Our May Concert
At our May concert, Tom Bennett started the night playing Moonlight Serenade and I Know Why & So Do You. Colin Ensor was our next player playing Please, More Than You Know, Pigalle and At The Balalaika. It was now time for our guest artist Harry Hussey to take to the stage. His performance is driven by the requests shouted out by the audience. He took requests and then entertained us with How High The Moon, But Beautiful, La Vie-En-Rose, Charade, As Time Goes By, Love Me Or Leave Me, Lullaby Of Broadway, Laras Theme, String Of Pearls and Tea for Two. Harry was then joined by Andrew Seddon on the keyboard, they then gave us renditions of Ama Pola, Spanish Eyes and Satin Doll. As Andrew returned to his seat, Harry continued on his own playing Stardust, Paper Roses, Summertime and The Song Is You. Leading up to the end of his first half, Harry was joined by Alan Venn on the keyboard. They played It’s Only A Paper Moon, Chanson D’Amour, Red Rose For A Blue Lady and April Showers. The first half then finished with Harry playing the solo piece – Up A Lazy River. After the break, Bernard Belshaw started the second half with You Make Me Feel So Fine, The Girl From Ipanema, ‘Allo’Allo and Blaze Away. Myself and Rebecca Parker then played the duet Plaisir D’Amour before handing the stage back to Harry Hussey so he could continue his second half. Harry’s second spot started with Autum Leaves, When I Take My Baby To Tea, Roses Of Picady and Sweet Georgia Brown. The requests from the audience were now coming thick and fast, and included C’est Si Bon, Midnight In Moscow, Samantha, Pennsylvania 65000, Chicago, Polka Dots and Sunbeams, America – Maria, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, Perfidia, At Last, Elmer’s Tune, Where Or When, Days Of Wine And Roses, Whistler And His Dog, Return To Sorrento, Blue Tango, Hernando’s Hideaway, Rose Of Tralee, Take The A Train, Laura, Charmaine, My Diane, Always, After You’ve Gone and finally to finish at 11.10pm we got the Dam Busters’ March. It had been a fantastic night of entertainment and, after requests from the audience to bring him back soon, I promised that I would rebook Harry to play for us within a year. We all left the club about 11.30pm.
David Batty
Caister Festival Move
The long established accordion festival held at Haven Holiday Park, Caister, Norfolk, moves 3 miles down the road to Seacroft Holiday Village, November 14th to 17th. The new venue offers excellent facilities, full board, full table service, and a choice of accommodation. The chief guest artistes will be the Lars Ek Hot Trio, from Sweden, with many more guests to be announced. ‘Accordions International 2008’ continues a popular tradition of pre-Christmas festivals in the East Anglia region founded in 1986 by the late Malcolm Gee. The present organiser is Heather Smith. For further information email: heather@accordions.karoo.co.uk
Professional Selling Two Accordions
120 bass 4 voice Piermaria Piano Accordion in black with full midi in excellent condition with soft carrying case. Musette tuned with 11 treble and 5 bass couplers. Also has treble and bass mikes fitted. £1800 ono. Also For Sale is a 120 bass 4 voice Marrinucci Piano Accordion in black with case. Plays fine but would benefit from a service. 11 treble and 3 bass couplers £375 ono. These accordions belong to a professional player in Leeds. Telephone Chris on 07747 025995
This Wednesday
This Wednesday is one of our local players concerts which feature talent from our own club members. These are very relaxed entertaining nights and are great for allowing our own members the chance to be the stars of the stage. Please remember to bring an accordion if you have one and maybe give us a tune?
Doors open at 7.30 for an 8pm start. Make sure you turn up early for a good seat. Please bring your family and friends. I will see you on Wednesday. David Batty
Travelling Folk
Archie Fisher’s Travelling Folk is on BBC Radio Scotland (Sky Channel 0116) on Thursday 26th June 2008 from 20:05 to 22:00. This 1 hour and 55 minutes long programme features the best of folk music old and new.
Guest Artist Booked
I have booked Stefan Andrusyschyn as our guest artist for the 16th of July 2008. I have not booked anyone for September yet but I do have Barry Graham for November. I will book a September guest artist soon so we are sorted out until January 2009.
Brief Encounter
Due to it being a local venue and a very famous film, I thought you might want to know about a programme called Railway Lives. This is on the Discovery Real Time Channel (Sky Channel 250) on Saturday 21st June 2008 from 12:00 to 12:30. Marking the 60th anniversary of Brief Encounter, Tony Francis travels to Lancashire to join a specially run steam trip packed with film buffs.
Lostock Hall Traditions Festival
The Traditions Festival Including Newburgh Morris Weekend of Dance is held on June 27th – 29th 2008 at Lostock Hall Community High School, Todd Lane North, Lostock Hall, Preston. Further details are available from Ken and Angie Bladen on 01257 263678 or visit www.madontrad.org.uk/ on the Internet.
Irish Button Accordion DVD
‘Learn To Play Irish Button Accordion’, by John Williams, originally issued on VHS, is now available on DVD. This DVD is a complete guide to learning traditional diatonic 2-row Irish button accordion, teaching beginners basics like holding the accordion, first scales, bass notes and other fundamentals, as well as more complex techniques such as how to add ornamentation and colour, drone-like chords, fingering positions and bellows movement. With five repertoire pieces to learn and master, this DVD enables the student to begin playing and to develop a technique. American-born John Williams is a former All Ireland Champion on both Anglo concertina and two-row button accordion, and this DVD is a companion to a previously issued video/DVD for Irish-style concertina players. For further information email: info@musicroom.com
Accordion Wanted
Wanted old Red or Grey Two Row Paolo Soprani Button Accordion Doesnt matter what the condition is contact mac123@eircom.net.
Irish Folk Music Programme
The Radio 1 Music Collection on RTÉ Europe (Sky Channel 0142) on Wednesday 2nd July 2008 from 21:02 to 21:55, is described as a sharp ear and a close eye on the world of traditional and folk music in Ireland.
Singing Tuition Programme
Teachers TV (Sky Channel 880) on Tuesday, 1st July 2008 from 16:00 to 16:45. This 45 minute long programme is called How Do They Do It in South Africa? The UK’s National Ambassador for Singing, Howard Goodall, visits three primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal to learn how they celebrate and use their children’s love of singing across the curriculum.
Fleetwood Tram Festival
This festval, which this year is held on the 20th of July 2008, is well worth visiting. The day has Vintage tram rides from Fisherman’s Walk to Thornton Gate, Cleveleys and return. This Festival has been in existence for over twenty years. Fleetwood is the only Town in England with Trams running down its main street. It quickly developed into the huge event that it is today. It is a Transport Festival, a Fun Day and also a day when Charity stalls literally collect tens of thousands of pounds. The event is self-funding. The bulk of the income comes from local businesses, charity stalls and trade stands. The main outgoings are road closures, bands, entertainers, plaques to all entrants, printing, postage, communications, first aid and insurance. The Committee members are all Volunteers. You will see a large, loud and colourful gathering of town criers from all parts of the country. There will be Charity Stalls Military Displays, St John Ambulance, Model Railway Exhibition. A Miniature Railway will run along Mount Street and Adelaide Street.Kiddies Funfairs, Rides will be in abundance, look out for the attractions in Euston Gardens, Adelaide Street and Styan Street. A popular attraction for the kids is the giant slide at Fisherman’s Walk. There will also be Amusements in London Street. There will be a wide variety – bands of every description, dancers, singers, etc. Coupled with these entertainers, will be a large group of town criers who will be announcing the various attractions throughout the day. See www.fleetwoodtransportfestival.co.uk for further details and a wide range of photos of past festivals.
Saturday Training Workshops
I am looking for a list of people interested in attending 3 Saturday training workshops in The Priory Club before the end of August. These will feature accordion tuition, tips, stories and a great day out on each of the three Saturdays. The days will be led by a professional who has been one of our guest artists. Please let me know on Wednesday night if you are interested in attending. I will have a piece of paper by the door for you to put your name down as ‘interested’.
Fylde Folk Festival
The Fylde Folk Festival will be held in Fleetwood over the weekend 0f 29th, 30th and 31st August. The festival is recognised to be one of the great celebrations of Folk Music, Song and Dance. With new venues for 2008 and with over three hundred performers, musicians and dancers, providing three full days of entertainment. Weekend Tickets are £53 (if booked from 1st April – 30th June 2008) and £56 (if booked from 1st July onwards). Session Tickets from only £7.50. Children under 11yrs are Free. Children 11 – 16 yrs half price. Contact the BOX OFFICE FYLDE 2008, Marine Hall, Esplanade, Fleetwood, Lancs FY7 6HF Tel 01253 770547 or book online at www.marinehall.co.uk
All major credit/debit cards accepted. Cheques payable to: Wyre Borough Council. Festival Office is 55 The Strand, Fleetwood, Lancashire FY7 8NP. Tel 01253 872 317 / 01253 852832 Fax 01253 878 382. email : alanbell@fylde-folk-fest.demon.co.uk