Our November Concert
At our November concert Bernard Belshaw started the night with great performances of Spanish Gypsy Dance, Overhead The Moon Is Shining, Nessun Dorma, Blaze Away, You Made Me Love You, Blue Tango, This Is My Song, Face The Music And Dance, Dambusters and How Wonderful To Know. Rebecca then had the job of following Bernard, she played Moon River and My Wild Irish Rose. Our Guest Artist Harry Hussey then took to the stage to commence his first spot of the evening. Harry started with the familiar accordion piece Blue Bell Polka, this was followed by Poor Butterfly and Alexanders Ragtime Band. Harry then left the stage and started to walk round the room taking requests and serenading people in the audience. The songs requested (and played) were So In Love With You, Peg O’My Heart, In The Mood, Moonlight Serenade, The Whistler And His Dog, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Blue Moon, Laura, Girl Talk, Cuckoo Waltz, Under The Bridges Of Paris, The Fields Of Athenry, Love Is A Many Spendoured Thing, No Regrets, Autumn Leaves, Rose Of Tralee, If You Love Me, Midnight In Moscow, Galway Bay, Twelfth St Rag, Canadian Capers, Black and White Rag, Swedish Rapsody, Nola, The Wild Rover, Teddy Bears Picnic, Roll Out The Barrel, I Will Always Love You and Windmills Of You Mind. After this mammoth list of requests (all of which were played by Harry) it was time for the break. There was plenty of chat and socialising in the break, but I had to stop the break in order to get the second half started. After the break we started with Colin Ensor playing Charmaine and Conquest Of Paradise. Our next player was Sara Daly who agreed to play just one tune because we had enjoyed such a long first half, that we were running out of time, she played Norwegian Waltz. Because of the time problem I then just played one tune, it was Plaisir D’Amour with Rebecca playing the second part. It was now time for Harry to come back for the second half which this time was on the stage. Harry started his second session with Dark Island (which had been requested in the break), then the requests were shouted out, in response to the requests Harry then played Gold and Silver Waltz, Making Whoopee, South Rampart Street Parade, Misty, Love Letters In The Sand, Stormy Weather, The Harry Lime Theme, The Entertainer, Tico Tico, When I Take My Baby To Tea, It’s A Long Way To Tipperary, Goodbye Dolly Gray, All The Nice Girls, The Impossible Dream, Walking My Baby Back Home, I’ll Build A Stairway To Paradise, Fascinating Rhythm, Lullyby Of Birdland, Take Five, Summertime, A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square, Old Comrades and Some Day. This great concert night finished at 11.20 and a great night was had by all.
David Batty
This Wednesday
This Wednesday is our annual christmas party where we have a jacobs join, for those who are not familiar with the term, this is where we each bring some food along, then we all tuck in to a combined feast. People normally bring along some pork pies, sandwiches, crisps, cakes or other kinds of nibbles to contribute to the feast. The food will be placed on the tables at the back of the club while we get the concert started. Once the food is uncovered and ready to eat we just tuck in. Once food is out the normal format is that you DO NOT have to keep quiet while people are playing, please chat and socialise. Some people are relying on you not looking at them while they play so please do walk round and socialise, talking is positively encouraged at our December concert/party. Our Christmas do is a special event in that other instruments are welcome on stage, if you play something else then consider bringing that along. Doors open at 7.30 for an 8pm start.
Bring Another Talent – Jacob Join
Our next concert is a Jacobs Join, this is where we all bring along some pork pies, sandwiches, cakes, things on sticks or something else to tuck in to. We put the food on tables at the back of the club and have a normal concert concert night while the food is laid out. Once the food is ready we then have an open stage, this means that when someone finishes playing, the next person who chooses to go up and play just takes to the stage, without announcements. The players play while while everyone else tucks in to the food. This is a different format to our normal night and as such is ideal for new players to ‘have a go’, for players to try something new or untested, for new duos to form to see what happens and for people to walk round and talk to people they dont normally speak to. This is also a night where you bring you’re other talents along and do a spot on stage, theres no need to worry about people listening too hard because this is also a night where people are encouraged to talk and socialise while people are playing on stage, so hopefully many people will only be half listening to you. If you sing, play the banjo, keyboard or any other instrument then why not bring it along and show us your other talent. This is the last time you will see the others before 2012. Lets have a party.
Carols By Candlelight
Herald Christmas in the most elegant way with this joyous concert of carols and seasonal classics presented with all the grace and charm of the 18th Century in an evocative candle – lit style setting. Performed by Mosart Festival Orchestera in full 18th Century costume they will be playing pieces from Corelli, Handel, Cullen, Pearsall and Bach the orchestera will also be perfoming carols including Hark! the herald angels sing, Good King Wenceslas The first Nowell, God rest you merry, gentlemen, Once in royal David’s city, O little town of Bethlehem and more The concert is on the 23rd December at the Guild Hall, Tickets are £24.50 for more information telephone 01772 203456 or visit www.prestonguildhall.com
Charlie Watkins Receives Award
Industry veteran and audio pioneer Charlie Watkins received the API Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s PLASA event. The British engineer became known as the ‘Godfather of modern PA’ for his groundbreaking approach to loudspeakers and PA for outdoor rock events. Having established his own company, Watkins Electric Music, in 1949, he found fame in the 60s and 70s when ‘WEM’ PA systems in the kilowatt range became standard for British festivals, such as the Isle of Wight Festival and Glastonbury. On receiving his award, Watkins commented: “I was surprised and delighted to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, especially as I have thoroughly enjoyed and still enjoy working with such lovely groups of musicians, engineers and road managers, over the past 70 years. I hope to continue my life inventing and working with such people for many years to come.”
Happy Christmas
We would like to take the opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, We hope you have had a great time at the club over the year and at the final December Concert/Party/Jacobs Join this Wednesday, we look forward to seeing you on Wednesday and then it will be 2012 before we see each other again!
New Accordion Tutor Book
Karen Tweed and Dave Mallins have relased a new Tutor book called “The Piano Accordion Absolute Beginners”A book for adults who don’t have the luxury of a teacher. Crammed to bursting with, piano accordion tuition, tunes and information about traditional music. It’s a combination of a tutor and a tune book, with realistic expectations. The books chapters include The Piano Accordion, The Treble Keyboard, The Right Hand Keys, The, Key of C Major, The Key of G Major, 4/4 Time, The Musical Ladder, The Cycle of Fifths, The Left Hand Buttons, Both Hands Together, The Three Chord Trick, Traditional Music, Single Reels and Polkas, The Key of D Major, Minor Chords, 3/4 Time, Waltzes and Mazurkas, Seventh Chords, 6/8 Time, Single Jigs, Military Two-Steps, Alternating Bass Technique, The Key of E Minor, Slip Jigs and Slides and more the book includes 56 Easy to learn tunes such as Bobby Shaftoe, Winster Processional, Donkey Riding, Shepherds’ Hey, Shave the Donkey, Young Collins, Banbury Bill, The Rose Tree, Winster Gallop, Nelly Bligh and more. The book is available from amazon http://amzn.to/2sVaJS6. The book costs £9.95
New Years Eve on the Isle of Bute
Once again there’ll be a sassenach invasion on the Isle of Bute for Hogmany as Steve Roxton has been booked to perform over the New Year period at The Glenburn Hotel, Mount Stuart Rd Rothesay following a very successful performance at the same venue last year. Theres a full show with Scottish Pipers Scottish Dancers, and Scottish singers one of whom is from the Zavaroni family ( Remember Lena Zavaroni) who have many businesses on the island and of course one English accordionist/vocalist Steve Roxton showing the Scottish how to party at New Year 🙂
A Gypsy Life For Me
A Gypsy Life For Me is a new television series that is being shown on Bio (Sky 156, Virgin 242) The show is based on the Britains got Talent format, the competition is called Travellers got talent, local Accordionist 15 Year old Nancy Petulengro competed in the Winsford show and came 2nd, this qualified her to go into the final. Nancy has been playing the Accordion since the age of 3. The show is on Tuesday Nights at 9pm on Bio Channel.