The Wardlaw Scottish Dance Band - Accordions and Influences

About the Accordions:

The Wardlaw Scottish Dance Band favours the Hohner Morino accordion.

<ooooo Thinks - time for some useless information here.......>

The "Morino"model was named after Venancio Morino, Hohner's Chief accordion designer during the 1930s. It has become one of the most widely used Hohner models, particularly with Scottish Dance Bands. Older models are much in demand. This is due to better materials being used in the instrument's construction in bygone years (I mean Pre 1970s).

In the early days, each instrument was a "hand-made work of art" - not a victim of the "mass production" era!

<ooooo Thinks - End of useless information! ooooo>

<Thinks - Says you! ...Yawn...> - Ed

The accordions:

Lead accordion is a VN (Gola Coupler) c. 1966. This has been associated with the Wardlaw S.D.B. for quite some time.
Nowadays, for the odd "special occasion" a 140 Bass Morino 2+1 c. 1939 is "given an airing"! (Below left)

Morino "2 + 1"

Second accordion is one of two - either a IVM Special c.1954 (Above right)
or a IVN c. 1978

thanks to Alister Firth for permission to use these two images

Influences to the sound of the Wardlaw:

From the 1950's: Two names are instantly associated with that particular era:
a) Jimmy Shand, positively flawless for Tempo.
b) Bobby Macleod with his real flair for "Pipe" music.

From the 1960's:
a) Ian Powrie - in particular Pam Brough's original style on piano
and Mickie Ainsworth's 2nd accordion style - as well as the sound of his accordion
b) Stan Hamilton, with the equally unique rhythm style he had for playing strathspeys. Stan, born in Ayr, Scotland, has been resident in Ontario, Canada for much of his life.

From the 1970's - Jim Johnstone. Great music, played well and with a relaxed sound.
From the 1980's to date - Bobby Brown and the "Scottish Accent"

Bobby, who hails from Dennyloanhead (near Stirling) played 2nd Accordion Stan Hamilton's band and like Stan, has spent the greater part of his life in Canada.
Bobby has a tremendous "lift" in his playing
- in "traditional" musician's parlance, he "really has the message!"

2nd accordionist in the Scottish Accent Band is Bobby's son, Laird Brown.
Laird has stamped out his own innovative style which adds to the "lift" and "drive" already established
in the Scottish Accent Band.

Laird Brown

Piano is provided by Kathy Fraser-Collins
Drums by Fred Collins
Bass Guitar by Rob Wolanski

Domino 5M

Brampton party

(Photo L-R)
Stan Hamilton, (an apparition),
Bobby Brown, Rob Wolanski

Band pic

THE WARDLAW SCOTTISH DANCE BAND

Wardlaw Scottish Dance Band
Latest release

Domino Five

available on the "Bryan's Room" label as:

BRCD 035

Domino Five Album pic

14 Tracks of popular Country Dances, many which have been requested
and a Scottish Waltz - to help you ease your muscles gently into action!.

Tracks include:
The Gilly Flower, Wind on Loch Fyne, The Royal Yacht Britannia,
Ayr Promenade, Inverneill House, Bonnie Stronshiray

Still a popular choice - in fact we had to have more copies pressed!

Quick Here's Anither Yin!

available on the

"Bryan's Room" label: (BRCD 034)

**Reviewed in the Box & Fiddle**

Please note however, ALL CDs are supplied with an insert detailing number of times
through the dance and track timings. Unfortunately this was not supplied with the review
copy submitted to the Box & Fiddle. We have been very keen to provide inserts
to anyone who bought a CD without this info.

Over an hour of Scottish Country Dances, popular in S.W. Scotland

but hurry if you want a copy - even the re-pressings are selling out fast!

Tracks include:
The Chequered Court; S-Locomotion; Waltz Country Dance;
Summer School Peregrinations; Castle Douglas; The Highland Rambler
and many more.

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Last updated 3rd July 2005

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