While we are unable to meet we continue to look back at the start of the club. This is the write up from the Seventeenth meeting of the club on the 10th February 1999.
Jay and Jeff Ward opened our February meeting with Gaylardo and many other tunes. Jeff has now put his reeds back in the left hand side of his accordion, you may remember he took them out to make the accordion lighter so that he could continue playing after he came out of hospital. Next up was Basil Berry, Basil has played later in
the evening at the last couple of club nights and, because I never stop anyone from going over their time, he has only had about 3 minutes at each meeting. Basil did not complain about this but I felt bad about it, so this month I made sure that he was the first soloist to make up for this poor treatment and I told him to take as long as he required. In future I will ask anyone with 15 or 20 minutes of material to play half of it, and then, if there is time later in the evening, to come up and
play a second spot. Basil started off with Moonlight Serenade, At Last, and the Girl From Ipponema, he was warmed up now and was on a roll, continuing with Westering Home, Skye Boat Song and finally finishing with Road to the Isles. Elaine was up next starting with Maggie and then finishing with Highland Cathedral. Tom Bennett followed Elaine with The Entertainer and Wine Women and Song. Mildred Moran was a new player to the club tonight making her debut with a selection of Irish tunes including
When Irish Eyes are Smiling and Molly Malone. Mildred said that she was glad everyone clapped when she took the stage because she might not get any applause when she finished. Mildred did well at her debut and was ready for round two later. Another player making her first performance at Leyland was Nina Suscenco playing her button accordion. Nina started with Melody of the Volga, which she played twice, once on an accordion she had borrowed for the evening and once on Chick Stephens accordion to
give us an idea of the difference between the same tune played by the same player on two different instruments.
Nina who plays a button accordion continued with Flik Flak Polka, Under Paris Skies and finally finishing with Luci E Ombre. Next we had the break, after this we were treated to Agnes Mclaren playing an Irish medley consisting of The Meeting Of The Waters, Irish Eyes, Endearing Young Charms, Mountains of Mourne, Loch Leven, Bonnie
Skodhyre, Rowan Tree and Glencoe. Jean Southern then played Bel Fiore and Style Musette. Chick Stephens then gave us a Scottish Slant with Grannies Highland Hame, Hame O Mine, Misty Islands of the Highlands, Loch In Daal and Lonely Scapa Flow which he played because he used to be a U Boat Captain - or was it because he worked there? It was one or the other - I cannot remember what he said now! I followed Chick playing my Sailors Hornpipe, I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now, a Johnny Cash Medley and
finally finishing with God Save the Queen. Normally when we are running out of time I only play one or two tunes at the most to make sure everyone gets a chance to play, this month we were on schedule for once and I got to play four tunes. After I played we had a second appearance from both Mildred Moran and Jean Southern who, despite having never met before, played Autumn Leaves. They were then joined by Nina Suscenco and all played Spanish Eyes. It was now 10.50pm and with just ten minutes to
throwing out time Nina played us to the end of the night with a smart selection of tunes. It had been another great night of music and I felt once again inspired, I cannot remember what I was inspired to do, but I was inspired. I look forward to seeing you all again this Wednesday 10th March when we have Gina and Romany Rye as guest artists and the BBC filming our evening, remember not to use the excuse that you are going out to a strip club, your family may see you on TV and the truth will be
out! See you there - 8pm start, another great night is guaranteed.
David Batty
Hopefully that was an interesting blast from the past, now to move up to date with some items to keep you entertained during the lockdown.
