[Dixielandjazz] Sharps and Flats and Hauf a Coo!

[Pat Ladd]

Hi Ken.

About 10 years ago my wife and I and another couple flew up from the effete 
South of England to Scotland  to spend New Year in a  hotel on the Isle of 
Skye which we had booked on-line. We drove through appalling weather to get 
there to find that the hotel was not very warm, not very clean and organised 
mainly for walkers and climbers who tramped mud all over the place and 
looked askance at soft foreigners  who wanted gin and tonics instead of 
pints of Tartan and tumblers full of whisky.
I thought things didn`t look so bad as there was a ceilidh arranged for the 
evening and I had spotted a piano accordion and a banjo case in the 
reception. One played by the landlord and one by a friend. A conversation 
ensued during which  I bemoaned the fact that they had no drums. I have 
drums in the attic said the landlord. These were dug out and I was drafted 
into the  band. I had never played for Scottish Dancing but I did a bit of 
Old Time dancing in my youth and was familiar with Military Two Step, St 
Bernard's Waltz, Gay Gordon's etc. In any case most of the tunes are 
syncopated marches or waltzes. I think we did The Lancers as some point. I 
remember the Grand Chain collapsing as dancers were flung into the 
bystanders.
We had an hilarious evening and I was particularly impressed with the teen 
agers and twenty somethings who were very proper and well behaved and 
superbly dressed in full Scottish fig. Whisky flowed like water. I have 
played for dances where a fair bit of wallop has been put away but nothing 
to touch these guys. Yet no one was falling down drunk. A missed step here 
and there and a slight stagger occasionally but no one fighting or rushing 
outside to be sick.
The band got a standing ovation when we finally played Auld Lang Syne at 
some time in the morning.
The next day there was another ceilidh, at mid day for the youngsters. These 
seemed to be all under 13 and many only 6 or 7 years old. All immaculately 
turned out with frilled shirts and kilts and very proper manners. The band 
did a repeat performance for about 4 hours.
My one and only New Year holiday in Scotland. Memorable!

Pat