scholarship for students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

The most recent recipient was Rachel Campbell. As you can read she is a busy lady but she found time to respond to my request to tell us about herself and her interest in music.

I

was brought up in the town of Oban on the West Coast of Scotland. From a young age I have been involved in the vibrant Scottish traditional scene. I was first introduced to Scottish music through the Easter Fèis, which takes place in Oban every year.

From there, I took up the accordion and received one to one tuition from Michael Garvin. I am very influenced by the rich West Coast style of traditional music as well as other styles across Scotland and beyond. In 2017, I spent a year on the island of Benbecula studying for an HNC in music with the University of the Highlands and Islands.

I have also been lucky enough to be present at several ceilidh trails including the Argyll ceilidh trail and Fèis Rois National Gaelic ceilidh trail. I have had the chance to tour around Argyll and the Islands playing for ceilidh dancing and also had the opportunity to host concerts across Scotland and England with FèisRois. Furthermore, I also performed at the 2018 Trad Awards with the Gordon Duncan Experience.

This summer I travelled to Boisdale, Cape Breton with my duet partner, Chloe Steele. She is a Gaelic singer and piper from Boisdale, South Uist. We spent three weeks travelling and performing around

Cape Breton. We had performances with a local festival called Kitchen Fest. We also performed in places like Boisdale, Mabou and Sydney. We led workshops with the locals in Boisdale as part of a project set up to connect Boisdale, Cape Breton with Boisdale, South Uist. We created three pieces of music which symbolised the similarities between the two places: woman at work on the croft, religion and community. We then had a concert to celebrate the project Bonding of the Boisdales with local acts also performing. I also returned to Teba, Spain with my band Turas for the Douglas Days festival to play for ceilidh dancing.

I am going into my second year at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. I look forward to developing my musicianship and business skills.

I have also recently started a ceilidh band called Stramash Ceilidh Band. The band includes me on accordion and two other fellow students from RCS, Emily Shields on guitar and Isla Ratcliff on fiddle.

I’m really looking forward to getting more gigs and playing with these talented girls. I have also performed with Scots singer and fiddler Cameron Nixon and look forward to performing with him again in the future. l

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B&F • WWW.BOXANDFIDDLE.COM

l a c i s u M emories M

PART NINE

By Denis Shepherd

L

ast time I told you about some of the various events that the Aberdeen Branch of the TMSA has organised in past years. Some of these were supported by Aberdeen City Council – but the biggest thing the Council did for us was to organise in 1991 a week-long bus trip to France with all expenses paid! Our destination was the Issoire Folk Festival in a village a few miles south-west of Aberdeen’s twin city Clermont Ferrand. Our stay consisted of sightseeing bus tours and Scottish music performances at various venues including Clermont Ferrand. And we got to witness a variety of singing, dancing and other performances from many other countries.

Our bus party comprised musicians (including pipers), singers and dancers. One day I thought I would add to the variety by organising a street demonstration of Houlihan’s Jig, which I did along with three others including the dancers - but was promptly told by tour organiser Alex Green that I was not a very good exponent of the Scottish dance although I knew the formations, I was “maist helluva clumsy an’ hytery-lookin’!”

Although we were amply fed throughout our stay, bothy ballad king Tam Reid was not impressed by the French salad-based food. When we travelled back to Scotland, we took the overnight ferry and

did not stop until the bus drew into a service station in Warwickshire; and as we disembarked somewhat groggily there was no sign of Tam. Either we had left him in France or he had done a sprint off the bus!

Sure enough, we eventually found him tucking into bacon and eggs in the restaurant. “I couldna wait tae get a decent brakfist!” he explained, referring to French cuisine in rather an uncomplimentary manner.

However, this Tam had nothing to do with the Tummlin’ Tams - this was the name of the TMSA team entered in the Aberdeenshire Council-organised Bothy Nichts competition a few years later. The first time it took place, in 1997, Alex’s script featured a bottle of whisky which was due to be opened several times - but in the opening scene the cork popped from the bottle (the content of which was fizzy American ginger) and flew into the audience. This necessitated a hasty script adjustment!

We had recruited Harry Williamson, my pianist Menace partner, as Mains but the first time we competed, in Keith, I was told by one connoisseur: “That wasn’t very realistic - you would never get a Mains who could play the piano as well as that!”

However, in Inverurie town hall two years later, one of the judges, Jock Duncan, said in his summing-up

B&F • CLUB NEWS

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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.

ARBROATH ANNUAL CHARITY OPEN DAY The annual charity Open Day was held on 6th October at the Meadowbank Inn, Arbroath.

Although audience numbers were down there were an amazing 18 musicians at the afternoon club session and the dance in the evening to the Scott Band Duo was greatly enjoyed by the dancers and listeners alike. £600 was raised for the Oliver Bosch Appeal and this will be presented to his family in due course. Oliver is a lovely 8-year-old local lad who is profoundly deaf and also deals with other ongoing health issues. We hope this small amount will help to improve Oliver and his family’s quality of life.

A more detailed report and pictures will follow in the Box and Fiddle at a later date.

The Susie Simpson Trio will guest at Arbroath’s next meeting on 3rd november at the usual venue of Arbroath Artisan Golf Club, Elliot, Arbroath DD11 2PE EA ALNWICK September saw the beginning of the new season for the club

and a most enjoyable night was had by the fine crowd. The local artists playing accordion were Sylvia Youngson, Elizabeth Younger, Joan Kirk, Robin Cowens and myself.

Jimmy Little played mouth organ and Ian Riddell drums.

As always, huge thanks go to these players.

The guest artists were Ewan Galloway on accordion, Bill Ewan on piano and Derek Hamilton on drums. What an enjoyable programme they provided as well as the usual good humoured input.

Miss Mary Printy, The Minstrel Boy, The Hills Of Mull, Jock Wilson’s Ball and many more tunes were played and appreciated.

Many thanks go to everybody for a great night of music, good company and enjoyment.

Mungo Riddell ANNAN The September meeting took place in Newington Social Club on Sunday 15th September.

William Little acted as compere and introduced the guest band, the Ewan Galloway Scottish Dance Band with Ewan on accordion, Derek Hamilton on drums and vocals and Bill

Ewan on keyboard.

The band soon had the dancers on the floor with an Eva Three Step, a Southern Rose Waltz, The White Heather Foxtrot and several others.

The dancers and the listeners enjoyed all.

It was then the turn of the local players. Joining our usual players were Susan Power, Frank Morrison, Derek Edmond, Ronnie Easton and Elizabeth Morrison. They were accompanied by Bill Porter on drums and Ian Wilson on keyboard. Following them was David Bell on accordion accompanied by Rosalind on keyboard. Frank Morrison and John Douglas on second box also accompanied some of the players.

After the raffle, the band returned to play for the dancers. Fiona’s Polka, Square Tango, Chicago Swing, Waltz Catherine and an Alpine Stroll plus a few others were thoroughly enjoyed.

William thanked the band and the local players for a great night’s entertainment. Thanks also to everyone who brought raffle prizes and bought tickets.

He wished everyone a safe journey home and looked forward to seeing them again

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NOVEMBER BB&&FF•• CLUB DIARY 2019

33

Club Diary November 2019 DATE

CLUB

GUEST ARTIST

VENUE

TIME

CONTACT

3

Arbroath

Susie Simpson Trio

Arbroath Artisan Golf Club, Elliot,

By Arbroath DD11 2PE

7.30 pm

Tony Simpson 01241 875 326

3

Clydesdale

Scott Band SDB

St Mary’s Club Rooms, Lanark ML11 7JS

2.00 pm

Shirley Cathcart 01555 661 017

3

Gretna

Neil Hardie

Richard Greenhow Centre, Gretna DG16 5AQ

7.00 pm

Robin Waitt 01387 371 423

4

Thurso

Iain Joseph MacDonald

Pentland Hotel, Thurso KW14 7AA

7.30 pm

Ian Wright 01847 892 050

5

Campsie

Simon Howie SDB

Glazert Country House Hotel, Lennoxtown G66 7DJ

7.30 pm

Billy Hutton 07889 021 972

5

Fort William

Ally MacKenzie Trio

Railway Club, Inverlochy, Fort William PH33 6LY

7.30 pm

Alisdair MacDonald 01397 701 505

5

Islesteps

Ian Cruickshanks SDB

Locharbriggs Social Club, Locharbriggs DG1 1XS

7.30 pm

John Caskie MBE 01387 710 975 07711 573 071

5

North East

Ewan Galloway

Royal British Legion, Keith AB55 5EN

7.30 pm

Rory Smith 07769 801 996

5

Seghill

Club Night (Visitors welcome)

Seghill Comrades Club, Cramlington NE23 7TQ

7.00 pm

James Youngson 01670 356 410

6

Dingwall

Iain MacPhail Band

British Legion, High Street, Dingwall IV15 9SN

7.30 pm

Elspeth Weir 01349 877 675

6

Glenfarg

Club Night (Visitors welcome)

Glenfarg Village Hall, Glenfarg PH2 9NU

7.30 pm

Stewart Smith 01577 830 296

6

Montrose

Tay Ceilidh Band

Park Hotel, Montrose DD10 8RJ

7.30 pm

Ron Ramsay 01241 879 487

6

Orkney

CD Launch

King Street Halls, Kirkwall

7.30 pm

Jim Marwick 01856 874 474

7

Crieff

David Vernon

The British Legion, Crieff PH7 3EB

7.30 pm

Irene Anderson 01764 654 298

7

Galashiels

Scottish Blend Ceilidh Band

Gala YM RFC, 4 Roxburgh Street, Galashiels, TD1 1PF

7.30 pm

Robert Cleland 01896 209 677

7

Isle of Skye

Janet Graham SDB

The Royal Hotel, Portree IV51 9BU

7.30 pm

Linda Shaw 01478 611 122

7

Lewis and Harris

Iain Crichton Memorial Charity Night

Caladh Inn, Stornoway HS1 2QN

8.00 pm

Janette MacIver 01851 704 870

7

Oban

McAllister Brothers

The Royal Hotel, Oban PA34 4BE

7.30 pm

Anne McFadyen 01631 562 077

7

Rothbury

Robert Whitehead & The Danelaw Band supported by Graeme Whitehead and Friends

Armstrong Hall, Jubilee Institute, Rothbury NE65 7SD

7.30 pm

Mary Davidson 01668 281 307

7

Turriff

Maggie Adamson

Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown AB53 5WJ

8.00 pm

Pat Steele 01888 562 486

8

TMSA (Aberdeen)

Alex Green Memorial Concert

The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen.

8.00 pm

Shirley Watt 01224 314 795

10

Biggar

60s Bairns

Biggar Bowling Club, Biggar ML12 6AX

2.00 pm

Charlie Todd 01899 308 327

12

Blairgowrie

Clappy Doo Ceilidh Band (AGM )

Red House Hotel, Coupar Angus PH13 9AL

7.30 pm

Helen Aitchison 01821 670 302

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• NOVEMBER B&BF&•FDANCE DIARY 2019

39

Dance Diary

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

Monday

Kirkwall

Royal British Legion (new venue)

Live Music

7.30 pm - 10.00 pm

£5/£2

Door - All Welcome 01856 873 534

Orkney Dance Assoc.

Wednesday

Stornoway

Primary School

-

7.00 pm - 9.00 pm

-

Janette Maciver 01851 704 870

Ceilidh & Old School Term time only

Wednesday

Midlem

Village Hall

Live Music

8.00 pm - 10.00 pm

£2 (tea)

Grace Belle Scott 01835 870 244

Old Time.

Thursday

Dumfries

Kirkton Village Hall

Live Music

7.30 pm - 10.00 pm

£4

John Caskie 07711 573 071

Old Tyme Dance Class with Tuition

Most Sundays

East Kilbride

Girl Guide Hall, Dundas Place

Phone to check time

2.30 pm - 4.30 pm or 7.30 pm - 10.00 pm

£2 (tea)

Door or tel: 01355 230 134 or 245 052

Ceilidh & Old Time Club Info: 01294 212 267

Ceilidh & Old Time Dances

November 2019

DATE

TOWN

HALL

BAND

TIME

COST

CONTACT

COMMENTS

8

Bridge of Earn

Institute

Liam Hope

7.30pm

£5 No Bar

01738 813 997

Tea & Biscuits

8

Foulden

Village Hall

Neil Hardie

7.30pm

£6 No Bar

01289 386 400

Pay at Door

8

Irvine

Volunteer Rooms

Johnny Duncan

7.30-11pm

£7 BYOB

01292 440 073

Ayrshire Ceilidh KA12 0BA

9

Canonbie

Village Hall

Charlie Kirkpatrick

7.30-11.30

£6 B.Y.O.B.

07704 727 463

(own food) DG14 0UX

9

Windygates

Greig Institute

Tommy Newcomen

8pm-11pm

£5 Tea

07961 437 615

Weekly Dance KY8 5DG

9

Elderslie

Village Hall

John Carmichael

7.30pm

£5 B.Y.O.B.

07710 162 087

Traditional Ceilidh + Singer

9

Tranent

Macmerry Club

Steven Carcary

7.30-11.30

£6 Bar

01875 615 138

Pay at Door – New Venue

9

Edinburgh

Lauriston Hall

Live Band

8pm-11pm

T £10

0131 339 5374

Ceilidh EH3 9DJ

10

Glencarse

Village Hall

Johnny Duncan

7.30-10pm

£4 No Bar

01738 552 688

Set & Couples Dances

16

Largoward

Village Hall

Johnny Duncan

8pm-11pm

£5 Tea

07961 437 615

Weekly Dance KY9 1HZ

16

Daviot

Strathnairn Hall

Ewan Galloway

8pm-11.45

£6 Tea

01463 222 393

Social Dancers B.Y.O.B.& Food

17

Milnathort

Town Hall

Johnny Duncan

2pm-5pm

£5 tea

01577 863 244

Proceeds to Charity. Pay at Door

17

Montrose

Park Hotel

Tommy Newcomen

2pm-5pm

£?

01241 879 487

A & F Club Sunday Ceilidh

17

Ayr

Heathfield C.C.

Roy Hendrie

7.30-10pm

Pay at Door

01292 440 073

Monthly Dance Club

22

Edinburgh

Lauriston Hall

HLI Band

8pm-11pm

T £10

0131 339 5374

St Andrews Ceilidh EH3 9DJ

☛

B&F • NOVEMBER 2019

Reviews

41

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

Eddie Rose 50 Golden Years DVDPAN120 Eddie is a comedian who for five decades has kept alive the great days of Scottish variety and he should be warmly congratulated for doing so.

I am not aware of anyone in the business who is still doing what Eddie’s still doing today and he should be highly commended for keeping that flame burning so brightly for more than 50 years.

He is without question an absolute legend and long may his star continue to shine in what is an increasingly dark world! Humour is such a tonic and Eddie’s antics and sketches so professionally displayed on this, his eighth DVD, are sure to bring a smile to your face if not have you rolling around the floor with laughter. While comedy is the main feature of Eddie’s great act, his vocal abilities should also not be ignored or underestimated as Eddie demonstrates to great effect with the songs Donald Dhu, The Wee Golf Ball, Big Nellie May, Beautiful Sunday, I Believe in Marriage, Greyfriars Bobby, Knoming in the Gloamin (only Eddie could get away with such a song title!), Round the Barras, The Tartan, Campbeltown Loch and Danny Boy. In the great variety tradition comedians need to be able to hold a song and Eddie can certainly do that while stamping his own individual character and personality on his chosen numbers. Modelling himself on the unique style that brought such great fame to his mentor Andy Stewart, he succeeds in emulating the achievements of the legendary entertainer. Supporting Eddie musically on this golden anniversary DVD are Brandon McPhee (accordion and acoustic guitar), Manson Grant (piano and bass) and Robert Cameron (drums).

The boys in this highly talented band add the important musical ingredient which puts the icing

on this very fruity cake.

Now in his seventies, Eddie shows no sign of slowing down (and why should he!) and his infectious enthusiasm, which is the hallmark of his stage performances, continues unabated. If you fancy an hour of unadulterated escapism then this DVD could be just the thing you’re looking for! I love Eddie and long may his many talents continue to light up our world. l Further information on Eddie and his many recordings can be found on his website www. eddierose.co.uk.

☛