Our August Concert

Our August concert started with David Rigby playing Snow Waltz, In the Good Old Summertime, The Spinning Wheel, Highland Cathedral, Daisy Bell, After The Ball Is Over, Whispering Hope, The Old Rugged Cross, Amazing Grace, Sailors Horn Pipe and Now Is The Hour. Kevin Bargen then played Believe Me If All Those Endearing Charms, Plaisir D’Amour, The Triple Reel (a tune Kevin used to play this at The Irish Centre in Liverpool, No one knows the proper title), Kevin continued with Fields of Athenry, Home On The Range, Scotland The Brave, Barren Rocks Of Aden and 100 Pipers and All. Tom Bennett was next, he played La Cumparsita, Ecstasy, Jealousy, Hernandos Hideaway, Help Me Make It Through The Night, Nessun Dorma, Funicule Funiculi, Sorrento, Umbrellas Of Cherbourg, Shadows Of Paris, Maigret, Whiter Shade Of Pale and Solitaire. John Lennox played Skibereen, Biddy Mulligan, Mountains Of Mourne, Slievenamon and The Green Glens Of Antrim. It was my turn to play, I started with Cruising Down The River, then continued with I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles, Old Bull and Bush, Lassie From Lancashire, Yorkshire Girl, A Gordon For Me, I Belong To Glasgow, Keep Right On, Black Mask Waltz, Oslo Waltz, Whispering Hope, American Patrol, Black Velvet Band, Sailors Hornpipe and Magic Roundabout. Our next player was Bernard Belshaw who played How Wonderful You Are, Where Or When, Spanish Gypsy Dance, Thunderbirds Are Go, Blue Tango, You Make Me Feel So Young, Blaze Away, Allo Allo, The Radetzky March, Moonlight Serenade and The Dambusters Theme. It was almost the end of the night as Graham Driver took to the stage and played Weasel’s Revenge, Lovely Nancy, Caroline’s Waltz and A Walk In The Country. With just ten minutes to go, I finished off the night with Triste Sourire, Plasir D’Amour, Alpine Ski Run. We had enjoyed a very entertaining night courtesy of our local players, we had some good laughs and some great socialising, roll on the next concert.

David Batty

This Wednesday

This Wednesday we have a guest artist concert featuring Ken Astin. Ken last played for us in July 2004 (see separate story about ken). I hope you can make it to the club to welcome Ken back, he has been working out of the country but has now returned to Blackpool. Hopefully now we won’t have to wait so long in future to be able to get him back at the club. Ken is also well known as an organist and has recorded an accordion CD with Harry Hussey. He is a very versatile musician and I know you will find he plays some great pieces. The Doors open at 7.30 for an 8pm start. Please let your friends know about this event and if you have an accordion then please bring it along as there are always a few spots before each half for local players to show their talents. If you have not been at the club for a while becuase of holidays etc. then it will be nice if you can make it down for this concert. I look forward to seeing you there.

Harry Hussey

Harry Hussey is our guest artist for January 2010, He is celebrating his 80’th birthday by trying to visit all the accordion clubs he has played at over the years.

 

Houghton Weavers

The Houghton Weavers have a bunch of new tour dates, I know some of you go to their concerts so here is their current list of forthcoming concerts. There will be more to add to this list as time goes by, you can get the up to date list on their website, visit www.houghtonweavers.co.uk and click on Tour Dates. Remember that they always do a great concert with a brass band at Preston Guild Hall a few days before Christmas.

September 2009
18th Village Hall, Borwick, Nr Carnforth Sheila Barnes 01524 720067
19th Warrington (with warrington Male Voice Choir) 01606 42181
26th J.J.B.Stadium, Robin Park, Wigan. 01942 770 475

October 2009
Saturday 3rd Middlewich, Royal British Legion,01606 833 434
Saturday 10th Mawdesley Village Hall, L40 2QT 01704 822 568
Saturday 17th St. Annes, Our Lady Star Of The Sea 01253 729 718
Saturday 24th Chorlton-Cum Hardy 0161 747 0717
Saturday 31st Barbon Village Hall, Cumbria 01524 276 343

November 2009
Sunday 1st Burnley Mechanics-Afternoon gig 2.30 01282 664 411
Saturday 7th Lowton Civic Hall, Hesketh Meadow Lane, Lowton. Warrington, WA3 2AJ tel: 01942 602 737
Saturday 14th Rochdale, Gracie Fields Theatre. box office 01706 716 689 or telephone Phil Beck 01457 872 459
Friday 20th Rainford NE Rec. Club, Bushy Lane 01744 884633
Saturday 21st Didsbury, St. Catherines
Thursday 26th Walkden, Longley Road Club, M28 3JA. Contact Bill Taylor on 0161 790 2446, Lancashire Day celebration
Friday 27th Prestwich, The Longfield Suite. 0161 253 7227
Saturday 28th Congleton, High School, Box Lane, 07836 362364

 

Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Festival

The 22nd annual Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Festival takes place from Thursday October 8th to Monday October 12th. The guest artistes include the Andrew Gibb Trio, Cameron Kellow Trio, Craigowl Scottish Dance Band, David Vernon (accordion) and Dick Lee (clarinet), Ian Hutson SDB, Ian Shepherd Trio, Jim Gold SDB, John Bone, Karen Ferguson, Roya MacLean, Kate McNamara (Ireland), Lomond Ceilidh Band, Michael Philip SDB, Robert Menzies, Scott Leslie Trio, Scott Nichol SDB, and Stri Torn (Norway). For further information email: info@shetlandaccordionandfiddle.com

 

Hal Mason

Hal Mason now has 35 Videos on the Internet website YouTube showing him playing a wide variety of accordion pieces. If you like nice playing then visit his page at www.youtube.com/1halmason and turn your volume up.

 

Mary Hall

Well done to one of our members Mary Hall, Mary won a prize for writing her own song. She entered The Uk Songwriting Contest and was judged in the Pop category where she got first place. The contest has a website at www.songwritingcontest.co.uk where you can see Mary in the 2009 results, she is at number 1 position in the pop category with her song What Would It Be Like.

 

Forth Bridges Accordion Band Charity Evening

To celebrate ‘Homecoming 2009’, The Forth Bridges Accordion Band, based in South Queensferry, near Edinburgh, will hold a charity evening on Saturday September 19th. The evening, at South Queensferry Primary School, 8pm until midnight, will consist of a tattoo style concert, battle of the bands contest, and a Family Ceilidh. Proceeds from this event will be split between band funds and Birth Tay (An IVF Treatment Unit) at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.
Before the evening event, at 5pm, there will be a marching bands parade along the High Street to Rose Lane, where it will return back along the same route. 15 bands are likely to take part in this parade.
For further information email: accordionband@hotmail.com

 

Download Videos of Coupe Mondiale 2009

Available from the Coupe Mondiale website are downloads of video from all the 2009 Coupe Mondiale competition. Every contestants performance is available for €55. You download the files to your computer and watch at your leisure as often as you want. This is useful for teachers and students wanting to learn more about the Coupe Mondiale competition and the repertoire performed. Full details are on the Coupe Mondiale website. www.coupemondiale.org

 

Steve Roxton

Steve is back on Talk Sport radio playing the accordion before each England game, this week he played Singing In The Rain after having a short dialogue with the presenters. He can normally be found at the end of the Hawksbee and Jacobs show prior to any England football match, you can tune in on 1089/1053 AM. Steve also has been adding videos of himself playing the accordion to the YouTube website, he currently has 5 videos you can watch online, you can see his videos at www.youtube.com/Accroxsta

 

Ken Astin – This Wednesday

Our guest artist this wednesday is Ken Astin, Ken last played for us on 21st July 2004. Kens repertoire on that night included tunes like This Masquerade, I’m In The Mood For Love, La Cumparsita, Nola and A Night In Montmartre.Wave, Desifinado, Watch What Happens, Trish Trash Polka, El Choclo. The Boulevard Of Broken Dreams and the accordion standard Bel Viso.

 

Charles Magnante DVD

Charles Magnante (1905-86), born in New York, his exceptional artistry did much to raise the image of the accordion in the USA and overseas. His recordings, compositions and arrangements are still held in high regard for their unrivalled quality. Magnante performed both as a soloist and as leader of his own quartet.A unique DVD is now available, featuring 5 numbers played by the Charles Magnante Quartet. The pieces performed include Waltz A La Accordion, Tantalizin, Andalucia, Sweet Sue, and Dance of the Spanish Onion. These films were made in 1946, and are known as ‘soundies’ (an early version of the music video). The line up is Charles Magnante – accordion, George Wright on electronic organ and piano, Jack Smith on electric guitar, and Eugene Ettore on string bass. George Wright went on to become one of America’s foremost theatre organists, and Eugene Ettore found fame as an accordionist, composer and arranger. For further information email: robaccord5@hotmail.com