Leyland Accordion Club - 10th June 1998
Our June meeting opened with Chick Stephens and his magic accordion, Chick started with After All These Years, Old Flames and Bunch of Thyme before ending with Dark Isle. Next up was Frank Scholes who provided us with renditions of Peggy O'Neil, Have You Ever Been Lonely, Little Old Wine Drinking Me and Pretty Woman. Frank gives up his time to play for the Amounderness Ladies Morris Dancing Team but is looking for an accordionist to help out, see the other side of this newsletter if you are interested. Tom Bennett was next to entertain us with A Whiter Shade of Pale which he said was being played from a very faded piece of music, I haven't tried that excuse yet - I must remember it. He followed this with 59th St Bridge Song and ended with Ballad Pour Adeline. Tom has been practicing his left hand technique and it is showing, I used to wind him up whenever he came to my house, by playing tunes on the left hand as well as the right hand, this was because whenever Tom played right hand he always seemed to leave fingers behind while continuing with the tune and the only way I could keep up with him was on the left hand. Now he is practicing and getting better with his left hand I had better start learning to sing. Let nobody say that accordion clubs don't encourage improvement! I just hope he doesn't start dancing while he is playing otherwise I give up. Ian Carter followed Tom, he giving us Barren Rocks of Aden followed by Lovely Bunch of Coconuts, this was the piece at the top of my playlist, I had decided that nobody would play it so I practiced it for a whole week. I don't think it matters if the same tune is played by two or more people on the same night because we all have our own personality in our music, this is what makes music human and interesting. I believe that if dots were meant to be read and played strictly one way and without any personal interpretation or embellishments then we might as well put a computer at the front of the club and listen to that. Ian continued with Teribus, Tinkers Waltz, Isle of Capri and finally finishing with Jacqueline Waltz. Jean Southern followed with Belle Fiore, Oslo Waltz, Soiree Parisienne and finishing with Tyroleon Accordion. Our resident accordion and keyboard duo Jay and Jeff Ward were on next, Jay has just bought a new keyboard, (not that she needs one, she sounds good now), this keyboard has, amongst its millions of instruments, an accordion. This is not just one accordion sound, but a whole bag-full, you can even see a picture of the accordion on the colour screen while you are playing and what's more you can choose which couplers you are using by selecting the couplers on screen, I tried to sneak it out of her house but she was on to me. Once she has mastered it I am sure Jay will bring it to the club and let you hear how much it sounds like an accordion, oh nearly forgot, Jeffs' a good player too. He told us he did not play keyboard, then proceeded to put a pianist to shame. Jay and Jeff gave us Barcarolle, Pennies from Heaven, All of Me and Speak Softly Love. Andrew Figg made his debut appearance at Leyland Accordion Club playing Amour Amour, Dance of the Puppets, Somewhere My Love and Luci E Ombre. Another new player was Bill Agnew who plays a lively accordion, Bill played La Paloma, Cuckoo Waltz, You Can't Be True Dear, Mocking Bird Hill, If Your Irish and many many more, many of the tunes Bill said he did not know the title but he certainly knew how to play them, I felt tired watching him. Robert Hood who has just joined the Internet society was next with Inspiring Hope, Nichola, Memory and Band Boys which was a tune he heard on his Will Starr cassette, the music of which is out of print. Robert spoke to that well known accordionist Gary Blair who gave him a contact in Scotland who could get it for him, the end result we heard at the club. Basil Berry followed Robert with Moon River, Days of Wine and Roses, Charade, A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square, A Man and a Woman before ending with the Panorama Theme. I was next with A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts, followed by two others which escape me. It was now 10.45 and just time for another first time player Ken Hartley to give us March of the Accordion De Lyon, Beethovens Sonata in G, All The Things You Are and the Happy Mountaineers. Jay and Jeff Ward took us to 11pm and hometime. I look forward to meeting you on Wednesday 8th July when Johnny Coleclough promises to make us think about the kind of tunes we play on the accordion. Keep Practicing.
Jean Southern
Frank Scholes
Chick Stephens
Leyland Accordion Club Tape and CD
Last month I announced that some of our regular players were to be included in a Cassette and CD which will probably be called "Leyland Accordion Club 1998". Recordings have now started and things are looking promising. The players are currently practicing their pieces and I am producing test recordings to determine the optimum sound quality we can expect. The accordion is not an easy instrument to record and I intend to produce recordings that almost sound like the player is in the room with you. Once the final tracks are recorded the work starts on mixing. The ratio of mixing time to recording time is probably about 10:1 but the results will be worth it in the end. Expect the release date to be our club night in November, just in time for Christmas.
Our Internet Website
Our Internet Website had had 3605 visitors as at 4th July 1998, five hundred visitors since last month. Just this week I managed to link the audio up so that our players can be heard anywhere in the world by simply clicking on their photograph. I asked for anyone looking at the site to have a listen and let me know what they think. One of the replies was from our own Robert Hood who is now wired up for Internet access. All the reports I received have said that the sound quality is very good. I will use this feature to provide a variety of music from consenting members of the club, people can listen to this wherever they are in the world. My next plan is to ask our guest artists (forthcoming and previous) if they will allow one or two pieces to be included on our website, this will give the world a flavour of their music. Whilst visitors read the newsletter they can click on the artists photograph and listen to their music at the same time. On 2.7.98 we received an e-mail message from Inge Schultz who has been watching our activities, which started as follows:- This is just wonderful to see and visit your web site. I would love to start a club here in Black Diamond, Washington, USA. It is inspiring to hear how you support one another. Inge Schultz went on to say that that she has been inspired to start playing the accordion again, she stopped after two bad accidents prevented her from playing. Inge would like me to pass on to the club members that "no matter how long ago you played, if you have an accordion then get it out and start playing", she says that "It does wonders for the long lost soul". It's good to know that we are making a difference in the World. Thanks for your letter Inge. The site also features the wrap around photograph taken at last months club night, I joined the photographs together to give visitors to the site a view of the inside of the club looking from the players position. This gives our website visitors a feeling that they have visited our club, they can even listen to our music while they look round the room.
Accordion World Issue 2 Released
Accordion World issue 2 is out this week, I will bring my copy down to the club for inspection along with forms for those of you interested in subscribing to this magazine.
Accordion For Sale
Royal Standard 120 Bass accordion for sale £240 4 voice, 9/4 couplers, Musette Tuned. Ring David on 01772 454328 or try it at the club on Wednesday.
Accordion CD Worth Buying
If you like accordion CD's or would like to buy a good one as a present, then I can recommend 'Accordion Favourites' by Claude Piaf. The performances on the CD are very well done and include the following songs:- La Vie en Rose, Lili Marlene, Lambada, Spanish Eyes, Lara's Theme, Valencia, Never on a Sunday, Memories Are Made of This, Moonlight Shadow and many more. This CD is produced by Hallmark Serial No. 301572. The best bit is it costs just £2.99.
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Caister Accordion Festival 13th-16th Novemeber 1998
The Caister Accordion Festival on 13th -16th Nov 98 is now taking bookings, for £119 per adult full board from Friday to Monday you can enjoy a well run accordion festival. Ring Loretta on 01501 820910 for more details, or phone me on 01772 454328 and I will bring you a booking form to the club on Wednesday.
Only Joking!!!
I'm not a bad accordionist, it's simply that my mate has broken one of the keys on my accordion and he won't tell me which one!
The Accordion on TV
Last month I gave you a list of TV programs and films that the accordion featured on courtesy of Frank Marocco. Some said to me that they had watched a film from that list a few times and did not remember an accordion being in it. The reason for this is that Frank Marocco uses a MIDI accordion and simply keeps the reeds quiet, this means he can provide music that sounds like a small orchestra while commanding a fee for only one person. Other films and TV programs that feature Frank on the accordion playing either the theme tune and/or the incidental music include: Blues Brothers, Edward Scissorhands, Last Of The Mohicans, The Muppet Movie, Rocky III, Sleepless In Seattle, Quantum Leap, Star Trek, Happy Days, Hart to Hart, The Waltons, General Hospital, Grease II, Schindler's List, Hot Shots 2, Back To The Future II & III, War and Rememberance, Murder, She Wrote and LA Law. Frank does not simply sit with his accordion amongst a large orchestra, on many of these he IS the orchestra. More programs from Franks CV in next months newsletter.
Accordion Player Wanted
Jeanette Postlewhite is looking for an accordionist who is willing to help the Amounderness Ladies Morris Dancing Team. In winter they practice at Sacred Heart School in Preston, in summer they attend fete's and fairs, usually on Saturdays. The music is easy folk type music, Frank Scholes is the normal player for this group but another accordionist to share the playing would help a lot. Ring Frank on 01772 712497
Accordion Tutorial!
Q: How does an accordionist get a G7 A: join with three accordion friends and all play middle C
Forthcoming Club Nights
Our Forthcoming 1998 Club Nights 8th July 1998 Johnny Coleclough 12th August 1998 Local Players 9th September 1998 Tom Alexander 14th October 1998 Local Players 11th November 1998 Steve Roxton 9th December 1998 Christmas Dinner