Jimmy Shand: First Beltona Recording Session, 1935

 

Jimmy Shand: First Beltona Recording Session, 1935

After Jimmy Shand's first foray into recording for Regal Zonophone in London in 1933, his next session was a year and a half later for Beltona Records based in Glasgow. This was the start of an extensive run of Shand records released by the label which went on until 1945, after which he signed to Parlophone Records. In early 1935 Jimmy travelled to an Edinburgh hall, the Kintore Rooms at 74 Queen Street, where Beltona often recorded artists. Twelve tracks were laid down with accompaniment from Margaret Lowe on piano, and all twelve were released and re-released, and some are still being re-released today on CD compilations. I put together this album from various sources, including my own collection and some vinyl re-releases.

1) Irish Jigs-Rory O'More/Dublin Jig/Blackthorn Stick
2) Irish Jigs-Donnybrook Boy/Humours of Donnybrook/Paddy O'Rafferty

3) Circassian Circle-Original/When I Look Back at Bonnie Aberdeen/Kate Dalrymple
4) Eightsome Reel-Mason's Apron/Breakdown/Mrs MacLeod
5) March, Strathspey & Reel-Atholl Highlanders Farewell/MacDuff Castle/Speed the Plough
6) The Thistle Schottische
7) Hornpipes-Arthurs Seat/Eugene Stratton/Banks
8) Slow Air-Bonnie Lass o' Bon Accord
9) March, Strathspey & Reel-Balmoral Highlanders/Jessie Smith/Rachel Rae
10) March, Strathspey & Reel-The Burning Sands of Egypt/Stirling Castle/Torryburn Lasses
11) Folk Waltz-Ash Grove/Jenny Jones
12) March, Strathspey & Reel-Miss Elspeth Campbell/Huntly's Farewell/Captain Keillor

320cbr

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Below is pictured Kintore House, where the Kintore Rooms were, where this recording session took place.

The Bluebell Polka

One of the few times a traditional musician has entered the hit parade was when Jimmy Shand took his recording of The Bluebell Polka into the Top 20 in 1955. Many people have assumed that the tune is a Shand composition, but it predates him. Jimmy got a lot of his repertoire from the previous generation of Scottish melodeon players: The Wyper Brothers, Pamby Dick, James Brown, etc, and indeed, Brown recorded a version of the tune on a 78rpm record on the 19th April 1911, calling it Little Pet (Caledonian Polka) (I used to have a copy of that track but, frustratingly, I cannot find it right now).

Going back further in time, possibly the first appearance of the tune in print is in the popular Kerr's Merry Melodies Book 1, where it is attributed to no composer, although it does say "Pianoforte copies of above…" The attached is one of those sheets for piano, where the composer is clearly given as "F Stanley" (I have 

Irish musicians also recorded versions of the tune: fiddler James Morrison recorded it in the 1930s (along with Happy Birdie), and more recently by fiddler Jesse Smith. There is an old American polka by the name Little Pet (see here), but it's a different tune.

Although its origins are unclear, The Bluebell Polka captured the hearts of many people, musicians, dancers and listeners alike. It is still played and regarded fondly in Scotland to this day (I played a ceilidh last Saturday evening; during our break a singer made me do the Macarena while she sang a vocal version of the song!). 

Jimmy Shand: First Recording Session, London 1933

Jimmy Shand's first recording session was in 1933 with the Regal Zonophone company. His employer, Dundee music shop owner Charles Forbes, had agreed to underwrite the costs - unknown to Jimmy - and so the session took place in the Abbey Road studios in London. There was a pianist available, but on some tracks Jimmy asked if he could record unaccompanied. Two records were eventually issued, MR 1387 and MR 1388.

1) CAR2411 Bottom of the Punchbowl/My Love She's But a Lassie Yet/Fair Maid of Perth
2) CAR2412 Atholl Highlanders/Rakes of Kildare/Teviot Bridge
3) CAR2414 Londonderry Hornpipe/High Level Hornpipe

Presumably matrix no. CAR2413 was The Druken Piper/Laird o' Drumblair/Deil Amang the Tailors - mentioned in Shand's biography by David Phillips (Dundee 1976); alas, I have not got a copy of that track.

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Other collections of Scottish 78rpm records:
Will Powrie, Scottish Melodeon from 78 rpm Recordings
Donald Davidson: Scottish Mouth Organ Classics
William Hannah: Scottish Melodeon 78s

Jimmy Shand & Ian Powrie: When Auld Friends Meet (1974)

Jimmy Shand & Ian Powrie: When Auld Friends Meet (1974)

01 Jimmy Shand's Comps to Ian Powrie/10th HLI Crossing the Rhine
02 Big Dougal/Margaret's Fancy/Carnie's Canter
03 79th's Farewell to Gibralter
04 The Bonnie Isle of Gletness/Sunset Over Foula/Rona's Voe
05 The Atholl and Breadalbane Gathering/Lord Elgin of Broomhall
06 O Gin I Were a Baron's Heir
07 St Andrew's Parade/Harveston Castle/Breadalbane Reel/Bobby Watson
08 Bill Black's Mirk/John Stephen of Chance Inn/Ian Powrie's Comps to Willie Hunter
09 MacLean of Pennycross/Sprig of Ivy
10 Soft Lowland Tongue/Annie Laurie/My Nannie's Awa'/I Lo'ed Nae a Lassie But Ane
11 Aunice Gillies's Farewell to Loch Gilphead/John Bain Mackenzie
12 My Ain Folk

Two giants of the Scottish dance scene collaborate on an album of great tunes, great music. There are solos by both, but most tracks are band efforts.

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