Box & Fiddle Sep 2015 preview

Fiddle The magazine for Scottish music enthusiasts

NAAFC

AGM

2015

Chairman’s Report

Celebrity Luncheon & Awards Ceremony

A Tribute to Jim Halcrow Centre Stage:

Brian Nicholson

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

£2.70

BOX&

39th Year No. 01 Sep 2015

www.accusound.com info@accusound.com 0114 220 3517

The Natural Choice for live Music Performer Mic

Flexible Neck Mic

It was Aidan’s own quest for a perfect sound that led him to a successful sponsorship deal with UK microphone manufacturer Accusound, who make, says O’Rourke, the “most controllable” mics.

Acoustic Amplifier

Suspension Mic

Welcome

B&F • EDITORIAL

3

...to the September 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 Section icons by: FlatIcon

Cover Image Kenny Wilson © Pia Walker 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 • Willie Johnstone treasurer@boxandfiddle.com Executive Committee: Charlie Kirkpatrick David Cunningham Margo Maclennan Richard Ross Tom Orr

A new season, and as many of you probably have experienced I’m raring to go! I spent August not only preparing the September issue, but e-mailing and phoning clubs and subscribers lapsed and otherwise. My plan this season is for the B&F to be even more visible at festivals, open days etc, so that more people will know about us and join the Pia Walker, Editor club-scene. Of course I need your help with this, do let me know about any event in your area/club etc.

Welcome to all new subscribers, I hope you enjoy the magazine and that you will contribute to it from time to time. It is your magazine, use it! Subscribers, remember you will get a reminder letter in the last copy of your subscription.

In this issue we have concentrated on the AGM and the awards, I hope you like all the photos. We have included a touching memory of Jim Halcrow from Ian Holmes and I again thank Frank Morrison for letting me use photos. The beautiful photo of Jim Halcrow and his granddaughter I used in the August issue was also by Frank Morrison.

Marie and I have met to discuss the website and you will see a few changes in the near future. Rejuvenation is important to keep it from becoming static and dead. What about sending in a photo of something that is important to your club to put on your diary page? It has to be of a good quality and it has to have permission by the photographer to appear on the website.

As stated I have spent a lot of time in August to try and get information from the clubs on guest artistes and magazine orders. However, there’s still a few clubs who haven’t sent in their information so they are not shown as having a September club in this issue, but as soon as the info comes in, we put it on the website, so do check there (and do let me know of any discrepancies!).

I hope you are raring to go too; with all that rain this summer, you must have had time to sit and plan what you wish to play at all the clubs in the coming months!

So see you out there, there’s a club near you!

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.

SUBSCRIBE NOW! 12 issues: £48.15 £32.40 + £15.75 P&P (UK only)

6 issues:

£24.20

£16.20 + £8.00 P&P (UK only)

Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms

First Name Surname

Address

Postcode Country Telephone E-mail

12 ISSUES: £48.15 UK only 6 ISSUES: £24.20 UK only

PayPal - secure payment via website www.boxandfiddle.com/magazine.html I enclose a cheque (made payable to Box & Fiddle)

Please cut out and send this form and remittance to: Pia Walker Editor, Box & Fiddle 7 Tarvit Gardens Cupar Fife KY15 5BT

PLEASE CONTACT US AT EDITOR@BOXANDFIDDLE.COM, 01334 657 850 OR SUBSCRIBE ONLINE AT: WWW.BOXANDFIDDLE.COM/MAGAZINE.HTML The magazine for Scottish music enthusiasts

✃

Starting Month:

Payment Options (please tick)

Contents

37

12 6

B&F • CONTENTS

11

News The Jimmy Shand Connection; Perth A&F Festival; Bass Culture; Accordion Showcase; Orkney Summer Open Night; Letters

10 A Tribute to Jim Halcrow Written by Ian Homes

11 Centre State

We talk to Brian Nicholson

12 NAAFC Chairman Report 2015 Report from Chairman Nicol McLaren

13 Celebrity Luncheon

& Awards Ceremony Guests of Honour, BAFFI winners and photos of the day

19 Club News

You are never too old to go Clubbing!

30 Quiz

Test your wits with a chance to win a Stanley Ceilidh CD

31 Dance Diary

Find the nearest dances and ceilidhs

36 A Tribute to Jim Halcrow Written by Ian Homes

37 Reviews

Carriages at Midnight

40 Music

The latest news from our clubs

Deadlines:

25 Club Diary

The Orchid Society by Marie Fielding

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

5

6

N

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.

The Jimmy Shand Connection “Going once! Going twice!!”

The auctioneer’s voice echoed down the phone.

“We can go higher,” I shouted frantically.

“Please, we can top this bid!”

“Mrs Wellington,” came the patient tones of Bonham’s telephone bidder, “this is your bid!” “Sold!”

And so the Friends of Wighton had bought 23 volumes of Sir Jimmy Shand’s personal collection of old music books for Dundee’s Wighton Heritage Centre, home of the famous Wighton Collection. It was a very special moment!

Of course, the collection is precious because these were Jimmy’s books. One or two gifted to him, but most purchased by the Maestro himself.

His discerning and eclectic taste, though, led him to choose books that have both musical and historic interest, from Niel Gow and Ignace Pleyel, through the handwritten manuscript books of young Angus Gentry - and the Southesk Orchestral Band - to “The Gesto Collection of Highland Music” and “Ancient Orkney Melodies”.

Many of the books need conservation work before they can go on public display to be made

Above: Shand Jess Grant manuscript book.Left: handing over the Collection L-R is Paul Blackburn, FoW Chairman, Jimmy Shand Jr., Sheena Wellington, Lord Provost Bob Duncan.

available for the use of musicians, singers and scholars. To bring the music off the page and into life and to celebrate the works being made available a series of concerts, ceilidhs and workshops under the title The Sir Jimmy Shand Connection will be run in Dundee, Angus and Fife.

Our initial crowd-funding target is £5000 and when you contribute through our crowd-funding page - www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-sirjimmy-shand-connection - your name will entered on a role of honour. There are also some wonderful musical treats available depending on the amount donated!

We would like to thank Jimmy Shand Jr. and all the Shand family for their support of this project Sheena Wellington

Celebrations Cameron Burns and Archie MacKechnie shared the most improved player of the year, they are seen here recieving their award from Club Chairman Ian Hay.

B&F • NEWS

WHAT’S ON

Perth Accordion and Fiddle Festival The 66th Festival will take place in the Salutation Hotel, Perth on Saturday October 31 2015.

All of the competitions will be held on the Saturday morning and afternoon in the Salutation Hotel and in nearby halls.

The principal competition is the All-Scotland Senior Traditional Accordion Championship, which over the years has been won by many of Scotland’s most distinguished accordionists, including Jimmy Blue, Jim Johnstone, Bill Black, Jim Lindsay, Jimmy Cassidy and many others.

For those who are interested in dancing or just listening to the best in traditional music there is an Eve-ofFestival dance on Friday 30 October in “The Sally” with music by The Jim Johnstone Tribute Band.

In the late afternoon of Saturday 31, just after the end of the competitions, there will be a Grand Finale Concert featuring traditional musicians of the highest caliber. This year we have: The Brandon McPhee Band, Claire Telford and Wayne Robertson and The Tom Orr Scottish Dance Band During Saturday 31 there will be informal music sessions in “The Sally” front bar and also in Greyfriars Bar just across the road.

The day will be completed with the “After the Festival Dance”, run by Perth Accordion Club, with the music provided by the Graeme Mitchell Scottish Dance Band.

N

Bass Culture

in Scottish Musical Traditions You might wonder what ‘bass culture’ has to do with Scottish musical traditions – as it is a concept more usually associated with Reggae. However, Senior Music Lecturer David McGuinness (also director of the Concerto Caledonia group) adopted the term for a threeyear long research project looking at accompaniment styles in old Scottish fiddle tune-books used by dance musicians in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

He had noticed that very early books had completely different basslines to those in the late eighteenth century or those compiled in the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth centuries; and he felt the genre merited more attention.

I have been seconded for two days a week from my job as Music & Academic Services Librarian at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, to join the research team. My own PhD examined Scottish song-books of the same era, but my library skills were crucial, because David planned to launch a website, which would give extensive details and commentary on nearly 300 fiddle collections, and I have been responsible for the ‘metadata’ (cataloguing).

We have digitized books from Glasgow University Library and Perth’s A K Bell Library, and transcribed the opening strains of each tune in these books. We have also logged the links where other people have digitized tune-books, so the website gives full access to a lot of fascinating sources, and details of many more, also telling you where actual copies can be seen. Interesting features have been noted such as particularly ornate or static functional basslines; some more akin to Italianate baroque music; or others meant for piano rather than fiddle and bass. Some were also intended for harp!

Others included dance instructions or illuminating introductory remarks, or those that changed markedly in later editions.

David has been producing recordings using some of the music that caught his eye, and these – like the Historical Music of Scotland website (www.hms.scot) – will be available around mid-October 2015 when the project ends. Until then, the Bass Culture blog reveals some of our discoveries and challenges, at http://bassculture.info/.

I’ll be talking about the whole project at the Scots Fiddle Festival in Edinburgh on 30th November. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Karen E McAulay

7

☛

8

B&F • WWW.BOXANDFIDDLE.COM

NAAFC

Chairman’s Report 2015 Nicol McLaren, NAAFC Chairman

T

his year’s Chairman’s Report has a much more positive outlook for the NAAFC than for many a year. A year ago, the Executive Committee were compelled to undertake radical reform to the production of our Box & Fiddle to try to overturn the financial “Black Hole” which was developing.

I am delighted to let you know right away that, with new ideas, approach, drive and enthusiasm, the new editorial and production team of Pia Walker and Marie Irvine have turned the B&F financial situation from loss to profit.

This year’s event will take place in Dundee and already announced as an inductee is Angus Fitchet.

Festival

This year’s festival – the 41st annual festival - at Inchyra Grange was, again, a great day brought together under the new management team of Richard Ross and Margaret Knight. It was a marvellous day in every respect.

“

NAAFC Golf

On a much lighter note we held our 5th NAAFC Golf day at Trad Awards...

Dunblane Golf Club on Sunday Trad Awards SDB of the Year, 21st June. 16 golfers including The 2014 MG Alba Scottish has the fewest number Traditional Music Awards 7 first-timers competed for the of votes cast of all were held in Inverness on 13th Billy Thom Memorial Trophy categories. Can I ask and the winner was: David December and was, again you to Vote, Vote, Oswald. A great day and broadcast live by BBC Alba. evening of superb music!

Inductees to the Hall of Vote? Please!

We have had a few Fame from “our side” were changes within the Executive Ian Holmes, Jimmy Blue and Committee during the past year with James the recipient of the Hamish Henderson Award Coutts and Jackie MacDonald stepping down was to Shetland’s Davie Henderson. and Richard Ross and Tom Orr joining us. It After many discussions with Simon is with some sadness that I have to tell you, Thoumire as promised at last year’s AGM, that Charlie Todd has announced his intention we had 4 Scottish dance bands represented, to stand down as Treasurer in order to take his although Da Fustra – the eventual winner - a retirement from work more seriously. Charlie Shetland Dance Band! may dispute this. I have has been a significant part of the NAAFC for had discussions regarding nominations for all many years as Editor, Secretary and Treasurer categories requiring “reasons” and, as a result and Archivist – always keeping us enthusiasts (?) general nominations for all categories are from being over ambitious! Charlie, we DO being requested already! appreciate your contribution and hope you will One disappointing fact which has emerged, stay involved. though, is that the category SDB of the Year, Finally, can I thank all of the committee for has the fewest number of votes cast of all the their hard work and effort during the past year categories. With this in mind, can I ask all of and at this time a special thanks to Charlie you to take this back to your clubs and ask Kirkpatrick for organising today. l them to Vote, Vote, Vote? Please!

”

B&F • SEPTEMBER 2015

The 2015 Celebrity Luncheon & Award Ceremony Yet another fantastic day, with good food, laughter, banter and music, with friends swapping anecdotes, a few stories were telt and more music was played.

The honours recipients

167 guests from all over Scotland, all intent on enjoying themselves, sat down to a meal in the Huntingtower Hotel on the 28th of June, 2015.

No sooner had the meal ended when the award ceremony started interspersed with music or was the music interspersed with the awards? It was difficult to tell, as it all ran seamlessly thanks to the hard work of Charlie Kirkpatrick who was behind the organisation of the day.

Photos tell the story better than I, so enjoy browsing through a great day on the next couple of pages.

Outgoing treasurer Charlie Todd

9

☛

10

B&F • WWW.BOXANDFIDDLE.COM

B&F • CLUB NEWS

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.

Arbroath

ARBROATH A capacity audience thoroughly enjoyed a superb evening of music at our August meeting with a good turn out of local and not so local musicians.

Avril Abbott, Vice Chairman, welcomed everyone including a small party from Holland and also our guests, The Neil MacEachern Scottish Dance Band.

The music was quickly under way with the first group of local players. Musicians on accordions respectively were, Tony Simpson, John Davidson, Fred Davidson from Banchory, Eric Davidson, David Stokes, William McFarlane, Alan Petrie, Rob McCombie from Tarland.

Piano accompaniment was by John White, Tony Simpson and Dennis Morrison with Liz Arthur

the only fiddler and Avril Abbott and Jock McLeish on drums.

Due to lack of time, accordionist John Hart kindly stepped down from playing.

The Neil MacEachern Band started off with a great lively set and continued throughout both halves of the evening play a very good variety of music. Neil

Arbroath

was on lead accordion, Angie MacEachern was on fiddle, on drums, Steve Beattie and Dennis Morrison completed the line-up on keyboard. Angie delighted us with two solos and the evening ended with a great stramash.

Avril thanked all the players and the guest band for their

11

☛

12

B&F • WWW.BOXANDFIDDLE.COM

A Tribute to Jim Halcrow M

ickie Ainsworth first told me about the fantastic accordionist he’d heard when the Powrie Band first visited Shetland in the early 1960’s. Mickie said he was literally knocked out by the playing of Jim Halcrow.

I first met Jim when my own band played at a dance at Moniaive around 1973. During our playing of the beautiful waltz, Doreen, I managed to fumble the bass jump from B minor to B flat and a fellow called up from the floor: “Aye, that’s an awffy big jump”. Later, I was formally introduced to him and to my great embarrassment I discovered it was none other than the composer of the tune, Jim Halcrow. Of my apologies, he just said, “Dinna worry, for I gey often get it wrang masel”.

Over the years we became good friends and we often laughed about our first meeting.

His phone calls would always being with “Is that you, Maestro?”

He and Doreen were close friends of Jimmy and Dorothy Norman from Gretna and in fact, the couple named their new business venture, The Halcrow Stadium after him. We had some great nights playing there and somewhere there is a photograph of the two Jims and myself.

Jim and I both had a passion for Scandinavian music (He’d refer to it as Norska music) and both had the Norwegian accordionist Arnstein Johansen as a pen-friend. In one of this letters Arnstein told me he was very impressed with Jim‘s playing.

Quite an accolade, for they didn’t

Jim Halcrow © Frank Morrison

“

You’ve either got it, or you haven’t, and Jim Halcrow had it in bundles

”

come any bigger or better than Arnstein.

I found Jim to be an extremely modest, friendly, family loving man with a great gift for music. Purely self-taught, he did not read or write music, yet he had acquired the rare ability to produce, among other things, exciting three-

accordion arrangements of Scandinavian music.

In his couthy way he’d say, “Oor music’s a’ done wi’ the lug”. You’ve either got it, or you haven’t, and Jim Halcrow had it in bundles.

To many of us, his playing of Scottish Dance Music was strong, accurate and natural, completely devoid of any gimmickry and of a very high standard, seldom heard nowadays.

Friends and musicians, like Jim, are irreplaceable and he’ll therefore be missed so much by so many people. I greatly valued his friendship. l Ian Homes, Dumfries.

B&F • SEPTEMBER 2015

13

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

An Seisiún

Marie Fielding Independent Rumford CD03

Just released on Marie’s own Rumford Record label is a wonderful eleven track set recorded in the little village of Dingle in Ireland. An Seisiún means “The Session” and that is exactly what you are all warmly invited to via this CD. An Seisiún is the fine follow up to Marie’s An Trá album.

The album is a collaboration of top Irish and Scottish musicians and the opening tracks gives the sense of being in an Irish pub and before you start listening, you may want to consider settling down with a pint of Guinness to complete the authentic Irish listening experience.

There isn’t the slightest hint of weakness in the bringing together of what some may regard as two very different musical styles.

Marie herself leads the line-up with her outstanding fiddle playing with guest musicians Tom Orr on accordion and piano, Donogh Hennessy on guitars, Trevor Hutchinson on double bass and Jimmy Higgins on percussion.

Damien Mullane features on accordion on track seven and Laura Kerr on fiddle and 5-string fiddle on track eight. Pauline Scanlon (vocals) can be heard on the Parting Glass and very Irish, raw and evocative just as it should be.

Marie has composed twelve of the tunes on this album including Wine O’Clock, Hennessy and Kerr,

£7.00

PERTH AND DISTRICT ACCORDION AND FIDDLE CLUB

FESTIVAL

SALUTATION HOTEL

AFTER

THE

ENTRY

DANCE SATURDAY 31st OCTOBER 2015

SOUTH STREET, PERTH 8.30pm to 12.30am dancing to

Graeme Mitchell SDB

RE FOAL S

Tony’s Orange Sherbets (would love to know the inspiration for this tune?), Monday Boy, McGoldrick’s Return to the Tolbooth, Lazy Days, O’Sullivan’s No 1, Crusie Control, Rhona’s Waltz and Lock In. My favourite tune and standout track on the album is The Christmas Eve Waltz. A lovely tune wonderfully executed.

The CD case has been beautifully produced and the cover photograph is modern, stylish and contemporary which reflects the progressive and superbly played music on the CD. I thoroughly enjoyed this recording which is soothing, relaxing, musically challenging, stimulating and reflective in equal measure. I’ll be extremely surprised if this CD doesn’t win awards along the way for Marie and her talented group of musicians. It is a top notch recording on every level, which I would thoroughly recommend. For more info visit www.mariefieldingmusic.com.

Hohner Morino V N Black 41 / 120

Excellent Condition in Original Case Internal Treble Mics £1,995 Photos available by email on request

Please call on 0141 222 7135 or 0141 956 5375

☛