Box & Fiddle - March 2018

Fiddle

41st Year No. 07 Mar 2018

£3.00

BOX& The magazine for Scottish music enthusiasts

a A y l l e H Up SHONA MCMILLAN VISITS SHETLAND

ANDA CAMPBELL IS CENTRE STAGE

Gordon Shand Takes the Floor PLUS

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

Welcome

B&F • EDITORIAL

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...to the March 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 Lerwick Harbour © Shona McMillan Printer • Caledonian Colour Printers South Parks Industrial Estate Peebles, EH45 9ED

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 Tom Orr Richard Ross

Reading the reports, I get the feeling that flus and colds were the order of January and February, so I hope you have all recovered by now and are ready to take the spring with storm.

Dates for next season are now coming in. Thank you to those of you who give me these dates well in advance even if you have Pia Walker, Editor no guest artist. It means I can add them to the website and potential visitors can see if and when you are meeting. If all clubs could send me their meeting dates before you stop for the summer, it would be a great help to me too.

Clubs please note, it is also time for you to start promoting the summer subscriptions, especially if you are closing for the summer and you haven’t got a friendly shop in your area that can carry the summer editions. The magazine will still have a lot of information even if your club is taking its summer holiday. The guest list, for example, will be published during the summer.

March is THE festival time, so remember to visit Inchyra on 17th March. I hope you have your club band signed up for the competition, and that you encourage every player to take a trip to the festival, either just to visit or to take part – it really has a brilliant atmosphere. It is your association festival, so come and help to support it. I will have a lot of summer subscription forms at the desk, so come and get a bundle to take to your club, and come and say hello of course.

The magazine is still a developing feast: new advertisers are joining up every month – welcome! – as are new subscribers and readers - welcome to you too! I would still like you to write me stories or send in music (with permission from the composer). I have one lying here on my desk, but as the person named as the composer has told me he didn’t write it, I can’t use it. If you know of someone who should grace Centre Stage, please write in with their contact details. It doesn’t have to be a player - it could be a helper, wife or anyone with a connection to the scene.

See you at Inchyra.

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

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B&F • CONTENTS

5

News Up Helly Aa

By Shona McMillan

14

Centre Stage Anda Campbell

16

Club News The latest news from our clubs

33

10

Club Diary You are never too old to go clubbing!

38

Dance Diary Find the nearest dances and ceilidhs

42

Take the Floor Gordon Shand

43

Reviews The Two Highland Lads;

33

42

Music for the Carlingward Collection of Scottish Country Dances; Always on a Monday; Route 970; The Graham Mackenzie Collection; Impressions of Scotland; Carly Blain’s Tunes

Deadlines:

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.

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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.

Forres

Wick

Three long serving stalwarts were presented with life membership certificates at the recent 40th anniversary celebrations in Forres.

They were vice-chairman George Hutcheson, secretary Ann Sharp, and raffle seller Nellie Walker, each of whom has given the club over 30 years’ service.

Addie Harper Junior is shown here being presented with a honorary membership in recognition for his work as tutor, committee member and musician by Farquhar MacGregor on behalf of the Wick committee.

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B&F • WWW.BOXANDFIDDLE.COM

Accordion & Fiddle Clubs?

They can change your life!

By Shona McMillan

A

t Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Club, with everyone enjoying a tremendous evening of music, NAAFC chairman Nicol McLaren asked me to take some photos and write a piece for the Box and Fiddle magazine. How could I refuse, but where to start my story? Three weeks before, I hadn’t even known I would be in Shetland. But, as our music scene enjoys a good few Fergie MacDonald tales, I’ll start with him.

In Fort William in September 2017, a grand night of music was held celebrating Fergie’s 80th. The next night, Skipinnish did an equally fantastic gig in Inverness. A musician myself, I went to both and then returned to Edinburgh. Life and travel had taken me out of the scene. Project management had seen me employed around Scotland and creative photo/music projects had taken me to Ireland, Canada and America. After such a weekend of music, l wanted more. I had recently moved back to Edinburgh and I knew where I could join a session, but I wanted to play with bands who played for dancing.

After my weekend of superb music, I found myself online and my search took me to Nicol McLaren. Comical now, my telephone call was along the lines of “Nicol? Sorry for phoning but I’ve had an incredible weekend of Highland music and I need help, I need MORE music! As a fiddle

Shona McMillan & Violet Tulloch

player in Edinburgh, I need to know, where is the music?” Amidst much laughter, the required info was sourced and trips to MacMerry, Newtongrange and Perth soon followed. How friendly people were: I never left an event without a new invitation being extended to invite me to something else.

So appreciating the warm welcome and extended friendship of the accordion and fiddle clubs, I decided my way of giving something back was to take photos and post online reviews. But … to get up and play?

From the age of 12, I learnt to play by ear with Edinburgh’s Shetland Fiddlers. There was never music or a need to know about keys etc. Somehow you just knew what to play. At accordion and fiddle clubs, I was / I am encouraged to get up and play but … I need to tell people the keys to accompany me! However, so strong now is my love for this music that great thought has been given to even the daring thought that it might be time for me to learn to read and write music (so I can also do the dots for the many tunes I compose!).

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

by the audience and a wee ‘French piece!’ We had a set of Shetland waltzes as it was Up Helly Aa night and the band finished with a selection of reels especially for Billy which had to include Ian’s own composition Dunaskin Glen!

It was a brilliant night of music and we were truly spoiled.

SB ANNAN ST ANDREWS

Iain Muir, Aberdeen

ABERDEEN Chairman Scott Gordon wished us all a happy New Year on our first club meeting of 2018 on a very cold night. We started the music with Keith Duncan on accordion, Stanley Flett on piano and Scott Gordon on drums. The latter two stayed for the next musician, a welcome visitor: Brian Stanger from Insch. We then had Ernest Mitchell on fiddle followed by Sandy McAllan on three-row button-box which took us up to guest time.

The guests were Ian Muir from Prestwick on accordion along with Neil MacMillan on piano, our own Scott Gordon on drums and his wife, our secretary Susan on fiddle.

We were entertained with a

great selection of music and feet were tapping and hands clapping to tunes like The Mairsland Two Step, The Kerrera Polka, Neil’s Farewell to his 50s, Calgary Fiddlers’ Welcome to Shetland and Celtic Steps. We broke for tea and the raffle and continued with Scott Nichol accompanied

by Neil on piano and Scott G on drums. We then had a change of instrument with Denis Shepherd on mouthie and Stanley on piano. Last local band was Lynne Mciver on accordion, Susan on fiddle, Scott N on piano and Scott G on drums.

We had a very haunting slow air from Susan and Ian, and Ian then played his solo selection of tunes from the musical Edith Piaf which was really enjoyed

At the January meeting in Newington Club, compere Jack Murdoch welcomed and wished all a happy and healthy New Year. There was no guest band; instead it was an open evening and it was good to see so many turn up to play.

Bill Porter on drums and Ian Wilson on keyboard were there to back the players.

Les Hurst from Carlisle on accordion played some wellknown favourites that had the audience singing along. Ian Woods on fiddle accompanied

by John Douglas on accordion played Scandinavian polkas.

Jim Fraser with John Douglas on second box had the dancers on the floor for a Pride of Erin Waltz. With Graham Wood on drums, Norman Swainson played Paloma Blanca and She Taught Me to Yodel. David Bell

B&F • CLUB DIARY

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Club Diary March 2018 DATE

CLUB

GUEST ARTIST

VENUE

TIME

CONTACT

1

Crieff

Gold Brothers Trio

The British Legion, Crieff PH7 3EB

7.30 pm

Irene Anderson 01764 654 298

1

Galashiels

Club Night (Visitors welcome)

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

7.30 pm

Robert Cleland 01896 754 463

1

Isle of Skye

Sileas Sinclair Trio

The Royal Hotel, Portree IV51 9BU

7.30 pm

Linda Shaw 01478 611 122

1

Lewis and Harris

Club Night (Visitors welcome)

Caladh Inn, Stornoway HS1 2QN

8.00 pm

Janette MacIver 01851 704 870

1

Oban

Ian Smith

The Royal Hotel, Oban PA34 4BE

7.30 pm

Anne McFadyen 01631 562 077

1

Rothbury

Alan Small & Gemma Donald

Queens Head Hotel, Rothbury NE65 7SR

7.30 pm

Mary Davidson 01668 281 307

1

Turriff

Tom Orr Band

Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown AB53 5WJ

7.30 pm

Pat Steele 01888 562 486

4

Arbroath

Judith Linton (AGM)

Arbroath Artisan Golf Club, Elliot,

By Arbroath DD11 2PE

7.30 pm

Tony Simpson 01241 875 326

4

Clydesdale

Craigowl SDB

St Mary’s Club Rooms, Lanark ML11 7JS

2.00 pm

Shirley Cathcart 01555 661 017

4

Gretna

The Occasionals

The Solway Lodge Hotel, Gretna DG16 5DN

7.00 pm

Robin Waitt 01387 371 423

5

Thurso

George Rennie

Pentland Hotel, Thurso KW14 7AA

7.30 pm

Ian Wright 01847 892 050

6

Campsie

Marian Anderson SDB

Glazert Country House Hotel, Lennoxtown G66 7DJ

7.30 pm

Billy Hutton 07889 021 972

6

Fort William

Calum MacColl Trio

Railway Club, Inverlochy, Fort William PH33 6LY

7.30 pm

Alisdair MacDonald 01397 701 505

6

Islesteps

Leonard Brown Qrt

Locharbriggs Social Club, Locharbriggs DG1 1XS

7.30 pm

Ian Gray 01387 760 276

6

North East

Neil Dawson

Royal British Legion, Keith AB55 5EN

7.30 pm

Rory Smith 07769 801 996

6

Seghill

Club Night (Visitors welcome)

Seghill Comrades Club, Cramlington NE23 7TQ

7.00 pm

James Youngson 01670 356 410

7

Dingwall

Jim MacKay Band

National Hotel, Dingwall IV15 9HA

7.30 pm

Elspeth Weir 01349 877 675

7

Glenfarg

Jimmy Cassidy Duo

Glenfarg Village Hall, Glenfarg PH2 9NU

7.30 pm

Stewart Smith 01577 830 296

7

Montrose

Scott Carnegie Trio

Park Hotel, Montrose DD10 8RJ

7.30 pm

Ron Ramsay 01241 879 487

7

Orkney

Club Night (Visitors welcome)

The Reel, Kirkwall KW15 1KD

7.30 pm

Jim Marwick 01856 874 474

8

Button-Key (Windygates)

Billy Anderson Band

The Greig Institute, Windygates KY8 5DG

Mary Cook 01592 713 687

8

Carlisle

Anne Wilson

St Margaret Mary’s Social Club, Carlisle CA2 4JX

7.30 pm

Alison Davies 01228 675 505

8

Shetland

Club Night (Visitors welcome)

Shetland Hotel, Lerwick ZE1 0PW

7.00 pm

Peter Leask 01595 693 162

8

Stonehouse

Andrew Gibb

The Stonehouse Bowling Club, Stonehouse ML9 3 EB

7.00 pm

Margaret Hannay 01698 791 163

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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

St Magnus Centre

Live Music

7.30 pm - 10.00 pm

£4/£2

Door - All Welcome 01856 873 534

Orkney Dance Assoc.

Wednesday

Coupar Angus

St Anne’s Church Hall, Forfar Road

-

7.00 pm - 9.00 pm

£2.50

Tracy Thom 01828 628 747

Ceilidh Class

Wednesday

Glasgow

St Andrews in Square

Live Music

7.15 pm - 9.30 pm

£5.50 Bar

Door (Tricia Matthews) 01324 716 855

Ceilidh & Old Time Class

Wednesday

Garelochhead

Parish Church

-

2.00 pm - 4.00 pm

£2 (tea)

01436 671 089

Social Club

Wednesday

Stornoway

Primary School

-

7.00 pm - 9.00 pm

Janette Maciver 01851 704 870

Ceilidh & Old 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

£3

John Caskie 07711 573 071

Old Tyme Dance Class with Tuition tops 22nd March

Most Sundays

East Kilbride

Girl Guide Hall, Dundas Place

-

2.30-4.30pm 7.30-10pm

£2 (tea)

Door or tel 01355 230 134 or 245 052

Ceilidh & Old Time Club 01294 212 267

Ceilidh & Old Time Dances

March 2018

DATE

TOWN

HALL

BAND

TIME

COST

CONTACT

COMMENTS

9

Irvine

Volunteer Rooms

Roy Hendrie

7.30 pm - 11.00 pm

£7 BYOB

01292 440 073

Ayrshire Ceilidh KA12 0BA

9

Bridge of Earn

The Institute

Johnny Duncan

7.30 pm - 10.30 pm

£5 [No Bar]

07952 026 633

Pay at Door

9

Foulden

Village Hall

Robert Whitehead

7.30 pm - 11.30 pm

£6 No Bar

01289 386 400

Tea/Coffee available

10

Elderslie

Village Hall

John Carmichael

7.30 pm - 11.00 pm

£5/£4

01505 328 362

Also Singer & Piper PA5 9AS

10

Glen Douglas

Village Hall

Ian Cruickshanks

7.30 pm

£7 [BYOB]

07803 951 293

Own Supper (nr.

Jedburgh on A68)

10

Largoward

Village Hall

Keith Robertson

8.00 pm - 11.00 pm

£5 Tea

07961 437 615

Weekly Dance KY9 1HZ

10

Canonbie

Village Hall

Brian Griffin

7.30 pm - 11.30 pm

£6 B.Y.O.B.

07704 727 463

(own food) DG14 0UX

16

Dunkeld

Amulree Village

Tay Ceilidh Band

8.30 pm

£6 (supper)

07759 730 248

Pay at Door

17

Largoward

Village Hall

Ian Cruickshanks

8.00 pm - 11.00 pm

£5 Tea

07961 437 615

Weekly Dance KY9 1HZ

17

East Kilbride

Calderwood Hall

Steven Carcary Duo

7.30 pm - 11.30 pm

£6 tea/bisc.

01355 230 134

Highlanders Dance - BYOB

17

Inverness

Kirkhill C. Hall

Gordon Pattullo

8.00 pm - 12.00 mn

£5 Tea

01463 870 508

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

18

Montrose

Park Hotel

Steven Carcary

2.00 pm - 5.00 pm

£?

01241 879 487

A & F Club Sunday Ceilidh

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B&F • WWW.BOXANDFIDDLE.COM

Take The Floor I

t’s hard to believe that we are now in our 29th year of recording Take The Floor. Our first one was recorded in the old BBC studios at Queen Margaret Drive back in 1989.

I feel very fortunate to have played with so many top musicians over the years and the band on this session is no exception.

We have Jim Lindsay on second accordion, Gordon Smith on drums, Graham Berry on keyboard, Alison Smith on fiddle and adding another dimension to the band we have top guitar and banjo player Duncan Findlay.

It really is my privilege to play alongside these guys for what will be a very personal recording as all tunes on this session are my own. I only really started getting a taste for composing once I started my own band and created a full set of reels including Tam’s Rocking Fiddle,The Red Wine Reel and Billy’s Baldy Brushes all in the space of a couple of hours! A composer is always judged on whether the listening public and musicians enjoy the tunes and after receiving positive feedback from both it gave me the encouragement to carry on.

This has led to many more tunes being produced over the years and when Take the Floor producer, Jennifer Cruickshank, said she loved the idea of my band recording a session full of my own compositions I was honoured to oblige.

GORDON SHAND SDB This broadcast will cover a wide range of musical styles and also coincides with the release of Volume 2 of my own compositions, which will be available from 5th March 2018. l

03/03/18 – Gordon Shand SDB + Cara Dillon & Sam Lakeman 10/03/18 – Ewan Galloway SDB + Song Hour Dedicated To Mums 17/03/18 – Archive Session + Accordionesse Concert From Celtic Connections 24/03/18 – Compilation Programme + Inchyra Concert 31/03/18 – Full Scottish + Inchyra Band Competition

B&F • MARCH 2018

Reviews

43

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 Two Highland Lads Leonard Brown & His All Star Band LBCD010 Review by Derek Hamilton

The other day a CD popped through my letter box and I thought I’d let you know about it. It’s a vocal album of sheer delight!

The Two Highland Lads is the debut CD of two young men from the Perth area, Liam Bonthorne and Kenneth Maciver. The lads are both excellent singers, with Liam, a tenor, being in his final year of study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, while Kenneth, a rich baritone, is continuing his vocal studies in Holland.

The whole idea for this very relaxing, easy listening CD was sponsored by Leonard Brown.

Leonard, in so much of his work, is responsible for the backing arrangements and production on the album. As usual, as in all his projects, attention to detail is obvious. Leonard does nothing by half measure. He immerses himself totally in every project he sponsors. His All Star Band produces a wonderful backdrop for the lads on this varied content CD. Liam Stewart is perfection on piano. Duncan Findlay is a guru of guitar and banjo, John Sinton just shines on bass and

”

A real highlight is their rendition of Amazing Grace with 16-year-old Kyle Rowan

”

Malcolm Ross is revered for his immaculate drumming.

Liam and Kenneth don’t confine themselves to Scottish songs, although there is a fair smattering of well-known and popular airs.

The CD includes The Song of the Clyde, The Midges, Down in the Glen, Misty Islands, a bothy ballad medley and tributes to the West Coast, Sir Harry Lauder, Francie and Josie and Jimmy Shand. This is all popular stuff performed in a graceful, endearing style. A real highlight is their rendition of Amazing Grace with 16-year-old Kyle Rowan on the great Highland bagpipe joining the band. Adding to the

variety we are treated to Blaze Away, O Sole Mio, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square and Consider Yourself - also Java Jive and Beautiful Dreamer, those performed by a barber shop quartet led by Liam Bonethrone.

Leonard Brown says, “These lads are great singers and deserve a step up on the ladder towards stardom. I hope this will give them just that.” I couldn’t agree more! It is a wonderful album and I hope it’s the first rung of success for two up and coming stars of our music scene.

The CD is available from www. leonardbrownaccordion.co.uk or by phoning Leonard on 07758 723355.

You can see the lads and Leonard and the band in the Leonard Brown Show in the Buccleuch Centre, Langholm (29th April); the Eden Court, Inverness (5th May); or The Maltings Theatre, Berwick (3rd June). The Langholm and Berwick shows are at 2pm and the Inverness event is at 7.30pm.

☛